Length: 14.8 km (9.2 mile)
Toughness: 2 out of 10
London Liverpool Street: 09-18 hrs Greater Anglia service to Clacton-on-Sea Stratford 09-25 hrs
Arrive Wivenhoe: 10-23 hrs
Wivenhoe Ferry operating times today: 13-00 hrs until 16-30 hrs
Return
Direct service at 24 mins past the hour
Service changing at Colchester at 32 mins past the hour
Departure times from London have to link in with the Wivenhoe Ferry operating times, in order that both legs of the walk can be walked and lunch taken on one or the other sides of the River. Today, the ferry times suggest a slightly early start from London and early(ish) arrival in Wivenhoe, to allow the Wivenhoe loop of the walk be taken first, with time for lunch in Wivenhoe before taking the ferry across the River Colne to Rowhedge.
The Wivenhoe leg sets out alongside the River on a raised - and exposed - path. It then heads inland and over fields back to Wivenhoe. You should be back in the village circa 12-15 pm. The pub on the riverfront, The Rose & Crown, is OK, but the pub back uphill away from the front in the village (five minutes walk) The Greyhound is better. Other luncheon options are noted in the Walk Directions. Picnickers enjoy their sandwiches on the riverfront, opposite the Rose & Crown pub.
After lunch, you take the small ferry (fee £ 1-50 each way- cash only) over to Rowhedge, to undertake the Rowhedge loop of the walk - and very nice it is, too, a mixture of woods and open countryside, and latterly beside the wide river estuary before you walk through a new housing development on your return to Rowhedge. There are two good pubs in the village for post walk refreshments - but do please allow plenty of time to catch one of the last ferries back to Wivenhoe.
T=1.30
Walk Directions are here: L=1.30
1 comment:
#11 on this walk in #hot-sunny weather (plus a family of four following the same route independently in slower time). There was just the right amount of shade and breeze off the water to make this an excellent walk for a day when the thermometer crept steadily upwards. I got a bit behind and initially lost the others at lunchtime but after a tour of Wivenhoe, found 4 who had avoided the Rose and Crown after a previous bad experience, and tried the Greyhound where the food seemed very satisfactory and the garden surprisingly quiet for a Saturday. I think 5 lunched at the Black Buoy which also got a thumbs up. We made a staggered restart, spreading out over 3 ferries to Rowhedge. There were lots of people waiting to get back so a few trips were needed to get everyone back to Wivenhoe in time to experience some confusion at the station as there were signs and announcements telling us we needed to change trains at "Colchester North" (apparently the old name for Colchester main stn). Cows on the line. But we weren't significantly held up.
Many thanks for persevering with posting this walk Marcus, I'd never managed to do it before and found it most enjoyable
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