Length: 17.7km (11 miles). Toughness 5/10.
Catch the 10:02 train from London Liverpool Street, change at Marks Tey arr. 10:57, dep. 11:01 for Bures arr. 11:07.
Buy a day return to Bures.
Return from Bures
xx:33 change at Marks Tey arr. xx:45, dep. xx:49 for Liverpool Street arr. xx:44.
T=1.46
1 comment:
#3 descended from the train at Wakes Coln on a #mostly_cloudy_but_sunny_at_the_end day. We asked a couple of other people in boots if they were there for the SWC walk, or even would like to know about the SWC. but they were quite certain that they were not and did not.
We skipped the railway museum, noticed the impressive Chappel Viaduct as we left the village and were soon in fields and woods. A bit, but not too muddy, but lots of water to enjoy – we followed the River Colne (a big stream really) for some distance, plus at least 2 big irrigation and/or fishing lakes – one with a huge heron. As the instructions warned, some rather overgrown (brambles) paths. We’d have liked to have seen Colne Priory (1825 house) in Earls Colne as we walked by, but on one side the railings were supplemented by 6ft (I.8m) close boarded fence, and large laurel bushes either side of gates so we couldn’t see the house, and on the far side, where we could just see the house across large grounds, more laurel bushes have been planted so it will soon be completely hidden. Well, I suppose if you’d paid the asking price of £7m in 2022, you wouldn’t want us looking at it either.
Picnic lunch in the churchyard of St Andrews, Colne, the church has a beautifully colourful east window featuring St George defeating the dragon. (1919) We skipped the pub, but despite setting off well before 2pm, and walking, we felt, briskly (though with one pause to retrieve a dropped item) only reached the station after 4pm - in plenty of time for the 4:33pm train, and just before it got dark, but we doubted whether the walk is compatible with a pub lunch at this time of year.
NB Paras 29 – 32 describe the last few hundred meters into Colne Engaine. Para 31 describes the official way as turning right onto, and walking on the road (Station Road) into the village, but mentions the well-used footpath running parallel to the road inside the hedge. Two of us walked on the road – not a good idea, there are several blind corners and high hedges hiding us from oncoming cars. I’d strongly recommend the field version, though near the church possibly walk further than we did to avoid a climb up a very steep bank. Or take the “short cut” to the pub at para 29, it looks much safer, I don’t think you miss much and you can always walk up to the church before/after a visit to the pub.
A lovely walk, plenty of variety of woods and fields though one walker thought there wasn’t enough climbing.
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