Length: 17.3 km (10.7 miles) Short cut omits Statford St Mary for a walk of 8.2 miles
Toughness: 4 out of 10 No steep hills
London Liverpool Street: 10-00 hrs Greater Anglia fast service to Norwich
Arrive Manningtree: 10-53 hrs
Return
Greater Anglia services at approx 02, 19 and 52 mins past the hour
To complement our mid-week walk through Gainsborough country two weeks earlier, today's walk takes us through Constable country - and very pleasant it is, too.
Leaving Manningtree we head across country to the village of Dedham, where we stop for lunch, at its pub-hotel - The Sun - which I recall can be walker unfriendly - or a tea shop. The large church in the centre of the village is worth a visit.
After lunch, on reaching the River Stour, we have choice of route: the main route takes us beside the river along field edges towards the village of Stratford St Mary, then some road walking before continuing on to the village of East Bergholt. The shortcut takes us alongside the river in the opposite direction towards Flatford Mill - the setting for one of artist John Constable's most famous paintings. Tea can be had here or on the railway station at its very acceptable station buffet.
T=1.39
Walk Directions are here: L=1.39
1 comment:
N=6 on a w=sunny day. Barely a cloud in the sky. There was a little consternation past Lawford when the paths didn’t seem tally with the directions. Most of us went left round the big field. This took us through a wood with a stunning display of celandine and we were soon back on course.
On to Dedham, where 3 visited the Sun, which was friendly enough. The others picknicked and moved on ahead of us.
We laggards eschewed Stratford St Mary and took the river shortcut to East Bergholt, which was very pleasant. We noted, though, that the bridge we would have crossed to continue to Flatford was no longer there, either washed away or demolished. Not that that bothered us.
A look round East Bergholt’s church, then on to Flatford Mill where we were reunited with the others and had tea and cakes by the river in the sunshine.
We got to Manningtree station just as the 16:50 was arriving so no time to explore the delights of the buffet bar.
A good day out.
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