Length: 14.8 kms (9.2 miles)
Toughness: 2 out of 10
London Liverpool Street: 10-18 hrs Greater Anglia service to Clacton-on-Sea Stratford: 10-25 hrs
Arrive Wivenhoe: 11-23 hrs
Return: 24 mins past the hour direct service - and 32 mins past the hour changing at Colchester
Wivenhoe ferry times today: 14-45 hrs to 18-15 hrs
This walk hasn't had an outing for four years, so perhaps it's time to dust it off and give it a go. Its infrequent posting can be explained by the difficulty in linking ferry and tide times with train times - but today the key elements seem to work - so do come along !
We start today with the Wivenhoe leg of the walk, which starts along the sea wall path before heading inland and over fields before returning to the town, for lunch. The Rose and Crown is your pub option. You now take the Wivenhoe Ferry to the Rowhedge side of the River, for the second leg of the walk, which includes woods, open fields and a section beside the river. You will have plenty of time to fit in this leg and stop for tea in Rowhedge before you take the ferry back to Wivenhoe.
This walk will be new to many of you - so if you fancy something different and a bit quirky - do join me.
T=1.30
Walk Directions are here: L=1.30
4 comments:
I and another and possibly another are aiming to do just the morning leg of this walk so cutting it to an easy walk.
7 k for the morning leg then lunch and then on the ferry for a cup of tea (with dessert?) on the far side and then back on the ferry and back to the station
If anybody is interested ?
Bridie
I might be interested in the shorter option
Jane
Planning to join for the full walk, hope to see some other walkers later.
A bumper crop of SWC walkers today ! This walk does not usually attract many, but today we mustered at least n=25, maybe more, as some early and late starters appeared at various times during the day. As for the weather, it was w=overcast-at-first-turning-to-sunny-after-lunch. The temperature was ideal for this pseudo-seaside quirky walk, enhanced by a breeeze off the river: and lovely skies all day.
We set off as planned on the Wivenhoe loop, initially along the riverside path before heading inland to return over fields to the town. The water meadows we crossed just before we rejoined the raised riverside path were ablaze with ragwort.
10 of us planned to take lunch at the Rose & Crown pub in Wivenhoe, but this proved to be both a challenge and a lesson in patience - for the pub and our expectant diners. The pub's chef had walked out, we believe that morning, leaving the management to have a go at cooking. On learning of the likely delay cum wait, 6 decided to stay as they nursed their beers. Some were served within thirty minutes, the last's meal arrived after a two hour wait! As there was plenty of time to relax before the ferry start-up time, the delay did not matter, but well done the walkers for their patience - and to the pub's manager for his amateur effort. But that said, the grub when it arrived looked unappetising and pretty awful - but I guess if you have waited for two hours you are not too picky !
Picnickers in the meantime enjoyed a drink from the pub and sat outdoors passing the time until the ferry started up. Most of us took the ferry in relays (the ferry's capacity is ten) with a few opting not to cross the river and instead explore the many delights in Wivenhoe before returning home for "an early bath". A couple might have spent time relaxing in Rowhedge (without doing the walk) before taking the ferry back to Wivenhoe. Of my ferry load, all bar me followed the chap in front with a hand-held gizmo, unintentionally doing the walk "backwards" ! Yours truly passed them mid-route - they were all enjoying their walk ! Later ferry loads did the Rowhedge leg "proper way round". In the sunshine this leg was lovely: the historic church in Fingringhoe was open and many of us took a peek inside. The redevelopment of the extensive old warehouse site on the outskirts of Rowhedge into luxury housing has greatly improved the final stretch of this walk before it re-enters the town and back to the ferry. Earlier returnees were in time to catch the 17-24 hrs train, but most of us opted to take the 18-24 hrs train, leaving time for an unhurried drink in the comfy garden of the Greyhound pub (recommended in future for luncheon). Trains home were delayed due to problems with overhead power lines, and we had to change trains at Colchester, but fears of the next train to London being over-crowded were unfounded - we all found seats. Back in London the Pingdemic was being used as an excuse for delays on the underground, but hopefully all eventually got home safely after what turned out to be a long day.
This walk was new to most SWC walkers today, and I hope they enjoyed this walk with a difference, be it considered quirky or whatever. We will try not to wait another four years before we give it another go.
Post a Comment