Length: 23.2 km (14.4 mi) [much shorter
option available]
Ascent/Descent:
86m; Net Walking Time: 5 hours
Toughness: 4/10
Take
the 10.02 train from L’pool Street (10.09 Stratford),
arrives Kelvedon 10.51.
Return trains are 2 per hour: xx.23 and 15.54/16.52/18.00/then xx.54.
This walk is centred on the gentle
landscape of the Blackwater Valley, close to Constable Country, and includes
some very tranquil and scenic stretches along the river itself, interspersed
with long stretches along country lanes, green lanes or field boundaries with
wide and extensive views across the rolling Essex countryside of fields and
woods. A pre-lunch north westerly loop explores the valley cut by Robin’s
Brook, leading to Marks Hall Gardens and Arboretum.
The lunch time destination Coggeshall is one of Britain’s most
historic market towns. It has 300 listed buildings, amongst the ones passed on
the walk are: Britain’s oldest barn
(Grange Barn, NT), an impressive carved timber-framed Wool
Merchant’s house, Paycocke’s
(also NT, combi tickets are
available), as well as one of its finest medieval buildings, built on the remnants
of a 12th Century abbey and a couple of photogenic watermills and an
outsized church.
The two NT-properties are now linked by an NT-trail,
which you might want to explore instead of the bit of road walking between them
(and in any case looks like a worthy addition to the walk as an extension --->
note to walk author).
A much shorter walk of 16.3 km length
enables extended visits to the NT properties en route.
Lunch is either on the Marks Hall Estate in the
Café in Bouchier's Barn (11.1 km/6.9 mi, cooked food to
14.30), or at one of many places in Coggeshall (about 14.5 km into the full
walk/7.5 km into the short walk): Ranfield’s Brasserie (formerly
Baumann’s Brasserie), Clock House Tea
Rooms, The Chapel Inn, The
White Hart Hotel or The Woolpack Inn.
West Street
Vineyard
is actually the No. 1 ranked place for food in Coggeshall on Tripadvisor, so it
might be worth checking out if it’s not too far along the road out of town.
For
tea there are The Sun Inn, or The
Railway Tavern, and the Kings
Fish Bar.
Next Week: SWC 30 Battle Circular 20.4 km 6/10 T=swc.216
7 comments:
Thomas
Thanks, I personally find it really useful to know what's coming up the following week!
Now I might do the Walk on Wednesday. But I can't Guarantee I will. Mind you I have done it before about 2 years ago. But I did it on a Sunday. While I went to Manchester for the day on Saturday before that.
I'm intending to go and do the "much shorter walk of 16.3 km length" thus enabling extended visits to the NT properties en route.
I am hoping to attend and get on the correct train this week.jfk
Sorry I can't join you'all but will come next week. When I did this walk 2 years ago I spent time in every NT venue. Garden and shop in Coggeshall not finishing till 9pm. I even went back a year later and bought designer guild cushions after visiting the RHS garden by car. Thoroughly recommended especially the Secret Garden cafe in Coggeshall . Don't miss it if you're free. I'm going from Rainham to Purfleet in the Thames estuary with a Footprints of London professional guide as part of the Totally Thames festival. Last week of my season ticket. They are doing Literary London next month. £45 fior the month and 70 walks to choose from!
n=10 walkers in w=initially-sunny-later-overcast conditions. 9 off the train, 1 encountered later in Coggeshall waiting for a bus to Chelmsford, apparently off a later train. A fine day for a walk that benefits more than most from dry conditions on the ground. Rolling hillocks, tranquil riverside stretches and picturesque old buildings. 2 opted for the short walk, once we all got to Coggeshall, 2 walked the standard long walk, 4 investigated a new extension in Coggeshall along the Essex Way initially and then back along the Blackwater river, which was quite nice, so will be added to the route as an option. 1 had said he'd walk 'the much shorter 16.3 km version', but then was found sitting at the table at the lunch stop on the long walk, Bouchier's Barn at Marks Hall Arboretum, without being able to explain how he got there, and BEFORE anyone else...
The one downside of that lunch place is: no booze. So a pub stop at the Woolpack Inn was kind of mandatory. Another swift one at the Sun Inn in Feering, close to the end. 18.24 train for the tailenders.
Tptally enchanting morning walk to Coggleshall off later train . Had to leave early after buying plants to get back for energetic Scottish country dancing in evening.jfk
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