14.8km (9.2 miles) Difficulty 2/10
We don’t often get a shot at this unusual walk, but, today, the stars are aligned.
The walk is in two halves, connected by a ferry that only runs when tides allow. Today is such a day.
The ferry starts at 13.30 and stops at 17:00 so here’s the plan. Do the Wivenhoe loop first (takes about two hours) then cross over for the Rowhedge loop (also takes two hours).
That loop is said to be good for birds and there's an ancient church at Fingringhoe.
Trains: Get the 09:38 Clacton-on-Sea train from Liverpool Street platform 13 (Stratford 9:45) arriving Wivenhoe at 10:45
Trains return from Wivenhoe at xx:56
The ferry costs £2 each way (cash or contactless) and is operated by volunteers. Takes 10 at a time. When crossing, double-check when the last returns are and plan accordingly.
If you do miss the last ferry, you could get the (infrequent) 53 bus from Rowhedge to Colchester Station at 18:00 (several stops, click 'all stops'). There are 3 trains an hour from Colchester.
Lunch
You could have lunch either side.
Faster walkers with a wait for the first ferry could visit the Rose & Crown before crossing (tel. 01206-826371). This would allow more time on the other side.
However, if you have lunch after the ferry you can pretend you've gone somewhere posh like France. There should just be time at the suggested stop, the The Anchor (tel. 01206-728382) on Rowhedge High Street (80 metres from the jetty) serving food all afternoon. Allow a minimum 2 hours walking time to catch the last ferry back.
Ye Olde Albion (tel. 01206-728972), a former CAMRA pub of the year, at Rowhedge Quay, prides itself on being a proper old fashioned pub. It does not serve food but welcomes walkers and, allegedly, allows them to eat sandwiches inside or out – but do check and please buy a drink.
Tea
Several options on the Wivenhoe side.
The Rose & Crown, near the quay,
The Greyhound (tel. 01206-825573) on the High Street, near the start of the walk.
The Black Buoy (tel. 01206-822425) on East Street.
The Station Hotel (tel. 01206-822991) next to Wivenhoe railway station.
Walk directions: here t=1.30
1 comment:
#6 walkers got of the train in #warm_humid_and_sunny weather. We completed the attractive southern loop watching the rising tide. Back at "Wiviera", 3 of us enjoyed a tasty Sunday roast at the Rose & Crown, while the other 3 had sandwiches and drinks. While we had our lunch on the pub terrace facing the river Colne, we watched the ferry being prepared and then queued for its first departure during which we got chatting to a German who was in the UK for a reunion at the University of Essex. He expressed interest in joining us on our second loop on the other side of the Colne. 2 pushy walkers managed to fill the ferry on its first departure while the others had to wait. On the other side the 2 pushy ones waited for the others to arrive but only the German and one of the other walkers appeared. The latter decided to walk to Colchester while the 3 of us started the Rowhedge loop. It turned out that one of the left-behind walkers went to a local museum and another pub before taking the train home, while the other 2 did their own unknown thing. Back in Rowhedge the 3 had a drink and took the last ferry back to Wivenhoe where we said good-bye to our new German friend who walked back to the University campus. The remaining 2 spent a wonderful hour at the Rose & Crown talking to 2 cute dogs and watching the tidal river life, before taking the 17:56 home.
This is the first time I did this walk and I found it more enjoyable than anticipated: Wivenhoe and Rowhedge are very quiet villages with attractive old houses and a bustling life in the pubs and on the water (at high tide!) with paddle boarders, kajakers and sailing boaters using the few hours per day when the Colne is not just a narrow low level stream and exposed mudbanks. The paths of the walk lead through bushes near the river on the Wivenhoe loop and through a lovely woodland on the Rowhedge loop, so one is not constantly exposed to the burning sun. We passed a mysterious "Blue Lagoon" on the Rowhedge side, a lake whose waters had a intense bluish sheen, a church with an ancient weathered wooden door and the lovely meandering stretch of the Roman River a tributary of the Colne. We all agreed that this walk should be posted more often. An extension to Colchester along the Colne might be feasible.
Post a Comment