The Essex Way

Epping to Harwich, Essex 81 Miles.  Also forms part of the E2 between Dedham and Harwich (Eastern Variant).  The Way heads across gently undulating agricultural land, passing through or near many attractive old villages including Willingdale, Pleshey, Coggeshall, Dedham, which has connections with the painter John Constable, and Manningtree where it takes to the Stour Estuary.

Sections Walked so far: Manningtree to Wrabness, Wrabness to Ramsey, Ramsey to Harwich Town, Great Horkesley to Manningtree, Manningtree 'Gap'

Manningtree to Wrabness

Thursday 27 Dec 2007 - 6 Miles

A super short walk today as was on way to see family, but train problems meant a really late start.  By time reached Wrabness was getting dark so had to call it quits.  My first walking in Essex, and very attractive countryside, by the river Stour

EDME works at Mistley and Wrabness Church interesting.

By the Stour at Manningtree

Waymarker - Strangely, there are these Poppy style ones, and also dark green ones...

Looking back towards Manningtree from Wrabness

Very quaint church, with bell kept in wooden cage

Wrabness to Ramsey

Monday 31 Dec 2007 - 4 Miles

As I was thwarted from getting here last Thursday, I finished this section on the way home.  The Essex Way followed to Ramsey.

The other style of waymarker

Ramsey windmill

Ramsey to Harwich Town

Wednesday 6 August 2008 - 5 Miles

ID06082008#28

Super, smashing lovely!  Back in the old country, anuvva dose of walking in Essex and Suffolk.  Got of the train at Harwich International and retraced steps on E2 back to Ramsey, and finished in Harwich Town.  A real route march, as needed to catch last Felixstowe Ferry of the day.  Made it with 10 minutes to spare.  Extremely heavy rucksack made things a bit bleedin' previous...but all very nice and interesting all the same guv...

Approaching the sea near Little Oakley

On the raised bank

Dovercourt beach huts

Strange Dovercourt lighthouses

Maritime museum - looking across Stour/Orwell to Felixstowe

Waiting for the ferry on Ha'penny pier

Great Horkesley to Manningtree 

Wednesday 26 August 2009 - 13 Miles

ID26082009#24

First walk again for couple of weeks, after a very convivial week on the Isle Of Wight, the only problem being no opportunities to go off walking while there.  Anyway, a big dose of walking, on way to Suffolk for a week.  This first walk was great, as I have been desperate to make inroads into the Essex Way.  I got off the train in Colchester, and walked via a golf couse and a scary 'frogger' session across the A12, back onto the Essex Way, between West Bergholt and Great Horkesley.  The path then passes north of Boxted, eventually crossing the A12 again (safely) south of Stratford St Mary and on to Dedham.  Heading South and then East, leaving the walk at Lawford Church and heading down to Manningtree Station and to me mums.  The Essex Way continues to delight, running through the Stour Valley and 'Constable Country'

Rejoining the Essex Way near Great Horkesley

Beautiful orchard nearby.  I took a windfall and munched on route

Carter's Vineyard

The spookiest tree ever - near Rivers Hall.  Avoid this lane at night!

Dedham - very nice.  Had a good scoff break near church

View to pretty Dedham

On the side of stables

hello horsey

Not recommended, but not tresspassing either, on a crossing near Manningtree.  This is the main London - Norwich line

Baa, Baa Etc...

Faint rainbow near Manningtree

Lawford Church.  Peeled off from here down to the station

Manningtree 'Gap' (Station to Town)

Tuesday 1 September - 1.5 Miles

ID01092009#28

On way back from Suffolk, felt I had left a bit early, so got off at Manningtree and just did the little strand of Essex Way that I had missed by previously walking straight through the town, just to kill an hour.  Unfortunately it poured down half way through, but soon dried off when back on the train to London later

The path from Manningtree station leading back up to Lawford Church

Above Manningtree, just before the 'heavens' opened

Epping to Ongar

22 May 2010 - 7 Miles

ID22052010#14b

This was walked immediately on from the second part of the Epping Forest Centenary Walk.  I was almost overcome with the idea of getting the hell out of dodge, but half heartedly decided to carry on.  The walk was actually very pleasant, and much easier to follow, as the Essex Way is well waymarked.  It was also nice that there was some kind of running competition, which meant that from time to time I was being passed by joggers, then disappearing into the distance.  It had been a very hot day, but a glorious comfortable evening - I only reached Ongar at 2100, so had to spend £15 on a cab back to Epping, after waiting half hour at the Cock Inn, and getting slaughtered on One Pint!  If the muppets had kept the Central Line open to Ongar (axed in 1994) I could have got back easily - although I don't think it ran ouside commuter hours...

From Epping Station, I crossed the footbridge, went down Hillcrest Way, then turned right on Bower Hill, then almost immediately left, this being the start of the Essex Way.  This leads South East to Stewards Green Road, then almost immediately you head North East, making a 'V'.  Right ast Stonards Hill, passing the Pub, then left and heading North West passing round Coopersale, East through Gernon Bushes, and continuing to Toot Hill, through the village and then on a mainly East Heading with a few doglegs, crossing Greensted Road, through Greensted and eventually hitting the centre of Ongar, opposite the Cock Inn.  

Wow - luxury - waymarking at Epping

Very lush countryside - just outside Epping

Sheeps Chill - near Coopersale Street

Nice tempting bench at Coopersale - no time to stop though - keep on truckin'

The view from the bench - southwards

That bleedin' shadow keeps following me...on the way to Toot Hill

Green Man Pub Sign - Toot Hill.  All very Pagan and that

Greensted Church

Ongar beckons...getting dark