Mersea Island, Essex, Circular Walk

 Coastal Walks, Essex, On The Front Line, Sailing, Walking Hiking Navigating  No Responses »
Jan 212012
 

Fifteen years ago I regularly visited Mersea Island with my eldest son while taking the RYA Yachmaster course. Our teacher was Jim McNaughton of the Mersea Island Yacht Club. I don’t think Jim liked us. He passed us grudgingly, certainly making us work harder than his Mersea Island chums in class.

I think my Master Mariner qualifications were testing for him. The “rights of way” subject was a tricky discussion! But I liked him and I still hold fond memories of his anecdotes.

My father lived on Mersea Island for a short time during WW2. His mother worked in a Colchester department store and cycled each day. That’s an impressive 20 mile round trip and with a full days work in-between. It must have been a trek, especially in the winter setting off in the dark and not getting home before dark too. With no lights avoiding ditches and the Strood itself must have been tricky. Still, I remember my Granny always had a smile and was a plucky woman who never complained.

This is a 12 mile walk that can get muddy in parts, especially along the bank of the Strood, therefore take care if it has rained. Ample pubs, clubs and cafés so no need to pack a lunch.

I changed route avoiding the busy roads by turning right instead of left on the B1025 (at the end of the Strood section) and then using the public footpaths to cut through to Blue Row.

mersea route 1024x460 Mersea Island, Essex, Circular Walk

Mersea Island Route

Distance: 12 Miles
Elevation Range: 0 to 70 feet
Weather Check: Colchester, Essex
Map: Click here and once loaded select “Leisure” map
Route Card: Mersea Island, Essex, Circular Walk
Download the Walkers Route Card Template for Word 2010
Local Website: www.mersea-island.com

 Posted by Martyn at 8:59 am  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

Epping Forest Circular Walk Via Toot Hill & The Moletrap

 Essex, Forest, On The Front Line, Walking Hiking Navigating  No Responses »
Nov 202011
 

I didn’t take my Camera on this walk so these are from my phone. Not Pulitzer material but it was a bright day, bright enough to produce good pictures under the circumstances.

I have wanted to visit Epping for a while and the chance arose without warning or time for proper planning. I want to walk the tunnels and bridges across the M25/M11 motorways. I decided to leave them to the end of the walk knowing it would be dark by the time I arrived. This may seem foolhardy however there are two attractions to the dark. The first is the tunnels will be creepy and secondly the land around motorways offers interesting navigation. If the dark freaks you out and you are considering this walk in the winter then I suggest you do the walk in reverse, and bring torches.

The sun is winter-low but bright enough to keep the air warm enough for me to walk wearing a T-Shirt and shorts (changing to longs before walking through brambles – and for decency’s sake before Lunch in the Moletrap pub).

Distance: 12½ Miles
Elevation Range: 85 to 365 feet
Weather Check: Epping, Essex
Map: Click here and once loaded select “Leisure” map
Route Card: Epping Forest Circular Walk Via Toot Hill & The Moletrap
Download the Walkers Route Card Template for Word 2010

 Posted by Martyn at 10:29 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Circular Walk Around Wet and Misty Mistley & Bradfield Essex

 Essex, On The Front Line, Sport, Walking Hiking Navigating  No Responses »
Nov 062011
 

Hundreds of swans and sea birds crowd into Mistley and show little fear for people or vehicles alike. When I drove through a couple of weeks ago traffic halted while three Swans strolled from Lower Park to the river.

A Circular Walk Around Wet and Misty Mistley & Bradfield Essex

A large coppice tree looking like a monster from the Never Ending story sits high on a mound in Furze Hills on the eastern leg of the walk. I have seen pictures of similar aged more than 1,000 years; I like the idea this tree may host memories that date beyond 1066. I like to imagine how people have used the tree to shelter from the sun or rain over the years, the conversations held and the politics of the day. Could the tree hold a grisly history too? Lightening appears to have struck it and due to its size and place may have been involved in punishment. With so many years it is likely to have many interesting stories, perhaps science will find a way to unlock these one day.

A Circular Walk Around Wet and Misty Mistley & Bradfield Essex

Despite the misty wet weather the walk was full of colour, checkout more of the photos here.

mistley bradfield walk A Circular Walk Around Wet and Misty Mistley & Bradfield Essex

Those who enjoy navigating will note there is an aerial and water tower visible from almost anywhere on the walk allowing easy positioning.

Distance: 12 Miles
Elevation Range: 0 to 119 feet
Difficulty: Easy but be ready to backtrack or find alternative routes due to mud.
Weather Check: BBC Weather Mistley, Essex.
Map: Click here and once loaded select “Leisure” map
Route Card: A Circular Walk Around Wet and Misty Mistley & Bradfield Essex
Download the Walkers Route Card Template for Word 2010

 Posted by Martyn at 10:15 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,

Autumn In Arger Fen, Suffolk

 Ancient Woodlands, On The Front Line, Sport, Suffolk, Walking Hiking Navigating  No Responses »
Oct 102011
 

I find footpaths through private gardens disconcerting at times. I don’t want to disturb peoples privacy. It’s usually impossible to decide if your route will take you through one beforehand and thus you cannot avoid it if you wish to continue on the planned walk. I’ll take a diversion if practical to avoid disturbing the owner (useful if map reading is wrong!).

This walk has two.

One littered with “beware of the dog” signs and kennels along the path with German Shepherds going crazy as you walk by. If dogs frighten you it maybe enough to abandon the path. Locked in the kennels I safely ignored them. The path continues right through the house owners garden and chances are in summer there will be small children running around as the garden has plastic play pens and slides. A good view of their patio and the rear of the house really gives the impression that you are strolling through their home. Personally I could not live here, if popular with dog walkers the German Shepherds will spend most of the day in fits. I suspect they exist for that very reason.

The second uses a better solution for hikers. The owner has put up clear signs so you are in no doubt where the path is and fast growing Leylandii planted a respectable distance from the path give cover.

SDC11307a 1024x768 Autumn In Arger Fen, Suffolk

The planned route doesn’t spend much time in Arger Fen. I did this on purpose as Ordnance Survey do not show many of the paths, and the ones they do are not shown as public Footpaths, so I entered and exited at different points observing the notices provided by the local trust and conservationists who are protecting the woods and nature within.

arger fen 1024x554 Autumn In Arger Fen, Suffolk

Click here for more photos and pictures.

Distance: 10¼ Miles
Elevation Range: 55 to 220 feet
Weather Check: BBC Weather Bures, Suffolk.
Map: Click here and once loaded select “Leisure” map
Route Card: Autumn In Arger Fen, Suffolk
Download the Walkers Route Card Template for Word 2010

 Posted by Martyn at 12:42 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

A List of Circular Walks in East Anglia

 Essex, Norfolk, On The Front Line, Suffolk, Walking Hiking Navigating  No Responses »
Sep 142011
 

SDC10009 300x225 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaMuch of East Anglia is easy to walk because its flat, “very flat, Norfolk”, according to Noel Coward in Private Lives.

Pleasant villages surrounded by pleasant countryside and the Broads, in both Suffolk and Norfolk. East Anglia has been the destination for tourists and artists for centuries. Beautiful buildings, large and small, open to the public as Pubs and Grand Mansions add splendour, mystery and intrigue for worthwhile investigation on foot. East Anglian Hospitality and excellent travellers facilities are the pride of the people.

History has left stories for exploration, some starting in pre-history. Grimes graves an example with tangible evidence of life and living conditions in East Anglia thousands of years ago.

Nelson, England’s greatest hero who perpetuated and protected our empire, born and lived in Norfolk. It’s not difficult to find his influence with museums and historical locations promoting him for their cause.

Traditional English Churches are important map markers and difficult to resist admiring up close or from distance for a bearing. Round towered churches make an interesting break and most are found in Norfolk (~150) and Suffolk (~40). Some boast a thousand years of history. The church in Weeting (shown above) used after the Great War to train young unemployed soldiers as farmers who migrated to Australia and New Zealand.

Round Towers built of granite stones and pebbles have lasted. Does this explain their shape or did the invading Saxon overlords need extra protection from attack? My walks try to answer questions like this but usually just leave me with more.

A list of the walks taken in East Anglia, Spring through Summer 2011

SDC10190 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaShotley Gate (16th April)
Distance: 5¼ Miles
Elevation Range: -1 to 87 feet
SDC10276 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaLong Melford & Kentwell Hall (21st April)
Distance: 4½ Miles
Elevation Range: 111 to 260 feet
SDC10030 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaStutton & The Stour (23rd April)
Distance: 5 Miles
Elevation Range: 3 to 90 feet
SDC10131 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaFelixstowe Ferry to the Maybush Waldringfield (7th May)
Distance: 7.2 Miles
Elevation Range: 3 to 68 feet
SDC10028 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaA Walk from Sutton to Ramsholt via The Deben (14th May)
Distance: 7.8 Miles
Elevation Range: 2 to 72 feet
SDC10202 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaLevington Lagoon & The River Orwell (21st May)
Distance: 10 Miles
Elevation Range: 0 to 85 feet
SDC10416 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaBawdsey to Shingle Street via Felixstowe Ferry (28th May)
Distance: 9 Miles
Elevation Range: 0 to 80 feet
SDC10454 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaShingle Street to Butley Ferry (June 9)
Distance: 10½ Miles
Elevation Range: -5 to 60 feet
cows 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaA Circular Walk From Orford To Aldeburgh Along Sudbourne Marshes (June 13)
Distance: 11¼ Miles
Elevation Range: 0 to 52 feet
dunwich priory 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaMinsmere Through Dunwich to Rookyard Wood Circular Walk (July 11)
Distance: 7½ Miles
Elevation Range: 0 to 70 feet
tree bloker 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaCircular Walk Starting Dunwich Through Westwood Marshes Walberswick (July 18)
Distance: 7¼ Miles
Elevation Range: 0 to 65 feet
SDC10873a 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaBugged In Beccles, A Circular Walk Around The Suffolk Broads (July 31)
Distance: 7 Miles
Elevation Range: 3 to 34 feet
SDC11049a 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaCircular Walk Somerton Winterton and Horsey Mere (August 8)
Distance: 10 Miles
Elevation Range: 0 to 60 feet
SDC10514c 150x150 A List of Circular Walks in East AngliaHarwich to Little Oakley via the Cherry Tree (August 28)
Distance: 11 Miles
Elevation Range: 0 to 80 feet
 Posted by Martyn at 10:55 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , ,
© 2011 Martyn Walker | Software Architect | Hiker And Hacker Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha