Ingatestone - ESSEX WALKS

About trip

This is a pleasant walk in the countryside outside Ingatestone. It begins with a stroll along the banks of a tributary of the River Wid before taking you through fields to Margaretting Church, then across the Great Eastern Main Line. Then you will walk over farmland to Margaretting, before going along St Peter's Way through the water meadows, back under the railway and west towards Margaretting Tye, where there is a lovely welcoming pub if you should feel like taking a breather. The route back to the parking takes you through three of the ancient manors of Buttsbury, with some beautiful views across the Essex countryside. Directions A. There's a small lay-by beside a bridge (1). It's regularly used by walkers, fishermen and local people, but there's room for a single additional car. From the lay-by the footpath leads off to the north east, over a footbridge. Once in the field, turn immediately right to follow the hedge to the edge of the stream. Turn left to walk alongside the stream as it meanders roughly north east (2). B. Continue until you come close to a facing hedge, and the land ahead slopes down into a ditch. Turn left here to walk roughly north west along the edge of the field. For about 200 yards you will have a row of trees on your right (3), then just in front of a small copse called Spring Wood, cross through the gap in the trees to your right and continue north-west, now with the trees on your left. C. After another 200 yards (just before you get to the end of the wood) you will come to a waymarker directing you to turn right, so as to head north diagonally across the field towards an oak tree (4). At the facing hedge, turn left following the hedge line then right to walk under the oak tree to a farm track. Cross the farm track and continue walking north with a hedge on your right. D. Carry on for about a quarter of a mile, until you come to the inlet for the small reservoir on your right (5). Follow the hedge line around the edge of the field and walk up a slight slope to a farm track, and turn right. E. After a few yards you will come to a level crossing on your left. On your right is a gate into St Margaret of Antioch, just past the old vicarage. This is an interesting old church dating from the 12th century, although when we have visited it has not been possible to go inside. F. Cross the level crossing and turn immediately right, towards the cottages. Walk along the lane for a few yards, between the cottages and some Leylandii, and look for a waymarker beneath a silver birch tree, on the right. This points you diagonally across a field, heading north east. Behind the facing hedge is a row of tall trees. Aim for a footbridge in the facing hedge, towards the easterly end of the row of trees (6). G. Once over the footbridge, walk north with the hedge on your right, past the beautiful old wooden barns of Canterburys (7). Cross the access road and continue north with a fence on your left, for about 50 yards. The footpath divides just here, in front of some trees. Take the right fork, with the trees on your left (8). H. Walk alongside the trees for about 100 yards then, in the corner of the field, turn sharp left through the bushes into a small copse. Follow the path round to the right and as you come out into another field, aim for the stile and bridge just to the left of a dead tree (9). I. Once over the brook, turn right walking south east through the water meadows, along the St Peter's Way. After about a third of a mile, as you approach the railway embankment, you will see a wooden structure taking you up a slope then down some concrete steps to a pedestrian tunnel under the railway line. Walk through the tunnel (10) and out the other side, then up the spiral steps. J. At the top of the steps, walk right for a couple of paces past the overgrowth, and then turn right again to continue walking south east along the field edge. This is a very good spot for blackberries in the late summer! Keep walking the full length of the field, then cross the footbridge over the River Wid (11). K. At the south side of the bridge turn left immediately, walking north east along the river bank for about 400 yards. A few yards in front of the facing hedge, the path turns right and then disappears through the hedge, over a stile and a footbridge. As you come out into the next field, walk south east along the hedge line to a gate. L. At the gate a muddy farm track goes off to the left, slightly uphill (12). This track takes you to the White Hart about quarter of a mile away. If you want to stop there (and it is very pleasant in the summer with plenty of tables outside) go up the track, through the farmyard and along the road. M. To continue the walk, keep going along the hedge line as it goes south, looking out for a stile in the hedge on your left (13). Cross over this and continue south east through a small field, with a hedge on your left, to another stile which takes you onto Swan Lane. Turn right on the road for about a hundred yards, then as the road turns left, continue straight ahead walking south west along the bridleway (14). N. Keep to the bridleway for about 250 yards, until you come to a footpath crossroads (15). Turn left to go south into a field and cross the field diagonally. O. On the far side, come out of the field via a wooden gate in front of Fristling Hall. Bear left. To the right of the grand entrance-gate with stone globes, find the path heading south between two lines of paddock fencing.(16). Walk between the fences until you come out into a huge field, with some stunning views across to the west (17). P. The path down through this field is not always clear, but if you keep fairly close to the line of the telegraph poles, this will take you to a stile through the hedge into the next field (18). From the far side of the hedge, bear left to go south, straight across this field to the right side of a black barn (19). Q. As you pass the black barn you come onto the Ramsey Tyrrells farm track. Turn left along this track. After 100 yards it bends to the right, then 250 yards later bends to the left. After this left turn there is another farm track off to the right with low sign saying Imphy Hall (20). Turn along here, heading roughly south west. R. Keep walking along this track as it turns to the right and passes Imphy Hall (21). There is a gate just before the Hall itself, with a stile to the left of it. The Hall and outbuildings are lovely - spare a thought for the chap who looks after the Leylandii: keeping them in that condition must be a full time job! S. Continue along the track for a little over half a mile (22), until it turns sharp right. A few yards past this bend, cross over the stile on the left into a field, and walk around the field edge with the hedge on your right. As you come close to Stock Lane you will see a gate and stile on the right (23), go through these and turn left to the roadside. T. At the lane, turn right to walk down hill to the bridge, (24) and the parking.