We headed up to Great Horksley and parked one car on Brick Kiln Lane and drove the other to Coggeshall and parked up Church Street. We set off down the road and into St Peters Road.
We took the path off St Peters Road and we were soon walking through Farmland. We crossed the busy A120 and past Monk Downs Farm. After a little further we crossed Houchins Lane and onto Houchins Farm., built around 1600, it has a timber framed house of 3 storeys that appears top heavy.
On Houchins Farm are two lake that are now fisheries. We went up the hill to walk among these.
However we were soon to realise that we needed to be lower down on the farm track to continue. We had two choices to walk back or walk down the embankment covered in nettles and brambles. I didn't fancy walking back so I decided down I go. Dan having learned his lesson before of going knee deep in mud said "You go first". So down I went through the nettles getting stung to death as I was wearing shorts. I get to the bottom and shout back "Do you reckon there's a ditch down here" just then my foot goes into muddy dirty water in a ditch and I have a booty. Dan laughing said" I'll go back the other way"
While waiting for Dan I take off my shoes and wring my socks out. Just then a collie dog appears and seems very interested in my muddy socks and if it wasn't for me being quick enough he'd been away with them too. His owner turns up and explains he's a rescue dog and he was still trying to train him.
Dan appears and the man tells us more about the path up ahead and we set off again, with my socks left to dry on the back of my rucksack.
We pass by a huge haystack and continue along the path.
We cross East Gores Road and pass by East Gores Farm and its house with chickens too.
We make our way along a greenway called Upp Hall Lane.
Passing by a small woodland and a promising sign of a pub ahead.
St Barnabas Church dressed with red Roman brick,has the appearance more of a castle keep. The church would have once have been even more imposing but in 1829 the parish decided to demolish the West nave and North and South transepts. The decision was made based on unaffordable estimated renovation costs of £700; the demolition came to £1400!
St Barnabas church is a very interesting feature of the parish, the church is "a Norman church which dates from around 1150AD
We pass
The Chequers Pub, too early for a visit as it was only just gone 1100am.
A great English countryside pub The Chequers, an idyllic 16th Century Norman built pub and restaurant.
Across the road was a nice row of houses , with a little sign commemorating one
Reuben Hunt, a wealthy family linked to Earls Colne over several
generations.
We walk along Chappel Road but walk a little too far as the sign post to a very skinny path was hidden in shrubbery. Still at least Dan got to buy a bag of cherry tomatoes from outside a house to snack on as we walk back and take the path. The Viewranger app came in very handy today to keep us on track.
We walk through more farmland but miss the path we needed, the signage here was just awful.
Still not to worry we came out by Pattocks Farm and we head down Chappel Road again before turning right onto Bacons Lane.
At the end of Bacons Lane we were back on the Essex Way.
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| Pretty sure this isn't the path! |
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| Bacons Lane |
We missed the look back to see the Chapel Railway Viaduct. A sight to see apparently , at 1066ft long with 32 arches. Maybe another time!
We pass the first of many WWII Pillboxes. These dotted along the Colne Valley are the remains of a World War II "stop line" which was hurriedly built after the evacuation from Dunkirk in June 1940. Using the river as a national barrier, fortified by pillboxes, it was hoped to prevent or at least hold up a German Advance from the East Coast.
After umming and aahing which side of the river we should be on, a couple appear who confirm what I suspected. We now set off following
The River Colne.
The Colne at 39 miles long is the longest all Essex River.
Ahead we pass a Christmas Tree farm, Dan stops for a festive picture.
There is also a coffee shop here if you need a cuppa.
I had a quick look inside the Millrace Pill Box, before stopping for a quick drink on a picnic bench.
We set off again, not far from Fordstreet and the pub.
We pass the lovely
Bridge House, a C17 house embodying earlier timber framing.
We cross the road to
The Shoulder Of Mutton PH, for a well deserved drink. It really is a scorcher today and we had run out of water. I had a ice cold coke, while Dan went for a Doombar. The pub happily refilled our water bottles. We sat by the river in the pub garden supping before heading off again. The path runs through the beer garden so we set off.
We walk through
The Fordham Hall Estate. A gift from an anonymous donor, the Fordham Hall Estate is eastern
England’s largest woodland creation site. Around a quarter of a million
trees have been planted alongside the meandering River Colne on what was
once arable farmland. Alongside young woodland there are also
flower-rich meadows, which are awash with colour during the summer
months.
I searched but could find the reason behind numerous posts throughout the estate painted in different county flags.
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| Another WWII pillbox |
We now walk through a field of cows, and the we notice a couple of bulls sharpening their horns a nearby tree. Dan was keen to get out of the field as soon as possible.
I started running and screaming run,the bulls. Dan nearly shat himself as he started belting down the field. I couldn't stop laughing when he saw they weren't chasing us after all. Serves him right for annoying me by ticking my ear constantly with long pieces of grass!
We now approach Cooks Hall.
We walk up past West Bergholt Hall. A Grade II listed Georgian house stands close to the parish church.
Next to the hall is St Marys Church.
St Mary’s Old Church was built over one thousand years ago. As the
centre of the village moved away from the Church, the New St. Mary’s
Church was built in 1904. The Old Church was declared redundant in 1975
and the Churches Conservation Trust is now responsible for the
preservation of this and 345 redundant churches in England.
High over the chancel arch are the earlier Royal Arms of King James I (reigned 1603-25). The motto from Psalm 68 "Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered".
The massive oak chest dates from around 1400 and is both metal bound and iron studded. It would have contained the parish valuables and originally had three locks for the priest and both church wardens.
A section of the wall showing the lath and plaster construction.
We now enter West Bergholt after a short farmland walk. Bergholt means "wood on the hill" and originally West Bergholt was known as "Bergholt Sackville" after the family who were lords of the manor until 1559.
We Leave the fields and we walk along a short stretch of footpath running
between housing before reaching the Lexden Road. Herewe head
straight across and then down New Church Road. At the end of
the road the route turns to the left along Chapel Road. Here we stop at the Co-op for a ice cold drink.At the end
of Chapel Road we join the B1508 Colchester Road where the route turns to
the right. A very short distance down the road the route then turns to
the left down Armoury Road.
We pass by Armoury Farm. The name is thought to have come from "Almonry". An almonry was a place where charity or alms was distributed to the poor and needy.
The path nowt heads out over a couple of gently
sloping open fields, as the route starts heading towards
Horkesley Heath.
I stopped by the orchard for a bit of scrumping, lovely apples too!
"THE ORCHARD" This beautiful barn conversion overlooks fields and
oozes character. Set in a delightful courtyard, the property is
deceptively spacious with a stunning lounge with beamed ceiling and
ceiling to floor windows. There are two double bedrooms, two en-suites
and cloakroom/utility room. The property is unfurnished, decorated in
neutral tones and boasts exposed beams and timber doors with black
latches.
A total of 14.5 miles walk all in all. A lovely walk but a real scorcher!
