British Walking Federation

WALDEN WANDER ORGANISED BY HAVAC WALKERS

CONTACT : Mr P Addison, 38 Peterborough Avenue, Upminster, Essex  RM14 3LL
Tel: 01708 250841     Email: peter.addison@tesco.net

DISTANCE:  15km
ENTRY FEE: £1.50 per person (Cheques payable to Havac Walkers)
AWARD: Cloth Badge at £2.00 each
START VENUE:   Swan Meadow car park, off Bridge Street, Saffron Walden (Map: 154  GR: 534384)
CAR PARKING: At start venue (Parking charges apply)

ROUTE DESCRIPTION (Updated 05 July   2010)

Exit car park via main pedestrian exit (by dark green toilet block). Cross road at marked crossing place, through metal posts, onto a footpath to pass between pond on left and high wall on right. Continue to main road.   Turn right into Bridge Street, cross road with care and cross over Castle Street. Continue ahead on footpath. At the end of wall on left, turn left up passage towards church.  At church, turn right to road, Church Street, turn left and pass the Old Sun Inn on right, now a second-hand book shop.  At the crossroads continue ahead, passing the castle remains on the left, to a mini-roundabout. Cross road with care, to the corner of the common and cross diagonally towards a childrens’ playground. Just before the children’s playground, turn right over a metal bridge. 

Question 1 - To who is this bridge commemorated?

At the road, East Street, turn right pass the Boys British School on right. At mini-roundabout bear left into Hill Street then into George Street. Continue to traffic lights and cross with care into Abbey Lane. Pass the United Reform Church on right and then Almshouses, founded by King Edward VI, also on right.  Go through iron gates into Audley Park and turn right, keeping right at fork, heading diagonally across the meadow. Cross footbridge and ahead on footpath, river on right. Exit park through a metal gate into a narrow path, wall on left, river on right. At concrete road bear left (waymarked) and ahead to main road. Turn left on roadside footpath and pass front of Audley End House.   At road junction turn left over a ‘weak’ bridge and ahead, Audley End House on left and miniature railway on right. About 150m after entrance to Audley End House turn right into Audley End village signposted to the ‘College of St Mark’. Walk between small terraced cottages. Cross a small river bridge and turn left towards Donrobin Farms (Abbey Farm). Ignore ‘Private’ sign.  Continue to road and cross with care into Beechy Ride. Continue on track for approximately 500m to a path bearing off to the right. Take this path, cross a stream and immediately turn left along avenue of beech trees. Path eventually climbs steeply to road, cross with care and continue between trees. Just passed last beech tree on right, turn right up bank then left along field edge, hedge on left, to wood.  When hedge meets corner of wood, turn left into trees, easily missed, and cross footbridge. Turn right wood on right, bear round to left with wood. At waymarker at top corner of wood turn right and continue, wood still on right.  Turn right over footbridge and continue, wood still on right. Cross another footbridge and continue now with hedge now on right. At end of hedge turn left, continue with hedge on right towards another wood. At corner of wood cross ditch on right, then turn left with wood on left to next waymarker. Turn left through corner of wood and right downhill with hedge on right. Go through bushes (or left around them) down to corner of field. Turn left with ditch/stream on right.  After about 300m, turn right over an earth bridge in hedge then turn left, keeping below line of trees/bushes on right. At waymarker on left cross an earth bridge in hedge and ahead, hedge on left, to gate and stile. Over stile and keep to left side of meadow to gate. Do not go through gate but turn right to stile on left, just before house. Over stile and turn right. Immediately cross another stile and walk up drive to yet another stile at entrance to drive. Turn sharp left up farm drive and at pond on right, turn right, pond on left. Enter field and turn left along field edge to electricity pole, turn right on track with overhead wires.

Question 2 - How many overhead wires are there?

At bend in track turn left and ahead on bridleway through wood (can be muddy). Exit wood and straight on to road. Turn left on road and ahead with great care for approx. 1Km. At sharp left bend in road, just after farm and pond, turn right then left uphill on track.

Question 3 - At top of track there is a line of tall trees on right. How many are there?

At top path bends left then right around field edge to farmhouse. Turn left on road and at left bend turn right through concrete bollards into sports field. Aim diagonally right across field to far corner. At end of wire fence on right go down steps in hedge into hidden path. Continue to end and turn left to road, cross with care and turn right. Turn left into Seven Devils Lane, pass some imposing houses. Lane becomes a path between bushes with housing estate on right (if path is too overgrown cut out right and continue on grass with hedge on left).  Path exits into grass area. Keep hedge on left and ahead bearing right with hedge into a narrow enclosed footpath exiting into another estates grass area. Continue straight on, hedge on left, to meet an estate road, Rowntree Way. Turn left to main road, then turn right on road, Newport Road, to mini-roundabouts. Cross road with care and enter path to left of post box set in wall. Follow path, crossing an estate road, to end. Turn right along Abbey Lane. Pass Almshouses again and just before the United Reform Church turn left down a narrow footpath. Through archway in bungalows to road and turn left back to car park and end of walk. 

When you have completed this trail please use the  Permanent Trail Entry Form

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.  Every effort will be made by the organisers to make this a safe, enjoyable and memorable event.

This trail is registered until 31 December 2010.