Hatfield Forest, Essex (3.5 miles)

Needing to drop our daughter off for an early flight to Rome from Stansted Airport we thought we’d make the most of the early start and explore Hatfield Forest just a few miles away.

Hatfield was once a medieval royal hunting forest now owned by the National Trust.  This large site has numerous possibilities for walks but as it was our first visit I downloaded a 3.5 mile route from the website.   Needless to say despite the instructions and a map we got lost and ended up doubling back and going off track enough to add a further 2 miles to the walk!

Although we visited in February and most of the trees are deciduous and bare it was a cold and frosty morning and the parkland looked beautiful in the early rising sunshine.

Early sunshine at Hatfield Forest

There are lots of deer in the forest and we were lucky enough to see quite a few, although mostly in the trees and they always saw us before we saw them!

Deer at Hatfield Forest

Don’t be put off by the forest’s close proximity to the airport runway.  The planes are only really visible for the first third of the walk and although I noticed the noise initially after about half an hour I forgot about it completely.  It is an interesting contrast of nature and machine when they fly over as you are watching a herd of deer.

Hatfield Forest is close to Stansted Airport

We parked in the first car park which is free if you are a NT member.  There is another car park further into the forest but as we were early this was not open. According to the website the second car park is often shut if the weather has been wet.

Hatfield Forest

The National Trust website gives the directions for the walk we were intending to do.  We went wrong somewhere around point 5-6 and ended up coming back through Street Coppice and out looking across at point 4 again. We went back the way we came walking straight through the woods and 'rides' until we got to point 7. The forest is kept as natural looking as possible so there are very few markers to help!

Deer in Hatfield Forest

Our route should have been: 3.5 miles

Our route was 5.5 miles

See the route on NT website

Terrain: Mostly flat, grass paths and woodland. Boardwalk and gravel drive in places. Parts can get very muddy in the winter or wet weather. Boots advised! Dogs are allowed but must be kept on a lead if livestock are present.

Habitats: Meadows, grassland, woodland, lake, wetlands

Facilities: Car parking (front car park is 24 hr. Parking is free for NT otherwise chargeable); toilets (24hr), shop and cafe (check website for opening times) near the lake. Pubs in Takeley.

Swavesey Lake and River Walk Loops (5.2 miles)

This is another of the walks around the RSPB reserve in Swavesey and Fen Ditton.  Part of this route is detailed here as a shorter walk.

We once again started in the car park but you can pick the route up from the guided busway or Swavesey village.

1. Starting in the car park take the gateway ahead and then take a gateway on your right.  Follow the track passing a lake on your right.  When you reach the signpost go through the gate on your right.

2. Follow the bank past the hide with the lake on your right and the river Great Ouse on your left. 

Ferry Mere, Swavesey

3. Eventually you will come to a small lock with a bridge. Go over the bridge and carry on forward down the riverbank.  Again follow the bank keeping the river on your left.  On your left you should see two churches – the spire belongs to Over church and the square tower to Swavesey. 

River Great Ouse towards Over

4. When you find the bank bearing right and the river left continue on and go over a weir and turn right.

River Great Ouse

5. Continue along this bank until you get to a small thicket. We rested for a while here as there is a convenient fallen tree.   After the tree turn right leaving the tall spire of Over church behind.  Continue through a small woodland until you come out in a field and cross over towards the roadway.

6. Once through the gate turn right and walk along the roadway until you reach the guided busway and turn right before crossing the busway.

7. Walk along the busyway with Swavesey church (The Priory) on your left.  Continue on until you reach a small crossing on the track.  Cross over the track and go down slightly before taking a footpath through a gate on your left.

Swavesey Church (The Priory)

8. Follow this path keeping the stream on your left and the meadow on your right.

Continue on until you reach a wider channel.  Climb up to the bank and turn right.  Walk along a short distance until you reach the small lock that you crossed in point 3. Cross the lock and turn left.

9. Follow the bank to the end and go through the gate. Bear slightly right and go down the slope, bearing right at the end, go through the gate.  You will now have a large lake on your right and the busway beyond the hedge on your left.  There are picnic tables along here if you wish to stop.

10. Continue on this track until you reach a busway crossing at the corner of the lake.  Take the track on the right that runs alongside the lake.  Continue until you reach the end and take the gap on the left back to the car park.

Our route was 5.2 miles

See the route on mapometer

Terrain: Flat grassy paths. Can get very muddy in places and some areas prone to flooding. 

Habitats: Meadows, river, lakes.

Facilities: No toilets or other facilities on site. Close to guided busway stops.

Ickworth (South Pleasure Grounds) (4 miles)

Ickworth house and park belongs to the National Trust.  It is free to walk in the extensive grounds.

This route is taken from the website (South Pleasure Grounds walk).  I have copied and pasted their instructions as they were pretty good and added the odd note where I thought helpful.

1. Starting at the Porter's Lodge visitor reception take the path (on the right) towards the Walled Garden (and the church). You will pass a small pond on your right.

St Mary's Church, Ickworth

2. Just past the church, go straight ahead by turning off the hard road onto the grass path that leads
to the left of the Walled Garden. Go through the five bar gate and immediately bear left on the grass
path veering away from the brick wall. Within a couple of minutes you'll see our bird hide on your right.

3. Continue along this path past the bird hide (do not take the right fork when you come to it, just carry on), cross over the wooden foot bridge (and walk along wooden walkway) and take the right
hand fork in the path, climbing a short series of steps bringing you to the Fairy Lake.

Fairy Lake, Ickworth

4. Turn right at the Fairy Lake and continue along the footpath (pass The Round House) and take the second right turn marked Katharine's Wood.

5. In Katharine's Wood continue to the end of this path until you reach a cottage called Ivy Cottage.
Turn right at the cottage and follow this path until you get to the beginning of Lownde Wood. (Pause here to take in the view of the estate and the Rotunda)

Views of the park and rotunda

6. Enter Lownde Wood on the patch (the middle path) between the Lownde Wood and red footpath way marker.

7. In Lownde Wood follow the path which firstly bears right and then bears left. (Keep going!) On your left you will pass an observation post before coming to a clearing break. Cross over the clearing (keep the observation post on your left shoulder do not turn right - the path isn't well used or marked) and enter to wood again. On your right hand side you will come to a metal fence, continue on the path to a Y junction and take the right grassy footpath.

8. At the crossroads turn left and you will cross a small wooden bridge. Follow the dirt track which will
lead you to a small brick bridge at the corner of the field. Keep following the path, passing a rusty,
corrugated and ruined metal cabin on your right.

9. At the next junction turn right and follow the path until you reach a T junction where you'll see an
observation post. Turn right and go through the gate into the field.

10. As soon as you're through the gate turn right and follow the wood line for a short time keeping it to
your right, until you can see the Rotunda in the distance ahead of you.

11. Leave the wood line and head across the field towards the Rotunda passing laid down tree trunks
and passing through a gate on your way. You're heading for a kissing gate (in the distance at the bottom right hand corner of the field) which is lined up with the centre of the Walled Garden just beyond it.

12. Go through the kissing gate and turn left. Walk by the side of the Canal Lake and cross over the
decorative (wooden) foot bridge at the end of the lake.

13. Having crossed the foot bridge, keep the Walled Garden to your right and continue up the slope
to the hardened footpath. Turn right and retrace your steps on this path past the Church and back
towards your start point.

Our route was 3.9 miles
See the route on mapometer.com
Terrain: Flat, grass and dirt tracks mostly, moderate climb at the end. Latch gates, kissing gate, some steps.  Can be muddy in places in wet weather.
Habitats: Meadows, fields (animals grazing), woodland, lakes.
Facilities: Toilets and cafe at Porter's Lodge entrance and at the Rotunda. Rotunda toilets can also be accessed at the back.  Toilets also near the church.

Fen Drayton Lakes (Elney Lake route) (3.6 miles)

This is part of a RSPB reserve and we have been here before but took a different route.  It also links up to the Swavesey Lakes walk.  This time we arrived early on a spring misty morning.  Actually once there is was more like fog and for most of the walk we couldn’t see much at all but keep your eyes peeled as it is full of wildlife.

  

Swan on Drayton Lagoon

It is about a 2 mile drive down to the reserve car park from the road but it is open 24-7 and parking is free.  The lakes are popular with bird watchers, dog walkers and fishermen.

Once at the car park go through the gate at the end and take a left, walk along the meadow, past a small lake on your left and through the gate in front of you.  This brings you out the large Drayton Lagoon in front and a sign post.  For this walk we went left on the walk that circles Elney Lake but there are lots of variations and maps are available to download on the website.

Follow the track alongside Drayton Lagoon on your right and a small waterway on your left until you reach the guided bus-way.  Cross the bus-way (buses have right of way and can travel fast so cross carefully) and carry straight on.  Elney Lake is now on your right and the first viewing area.  Keep ahead until you come to a public footpath on the right.  Go through the gate and follow this long straight track past some more viewing areas.  The track takes a left turn then a right around the top of the lake.  Half way down here you now have Moore Lake on your left and Elney on the right although you do loose sight of Elney for a bit.  There is a viewing shelter on your left giving great views over Moore Lake so do pause here before carrying on until you reach the guided bus-way again. 

Cormorant on Moore Lake

You can take a right here along the track but we carried on over and with Drayton Lagoon now on our right we kept going until we reached the River Great Ouse and turned right.  Follow this lovely river along, over a small bridge (again you have the option here of going right along a small waterway back to the car if wanted).   Carry on along the river until you see the Ferry Boat Inn on the other bank.  The track bears right here.  Continue straight on until you are back at the car park.

Fen Drayton Lakes Reserve

Our route was 3.6 miles

See the route on mapometer.com

Terrain: Flat, mostly grass tracks, latch gates.  Note: this area can be muddy and flood in very wet weather. 

Habitats: River, lakes, grassland

Facilities: No toilets or refreshments.  Nearest at Cambridge Services on A14.

Swavesey Lake & Great Ouse, Cambridgeshire (3.75 miles)

This walk is around the Swavesey part of the larger RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes reserve. *Please be aware that this area often floods after heavy rain and if in doubt please check the website.  Walking shoes or trainers are advisable.

Swavesey is a village to the north of Cambridgeshire with easy access from the A14.  Parking is available at the RSPB entrance as you leave the A14 but for this walk it is recommended you park on Market Street in the centre of the village.  Feeling the need to do an extra mile or so, we did take a different route once which takes you back to the river and lakes and home some of the way you came.  That variation is below also.

Nesting swans

After leaving the car turn right on the High Street and then cross the road to Taylor’s Lane.  Follow the lane down to the right, past a cemetery and a small nature reserve on your left.  Carry straight on down a loose tarmac track.  

Cross the guided busway and carry on bearing left with the track and with a lake on your right.  

Take the gateway on your right and follow the stream until you come to a small bridge on your left.  Go over the bridge.  You should now have a large lake on your left and then the stream and the original lake on your right.  Follow this path until you come to a fork.  

For this walk take the path to the right, go over the small weir bridge and follow the trail.  You now have the River Ouse to your left.  Stay on this track until you reach a gateway and take the track on your right.  

Follow this straight pathway right down to the bottom and turn right.  This track should take you back over the guided busway then onto Middle Fen Drove.  Carry on until you come out into the village again.  Turn right past the village pond and onto the High Street, go around the bend and you will be back at the car park.

Our route was: 2.54 miles
See the route on mapometer.com

Teasels

The slightly longer detour on this route is after 2 miles and before you make the second crossing of the guided busway.  Take a small track on your right that runs alongside a small stream.  Follow this to the end and you will be back at the second small bridge.  Retracing your earlier steps, cross the bridge and turn left, following the stream back to the first bridge, go over this and walk back along to the gateway.  Turning left follow the track back over the guided busway and along back to Taylor’s Lane.  Cross the High Street at the end of Taylor’s Lane and the car park is on the right.

Our route was: 3.75 miles
See the route on mapometer.com
Terrain: flat, grass tracks, loose tarmac *can be muddy in wet weather and can flood after prolonged heavy rain.
Habitat: lakes, river, meadows, fields.
Facilities: The village shop and The White Horse Inn are located next to the car park.

West Stow County Park, Suffolk (2.8 miles)

West Stow Country Park is situated in Suffolk, between Mildenhall and Bury St Edmunds and is part of the larger ‘Thetford Forest’ area.  The park is also home to West Stow Anglo Saxon Village.  

The country park has lots of available footpaths and routes you can take, with some areas being free to roam.  Dogs are allowed but please note the information markers as you go around about keeping them on leads.  We walked in August in fine weather although it had rained the day before.  The grass is long in places.  We wore long trousers and walking shoes.  The car park is gated and locked at night although access to the footpaths is possible on foot from outside the main complex.  Please check the website for opening times of the car park and other facilities.

Small tortoiseshell 

The route we took this time included a double back along the River Lark to check for otters and kingfishers!  For this walk we also missed out the woodland section at the back of the cafe and visitor centre, although we have taken this route previously - great in autumn for fungi walks!  There are signposts and information boards dotted around the trails.

Our first ever sighting of a kingfisher!

1. Parking the car walk back to the entrance barrier and take the path on the right.  Follow the grass trail keeping the road on your left, past the children’s play area on your right, carry on until you reach the end and turn right onto a loose tarmac road.  Take this road towards the Pump House and then keep right.  
2. Follow the grass path round to the right until you come across a small pathway on your left which takes you over a little bridge.  Follow the path towards the river.  Once at the river you should have the weir on your left (no entry here).  This is where we once missed an otter by a few minutes so keep your eyes peeled!  
3. The path runs along side this very pretty section of the River Lark.  Follow the river until you come to a gate.  Once through the gate you have a choice of routes, we took the left hand route, staying with the river on our left.  
4. Eventually you will loose sight of The Lark as the path follows the curve of the lake Once past a car park (often used by fishermen) on the left, keep right until you reach a sandy area.  Again you have a choice of routes, either stay right and keep with the lake or take the gate at the top and follow our route to the right through the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Brecklands area until you reach another gate.  On this occasion we went right but if you want to take the woodland part of the walk go straight on.  
5. Going right takes you back to the lakes.  We then went left keeping the lake on our right, past a wooden platform until we were back to the footpath junction and the river.   The left hand turn will take you back towards the meadow but, as I mentioned before, we decided to have another look along the river for the elusive otters (not found but did see our first kingfisher!)  We went right down to the end and could have carried on back the way we came past the Pump House and back to the car park but you may notice that half way down the river walk is a turning into the woodland.  We went back to that turning and followed this path through a short section of woodland, bearing right at the end and then left which took us back to the main centre.

Damselfly

Our route was: 2.76 miles 
See the route on Mapometer.com
Terrain: Flat, mostly grass paths.  *Can be very muddy in wet weather
Habitat: Woodland, lakes, river, meadows, heathland
Facilities: Toilets, Cafe, Visitor Centre, Shop, Children’s Play Area, Picnic areas, Anglo-Saxon Village, Car Park

Why not have a look at the rest of my photos from this walk and from an earlier autumnal walk at West Stow