Stoke by Nayland, Constable Country

Date: 30-Oct-2012

Map: Landranger 155

Weather: Dull, with a little winter sunshine later. Very cold

 

From Stoke by Nayland Lodges, across the golf course and fields to the B1068 road. Along the road to a track leading past Peyton Hall. Through the fields to the road near Stoke Tye. Along the lane and north across Homey Bridge. Along the road to Polstead down to Bells Corner. Up over the hill and across fields that will lead down to Scotland Street. Up the lane to Stoke by Nayland. Cross more fields towards Poplar Farm. Up a bridleway to Thomsons Farm, and return to the lodges via Cock Street : 8 miles as plotted on Memory Map.

The alarm went off early and echoed around the massive bedroom at the lodge….’do you want a cup of tea…tea…tea…’.

‘Yes,… please….please…please…’

A breakfast tray was delivered to the lodge we were staying at which would have fed the 5,000. It certainly stoked me up for the day with homemade raspberry jam on toast, and enough cheese and ham for a couple of sandwiches for todays walk around. It was great looking out over the golf course from the balcony but a tad chilly, and I would have liked a stroll around one of the championship courses. The forecast was about right with low grey cloud and a distinct lack of sunshine, but at least it was dry and we had a mud treatment to look forward to later in the day – as if there wasn’t enough of the stuff laying around anyway.

I studied the maps last night and tried to come up with a round walk from the lodge that might have a little interest on the way. Unfortunately I couldn’t avoid a little road walk here and there, but at least it wasn’t along a main road, and there are field boundaries to hop onto here and there. The lowland landscape around the Essex / Suffolk border are rolling fields, hedgerows, and bridleways made famous worldwide by artists, is still as recognisable today as it was when painted by Constable and Gainsborough, except for the size of the trees obviously – although there are lots of mature specimens of some age. My mindset today was to focus on my surrounds as there are no wide open panoramic vistas that I am so used to seeing up in the Lake District, rather a gentle pastoral scene laid out before me.

Geologically the area comprises Eocene (relatively young in geological time) and glacial deposits overlaying Cretaceous chalk. London Clay and sands are sands are seen on the valley hillside as the rivers erode and meander through the deposits. The juxtaposition of these formations and where they occur basically determines what species thrive, which habitats you see, and how the land is farmed. It obviously suits fruit production very well.

The walk would be very different over the changing seasons, with every component changing as the year rolls along. Picturesque villages transformed with summer colour, rolling farmland golden with heavy crops – ideal soil and climate here. River meadows alive with wild flowers, ancient woodlands casting dappled sunlight over the tracks and paths, and an ever changing population of local wildlife that ebbs and flows with the growing seasons. I can well imagine the buzz from the fruit groves as the trees and bushes come into flower and the drunken flight path of insects that have drunk their fill from fallen fruit. It must be idyllic in summertime, but today it’s winter, dull but not without interest. The area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) designated around Dedham has looked to protect the habitats and species of within the area including- native black poplar, otter, water vole, dormouse, stag beetle, white clawed crayfish, skylark, barn owl and great crested newt. So there is plenty to look out for and stop and stare as the walk progresses.

We set out from the lodges and onto Plough Lane that serves several farms and fruit acres, and walked along passing the early dog walkers and our return point later on in the day. Nice and crisp despite the grey skies and we were soon cutting north across the golf course to reach a footpath between the upper and middle lakes of the valley running down through the course. Care would have to be taken when there are plenty of golfers out and about, although the local club knows all about the footpath across the course. Over a stile and it was out into the fields where the traffic noise from the Colchester road intrudes a little. The winter crops were thin on the ground, as we continued north heading to the right of some farm buildings and out onto another small lane – Harrow Street. The trees on the field boundaries were briefly lit with a watery sunlight and the remaining leaves glowed golden above the bright green of the kale or cabbage – I didn’t taste it to find out. I was pleasantly surprised that the earth beneath our feet didn’t clump up, so it must be quite sandy soil here, heavily laden with flints – a handy source of building material that can be seen in some of the buildings on the way. The walk across the fields took us to the busiest of roads that we walked on, which runs to the lovely village of Stoke by Nayland.

Opposite the exit of the field is the famous Copella brand processing plant, surrounded by vast acreage of fruit trees and bushes. They all looked a little sorry for themselves, but some still clung to their leaves and had the odd apple or two still refusing to drop. We had some Copella apple juice in our breakfast hamper – no preservatives and a very different taste from the usual fruit juices served up to start the day – very refreshing. It wasn’t too far down the road that we had to travel, but we made sure that we stood out of the way of any traffic approaching, and if it got really busy we could have hopped into the field on our right as a refuge. Walking east we soon came across a farm track to the north that took us away from the traffic along a holly lined lane, freshly gravelled for local access to whatever works were going on along here. The lane runs for  a couple of miles, passing sandy banks riddled with rabbit warrens, with many ‘Peter Rabbits’ hopping ahead of us before darting off into the fields. There was an occasional  background noise of gunshot, and I wasn’t sure if this was for the rabbits, pheasants, pigeons or crows – thankfully it wasn’t for us even though I wasn’t sure if we could legally walk up this lane or not (see later). There weren’t any ‘Private’ signs along where we walked and it passes at the back of the farm buildings, so our presence went largely unnoticed - except for a group of very protective cows, and their very curious calves.

Every year in the UK there are people injured when they come into contact with cattle that have their young close by. As a walker who has passed through many a herd, I find that the best plan is to try and walk around them if possible, and this is what we did by way of a couple of gates into and out of an adjacent field. If I’m in the same field as them, then waving my walking stick and shouting at them usually works. The accidents usually involve walkers with dogs, and my advice is to let the dog fend for itself. The cattle will be chasing after the dog while you make your way through the field, to be joined the other side of a gate or fence by your faithful friend. Today they were a little more boisterous as there was a pen full of young bullocks galloping up and down, which only served to make them a little more skittish. When I tried to take a video of them chasing us, they wouldn’t oblige, just stood there looking.

Excitement over, we passed by a jumble of old farm buildings, some of which must be several hundred years old judging by their brickwork, with tree roots growing around a patchwork of brick, concrete and flint, and ivy growing thick over mossy corrugated iron roofs. I caught a glimpse of the old Peyton Hall Farm. Behind the farmyard, but didn’t stand and stare. A little further down the hill we reach a kissing gate that took us out onto green fields alongside the River Box running east towards the direction of Polstead village. Here there is a sign on a post stating ‘RUPP ends here. Road continues as a public footpath only’ (i.e no vehicles), which answered my question on the legality of walking up the lane from the main road. Luckily for us the path was open as recent work on the electricity pylons had been completed. This was the most jarring view of the day – a double line of pylons that run from west to east across the fields. We were lucky in the fact that most of the cattle were higher up the hillside, more interested in the grass than a couple of walkers. The stream alongside the field would undoubtedly yield a glimpse or two of wildlife later on in the year and who knows what could be seen here. There were plenty of songbirds flitting in and out of the field boundaries and trees, and as we got further along the sun started to shine and the day took on a different complexion, warming us a little as we strode up a gentle incline. There were a few stiles to pass through and over but the path was well trodden and with the stream running alongside it would be hard to get misplaced.

After a mile of green fields we passed into a small wood with three wooden benches set in amongst the branches, and a sign declaring that the farm was being managed under the ‘Environmentally Sensitive Areas’ scheme – good to know that the farming community are making the effort to preserve these areas and they are not disappearing to massive fields with hedgerow boundaries stripped away. A nice spot to sit and listen to birdsong, but not today as it was still nippy. A short distance on and we were out onto a muddy lane just beyond the small hamlet of Stoke Tye. No traffic passed us as we picked our way along the cleanest line of the lane, which was adorned with a central trail of mud and leaves – always nice to see as you know that traffic is limited. The lane gently curved ahead and walking in sunlight and quiet was a real pleasure, with plenty of birdlife overhead and in the hedgerows, and despite the wet it wasn’t really bad enough to interrupt a good stride along. The next turn to the north was marked by a ‘Dead End’ sign with a width restriction of 6ft3in – this is to deter the ‘Chelsea Tractor’ brigade taking their off-roaders up this narrow lane, through the ford by the road. We walked north once more, steadily up an old lane, crossing the River Box at a ford by a wooden walkway. It looked a little deep to cross over here in a 4x4 as the river was running quite high after the wet winter we have experienced this year. A steady plod up the hillside led us along the lane with many fine old oak trees growing along the verge. Flanked by fields of stubble, and lit by a weak winter sun, the old lane was a delight to walk up, with a great old oak stump in the hedgerow hollowed out by time but still alive - a child’s delight to take refuge and hide from unsuspecting passers-by. White plastic feed bags hanging on posts stand guard over crops long gone – as faithful as an old style scarecrow. The new style scarecrows are modelled on raptors, hovering at the end of a windblown streamer – they must work to scare away the crows. The ivy here grows vigorously around and through many trees, giving a luxuriant green crown and choking the life out of its host – no symbiotic relationship for this plant. At the top of the bridle path my route took us out onto another lane leading us down to the delightful church at Polstead, the halfway point today and a wonderful stop for lunch. Again we had to be aware of the local traffic but most of it passed by at a leisurely pace, and this time there is refuge on the field to the left. As we walked along the road there were plenty of heavily laden old trees suffering from a covering of ivy, and across the vale into the sunlight we got a good view of a distant Stoke by Nayland church sat high up on a ridge, prominent above the surrounding countryside - I presume that’s why it was located there.

Approaching the village of Polstead we turned up a new driveway that led us up to the church, and also serves the Georgian built Polstead Hall. The church is situated at the bottom of Polstead Hill, close to the Polstead Pond, and dates from the 12th century. Apparently it contains some of the earliest bricks made in England allegedly, but I didn’t know this at the time of our visit, although I did notice the fabric of the building made up of flint, brick and stone. The 14th century tower is interesting as it has slats of wood woven like a basket set into the bell tower window frames. Inside the church was freshly painted and bright in the midday sun, with a couple of remnants of the old painted walls still visible. The benches outside were very thoughtfully placed in the sunshine facing south, and this is where we took a leisurely lunch break to enjoy our ham and cheese sandwiches, washed down with Copella apple juice – nice. There is also a toilet block set in a neat wooden building on the grounds, which is always handy, especially at the half way point. Just as we were leaving the local church warden appeared, probably to check up on us, and we had a nice chat about the church and the area in general.

Suitably satiated we set off down the road passing the village pond and heading for the footpath at the bottom of the hill. Reaching a corner of the road we hopped over a stile and had a modest climb up ??hill, with views back across to Polstead Church sitting on the high ground – it’s a shame about the electricity pylons though, as they are intrusive on the eye. Up on top of the hill there is a nicely placed wooden bench and a few different paths to choose from, but we headed across to the north, passing horsy fields to pick up a path down towards Scotland Street. Stoke by Nayland church was now in view across the valley sitting on a ridge and the path down was gentle, passing by much evidence of coppicing, and some lovely cherry tree bark – very tactile. Surprisingly the path wasn’t too muddy and soon enough we were down at Scotland Street, a small hamlet about a mile away from the medieval village of Stoke by Nayland. There wasn’t an option to walk across the fields here and we strolled up the quiet lane, crossing the River Box, passing old buildings, with one receiving a new thatched roof. It looked a little shaggy at the moment, but it was interesting watching the work in progress. An old hand pump features in another garden a little further along. The lane brought us out into the pretty village of Stoke by Nayland, and directly across from us was the Angel Inn, which drew us in through the doors into welcoming warmth. We sat and had a small break with a cuppa, and they didn’t mind that we were clothed in hiking gear – I like that in an Inn – very friendly service as well.

Stoke by Nayland stands on a ridge overlooking the Stour and Box valleys, and the church dominates the village. St Mary's Church was rebuilt in the fifteenth century, renovated in 1865, and is on the site of a 10th Century Ministry. A Saxon Monastery was founded here during the time of King Edmund by Earl Alfgar, who died in 948. John Constable also included the church in a sketch of 1813. There are plenty of interesting buildings around the village, and you can buy a small pamphlet for 50p from the church that details the history of the area. Immediately across the road from the church is a fine timber framed building dating from the 15th century. Beautifully silvered beams form this old hall that was used as a workhouse from 1619 to 1834. Now it’s split into three dwellings and has a magnificent chimney stack standing proud of the roof – I bet the inside is interesting to look at. We crossed the road from the church and walked by the side of the building, along an old garden wall and out into open pasture. A lovely carved sign pointed the way to Rowley Wood which is beyond the lodges, so I knew we were on the right track. As we walked towards the west the settling sun was now casting a lovely afternoon golden hue to the trees and bushes, and here you can really appreciate the relaxed rolling hills and shallow valleys, typical of the area. Behind us the church at Stoke by Nayland positively gleamed above deep green fields, as we gently dropped down a farm track towards another small lane at Poplars Farmhouse. We passed by a B&B situated on the junction of two lanes, another old building with some very odd windows in – medieval indeed, apart from the freshly painted render – probably not old at all, but it sits well in the landscape. A short distance along the road and we soon branched off uphill this time along another bridleway, which would take us all the way to Cock Street close to the lodges. Late afternoon sun peeped through hedgerows, dense with growth in places, and soft underfoot with a thick carpet of leaves. The route took us along by the side of one of the golf courses, and knowing how wayward some amateur golfers are (self-included), I began to look for nests of golf balls. I found one or two taking refuge in the thick undergrowth, and another lying on the path ahead of us. We met a delightful local who stopped for a chat, and he presented me with a couple more for my collection – lovely, friendly open people down here. It was a little muddy underfoot in places, but nothing that couldn’t be overcome and we soon found ourselves out on Cock Street by the buildings at Thomsons Farm.

From here it was only a short walk back to the lodge along the lane beside the fruit farms, lines of trees and bushes past their sell by date for the year. We hear chattering as we move towards the end and see a the rapid pruning of the fruit trees taking place – no other way to do it with so many to trim back- It’s chill as well, steamy breath on the evening as the sun sets on a lovely easy day out.

Back at the lodge there was just time for a small glass of wine before moving across to the spa and a ‘Rassoul’ mud therapy to round off the day. Basically you smear different mud over different body parts, and then relax in a heated suite that fills with herbal steam. Then after a little while exfoliating and sweating the session ends with a tropical shower where you wash all the mud off – a bit like being caught in a deluge system if the fire alarm goes off! I felt good after it though.

A very interesting day for me and an introduction to the Suffolk / Essex border – Constable Country indeed. This round walk was about 8 miles, but could be shortened to around 5 miles by starting from Polstead and walking the route back to the lodge.

  Photobucket

the old water tower at the lodge complex - the starting point

Photobucket

along the lane with the golf course on the right

Photobucket
down to the path between the lakes

Photobucket
fields of green and golden trees

Photobucket
across the lane and more field walking to the Copella road

Photobucket
right along here or use the adjacent field boundary

Photobucket
apple trees at the Copella Farm acreage

Photobucket
across the road and up this lane

Photobucket
some colour still around at this time of year

Photobucket
plenty of rabbit warrens in the banks

Photobucket
high noon at the old hall farm

Photobucket
a good variety of old buildings with a glimpse of the hall in the background

Photobucket
interesting building technique developed here - but it's still standing

Photobucket
some blue sky at last as we walk down to the kissing gate before a right turn across the fields

Photobucket
through here and along by the River Box

Photobucket
lots of green fields to cross

Photobucket
still a grey day behind us

Photobucket
a sign of the times

Photobucket
some small benches to sit and listen to the sound of the woods

Photobucket
the suns out again over golden stubble

Photobucket
out onto the lane just beyond Stoke Tye hamlet

Photobucket
it wasn't too grubby down here

Photobucket
we turned left here and crossed the ford at Homey Bridge

Photobucket
the wooden bridge on the left

Photobucket
as the River Box looked a little deep

Photobucket
the bridleway is flanked by large fields on either side

Photobucket
with some marvellous mature specimens along the way

Photobucket
I wonder how long this will stand - it's still alive

Photobucket
out onto the lane down to Polstead

Photobucket
Polstead Church
Photobucket
The toilet block on the left

Photobucket
old plaster decoration and an interesting font

Photobucket
the interior of Polstead Church

Photobucket
looking across the valley to the hill we will ascend

Photobucket
the flint walls add character to the buildings, with the odd bit of brick thrown in

Photobucket
the large village pond

Photobucket
Bells Corner below Polstead

Photobucket
over the styal and up the hill - not too taxing a climb

Photobucket
we veer off to the left a little at the top

Photobucket
looking back over the valley to Polstead Church, prominent on it's knoll

Photobucket
now across horse paddocks on a well trodden path

Photobucket
works at Frogs Hall

Photobucket
views across the Box valley to Stoke by Nayland church

Photobucket
some beautiful beech trees as we walked down the hillside towards Scotland Hall

Photobucket
easy walking on a soft bed of leaves

Photobucket
some evidence of old coppicing

Photobucket
passing by Scotland Hall

Photobucket
more water as we get down to the valley floor

Photobucket
out onto Scotland Street, with some interesting buildings around

Photobucket
Scotland Place where the Stour Valley Path runs through

Photobucket
up the lane towards Stoke by Nayland

Photobucket
an old water hand pump - wonder of it still works?

Photobucket
new thatch - cold work at this time of year

Photobucket
looking a little shaggy and waiting for a trim

Photobucket
the main street through Stoke by Nayland - plenty of interest buildings in the village

Photobucket
St Marys Church in Stoke by Nayland with the old workhouse behind

Photobucket
a wonderful mix of brick and flint

Photobucket
and lovely weathered, carved doors to the main entrance

Photobucket
the tower is quite tall - the interior view

Photobucket
similar in style to the Polstead Church

Photobucket
the old workhouse opposite the church,the path goes down the side by the pink building

Photobucket
a great chimney on the workhouse

Photobucket
the signpost pointing the way

Photobucket
gentle rolling countryside lit up in wintry sunshine

Photobucket
an easy track to follow down to Poplar Farm

Photobucket
looking back, the church dominates the view for a little while

Photobucket
off the rack and along the lane past Poplar Farm

Photobucket
a nice B and B

Photobucket
along the lane to the next bridleway

Photobucket
up the bridleway alongside the golf course - collecting balls is optional

Photobucket
a little muddy in places, but generally ok

Photobucket
the track comes out at Beachams Farm onto Cock Street

Photobucket
the sun sinking behind the fruit trees, and nearly back to the Lodge

Where now:                                                Home        :        Day Walks Menu        :        England Day Walks Menu