Great Waltham Walk

We choose this walk as it was in the winter selection i n the book and it was nearest to Chelmsford as we wanted to go there after the walk. Well it might of said winter walk but the weather that day it could have been in the spring/summer section as it was gorgeous.

Details of Walk

• Date of Walk: 09/03/2014

• Distance: 6.31 Miles

• Level of Difficulty: A Easy Walk

• Car Park: Village Hall Car park (Free) CM3 1DF

• Refreshments: The Beehive, Windmill Motor Inn and The Rose & Crown

• Photos Taken on Walk

We parked in the village car park and yes you could hear the bells ringing and there was a oldish man sitting in his car reading a paper , I thought he must have told his other half that he was just slipping down the shop for a paper and he was grabbing 5 minutes of peace and quiet before going home but I was wrong as he was just waiting to go to the church.

The walk took us past the church and then through a kissing gate one of many on this walk and they were made of metal not wood, the type of gate vary from the area you are walking in. Through the gate you are in the grounds of Langley Park. Well after walking through more gates yes I went wrong and instead of turning right down the drive to the Mansion I decided to keep walking, so we had to walk back to the drive. As you are walking down the drive you get closer and closer to Langley Mansion which was built in the 18th century and had a commanding view of the park. Just by the side of the house is a grassed area which is used as a graveyard for all the estate families dogs and most of them were Labrador's. Just here is North Lodge which is let out and in February you can see a magnificent display of snowdrops but alas it is March and not one snowdrop.

It is a lovely setting just here with the bridge and a weir calming down the river, well it would have done but they have dammed it further up the river, I expect to repair the weir and probably dretch the river by the bridge. Now we left the Mansion house and outbuildings behind and headed out into the country and reached the hamlet of Chatham Green and passed the Windmill pub which had been made out of the remains of a windmill hence the name and you can not miss the distinctive round-house accommodation made from the base of the former mill. From here on it was manly fields dotted with woodlands till you reach Little Waltham, which is rather more attractive than its Great relation with its quiet streets that are lined with the finest of houses and of cause the River Chelmer running through it. Perhaps I will have to make a note in my diary to walk the first part again so we can see the snowdrops and water running over the weir, if we do I will add a note and pictures at the end of this article.