Halstead Walk

The walk is a circular walk from Halstead to Greenstead Green and back. Halstead is an attractive town in the middle of Colne valley. Many of the buildings date from the 15th century and has long links in the manufacture of silk and crepe. The walk soon leaves the town climbing up through town foot paths behind houses and quite streets which can be quite interesting.

Details of Walk

• Date of Walk: 17/05/2020

• Distance: 4.36 Miles

• Car Park: Roadside Parking Kings Rd CO9 1HJ or any side road near by

• Refreshments: plenty of places in the town

• Photos Taken on Walk

Today we went on a walk which was out of the Teashop Walks book from Halstead to Greenstead Green. The walk was a circular one which we prefer doing most of all if we can as that way the whole walk has different views. We started the walk in Halstead and found a place to park in Kings Road which is one of the side roads coming in from Braintree. After leaving the car we started walking down the road looking out for Martins Road which is going uphill and from there on we zigzag our way from road to road through town footpaths most of them behind houses, till we eventually got to Tidings Hill and yet again this was uphill which the name of the road is a give away.

I have often picked up from this road a person from a company that has a account with us, most times it was to Stansted airport and Heathrow. Well about halfway up the hill we turned left into Highfields and looked out for a footpath between two houses number 20 and 22.

After 20 yards we had reached the fields and open countryside, walking through the streets is not really our cup of tea but saying that we seem to like the paths that take you at the back of houses, they are like a secret part of the town that normally you would not see.

Well enough of that and lets get on with the walk from getting up through all the roads we were free from the urban scene and into what we really like the countryside with all the beauty and silence you get. There was a few people walking and on there bikes at the start as you normally get when you are near populated areas, also at this time with the Corona Virus still about more and more people are out and about which is good to see others enjoying the countryside. We were now walking towards Greenstead Green and through the gaps in the hedge on the right we could see the Church in the distance. Coming to Greenstead Green the first thing that stands out are all the houses painted in different colors and a few of them were flint stoned faced.

Carrying on through the village it was like any other one quite and quaint but unfortunately this one is missing pubs as the two it had have been closed which we are finding more and more now in villages and also in towns. This is a shame especially in villages as they always were a place where people could meet. We got to the church and went in and found a bench in the sun, no picnic today as we had already had lunch before we had left. After having a pit stop we left the church going through the

Lychgate and turning left and then it is a right opposite the vicarage back into the country leaving the village behind us and heading back to Halstead. Going past Church Path Cottage we came to a obstacle which was a tree leaning right across the path and the only way to get past was to duck down low and I mean low as Christine had to bend down as well. At the end of this path we had to decide which way the directions was to head north-west beside the field edge. Well after walking for awhile we seemed to walking right the way round the field and we nearly had, and yes it would have been shorter to have turned left when we entered the field. After checking when we got home the actually path did go right the way round which does not seem right. We were now at the lodge of Greenstead Hall and after going over a stile we were in a field which had to horses that did not seem to worry about us and kept on grazing. We could not see the Hall as it was concealed by trees but I suppose in winter it may be possible. We had some lovely views in the distance of Halstead and we could pick out one of the two churches that the town has. From here we were soon back to the build up area and after walking down a couple of roads we were back to Kings Road.

We enjoyed this one, good weather and being able to get away from the worries of the virus, we find when we are on our walks the mind just switches off. I don't know why this is one of the walks quite close to us and seem to keep missing out doing it.