Purleigh Walk

Details of Walk

• Date of Walk: 09/05/2010

• Distance: 3.9 Miles

• Level of Difficulty: A easy walk

• Car Park: The Bell or Village Hall CM3 6QJ

• Refreshments: The Bell

• Photos Taken o Walk

Purleigh is a most attractive village, idyllic and sleepy. Originally it was contained on top of Church Hill but has spread to the low hill below from the the Bell pub where you start the walk you have wonderful views over Dengie Peninsula unfortunately it was not that clear owing to the weather being overcast. We had some company on this walk Stephen, Leslie and their dog Pepsi came along with us. We actually started the walk from the village hall as it was easier for parking. We then walked up through the playing field where there was a football match about to start, and then up to the church and pub. The church has a weather vein and not like most where they have a cockerel on top it had a fish and the church yard had some lovely old cedar trees . From the church you cross the road through a gate in to the a extension of the graveyard and then down the hill until you get to New Hall vineyard and they are one of the leading English winemakers. I had to keep a close rein on Christine as we might have lost her for the rest of the day sampling the wine.

You then get to Hazeleigh Hall and here you have to climb over a style in a wooden fence into the gardens of the Hall which always seems strange walking in someone's garden. They had a wonderful pond which we thought but after having a conversation with the owner we found out it was a moat which used to go round the old house until it had to be rebuilt in a different location after being burnt to the ground. The owner said that in the loft there was burnt timbers that had been taken from the old house to build the new one. Its just a private dwelling now but years ago used to be a farm employing lots of people from the surrounding area.They had a Labrador which was showing how brave he was barking like mad but with his tail wagging. I have just had a thought is that where we get the expression tail tail signs, don't know but sounds as if it could be. Our next encounter with animals was when we had to walk through two fields with cows and seemed to take an interest in Pepsi. We also came to a field with a Mare and her fowl also we were very close to a family of Squirrels just along the side of the road.Most of the walk you have good views of the Blackwater estuary. Well that's about all except for when we got back to the pub we had lunch and not beer we had to large pots of tea between us.