Meet at Belsize Park tube station at 6.30pm. We will finish in a pub.
Meeting Point: Ingatestone station at 10.45 am - moving off thereafter
Getting There: Catch the 10.18 Greater Anglia service from Liverpool Street station (destined for Clacton), stopping at Stratford 10.25, Shenfield 10.41 and next stop Ingatestone 10.45
Getting Back: Aiming for the 17.41 service from Chelmsford station back to Liverpool Street (stopping at Shenfield 17.51, Stratford 18.06), arriving 18.14 - several trains per hour from Chelmsford (takes 30-35 mins)
(Rail ticketing would be a day return to Chelmsford, to cover the outward journey to Ingatestone)
Lunch: Stopping after 3.5 miles at Mill Green, either bring your own munchies or get something from the nearby pub
Dropping Out: 9 miles at Writtle for the C4 bus to Chelmsford station (runs 28/58 past the hour, takes 24 mins)
Route: Starting off with a stroll through Ingatestone, a former coaching town on the old Great Essex Road (from London to Colchester) with many fine buildings and St Edmund & St Mary's church dating from the 11th C (rebuilt 17th C) with its red brick tower and mysterious Sarsen stone. We then reach the scattered village of Fryerning (all these 'ing' names date from the 6th C Saxon era) with St Mary's church dating back to the 11th C and an ancient yew tree. The meadows spread out westwards as we head towards the hamlet of Beggar Hill with its weatherboarded cottages and then into the shady fragments of what was once Writtle Forest (maybe, spot some deer ?).
After a lunch stop on Mill Green Common, the trees give way to open fields as we head back into the shade of Writtlepark Wood and Great Edney Wood. Quiet lanes and tracks then lead into the expansive open parkland and trees of Hylands Park, as we head towards neo-classical Hylands House (built 1730) and around the ornamental gardens. A tree-lined trail then meanders into the village of Writtle with 11th C All Saints church, picturesque half-timbered houses and village green (with bus stop for anyone dropping out after 9 miles). The final 2.5 miles takes us to the River Can, following its course along a delightful green corridor into the centre of Chelmsford with its 18-arch viaduct, the station being a short step away with nearby refreshments.
Moderate yet relaxed pace (say, 2 miles per hour-ish) over easy terrain with gentle slopes
Cheers, Nick
Bring your own tent.
The small farm of The Batch Campsite is between a National Trust woodland and a Bronze Age settlement. It's surrounded by woodland, so we may see deer, badgers and buzzards too. Almost wild camping, ie everything you want, but with toilets, showers and drinking water. The site is on the end of a bumpy unadopted private road at the top of the Mendips and has been deliberately set up in simple style. The site is on the Mendip Pub Trail and three miles from Cheddar, within easy walking distance of several Somerset pubs. We will do two day walks from the site and probably cook over a fire pit one night, and go to the pub another.
Sue Sinton Smith
This is our annual cycle touring adventure in Scandinavia. The cycling is easy and there is plenty of time for coffee and to enjoy the interesting things along the way.
More details to follow.
This is a 5-night trip travelling up to Buttermere in the Lake District on Thursday 20 August, returning on Tuesday 25 August.
Please see CLOG emails for booking info.
Organised by Ralph H
There are non-stop trains from various London stations - there will be an email explaining the relevant train and meeting arrangements.
Please message if you wish to join this ride.
Sue Sinton Smith, Social Team
The event is free although the beer sadly isn't. Bring a packed lunch unless you want to pay £££ for the burgers/hotdogs on sale there.
Both Chalfont & Latimer and Chesham stations are within the Oyster zone.
Chris K
Chair.clog@membermojo.co.uk
Secretary.clog@membermojo.co.uk
Food and drink will be available to purchase, and there will be activities, to encourage people to move around.
More details to follow.
Sue Sinton Smith
Social Team
Major international kite flying exhibition in Southsea near Portsmouth. Admission free. Possibility of combining this day out with a seaside picnic and shortish walk, and maybe a pub visit afterwards. Details to follow
.
The plan is to travel on Friday afternoon/evening and pitch our tents at a campsite on the Knepp estate, where we can have a campfire. On Saturday we will do a local walk in the area. Checkout time is 10am on Sunday, so we may wander off home or potentially be able to leave packed-up tents on site in someone’s car.
This trip has opened for booking. See email for further details.