Essex Walks
Around the Fordham Hall Estate, these walks range from a short woodland circuit perfect for a quick leg stretch to a full-day countryside adventure.
With open farmland, peaceful woods, stretches beside the River Colne and welcoming pubs in Fordham and Aldham, the walks offer gentle climbs, varied scenery and plenty of ways to tailor your day out.
Download the Essex Walks App to follow these routes with real-time GPS navigation.
Walk information
This is a simple and short circular stroll around some woodland in the Fordham Hall Estate.
It's not a huge or especially varied walk, but a nice short stroll for a quick dog walk.
Walk information
This is a longer walk around the pretty Fordham Hall Estate.
You can expect nice open countryside, some woodland walking and a small stretch of walking alongside the River Colne.
The walk also touches on the village of Fordstreet and there is a short diversion on the map to get to a lovely pub if you want to make this a wonderful pub walk day out.
There are some mild ascents to tackle on this walk as you walk around the estate.
Based on 14 user ratings
An outstanding walk
Real feedback from people who have completed this walk using the Essex Walks app.
First-hand experiences
Fab walk with lovely lunch at Mutton of Lamb all very dog friendly
Enjoyable walk by all. Would not recommend toddlers as quite boggy. There are no toilets around except at pubs and not many dog bins as a lot of dog mess on open fields
I did this walk on a beautifully hot sunny day and saw no one my whole way around, perfect!!
Great walk with two pubs. Wellies required as the river does flood the footpath. Loads of benches to sit on through out the route
Lovely walk, warm sunny day. Mainly walking through fields and farmland so not really pushchair or wheelchair friendly. The Shoulder of Mutton was a lovely cafe/restaurant on route about half hour into the walk. Homecooked food and cake. Child and dog friendly. Will definitely do this walk again but might start at The Shoulder of Mutton then have refreshments at the end.
We took our 1 year old Golden Retriever on this walk on a very wet and muddy day. We wore wellies and were fine. Our dog was able to stay off lead for most of the walk. Really enjoyable family walk!
This was a nice picturesque walk along mainly bridle paths. Bit muddy in places, and the wooded part at the start is very overgrown. This is a nice easy ramble with a dog.
Our first Essex Walk. Easy to follow, 2 adults, 2 children aged 6 and 16 and two pubs on route which will be a bonus!
Walk information
This third route is basically an extension to the second route and the extra distance is made up of more countryside walking and a walk through the pretty Hillhouse Woods.
The short diversion on the south west edge of the route is where you'll find a lovely pub in Aldham!
There are some mild ascents to tackle on this walk.
Based on 5 user ratings
A very popular walk
Real feedback from people who have completed this walk using the Essex Walks app.
First-hand experiences
Lovely walk, easy to follow and lots of lovely bluebells in Hill House wood
Very muddy , pub amazing, this app could benefit from written instructions too.
Very enjoyable walk in the September sunshine. Route seemed to go off plan at one point not far into walk , but we got back on course and all good from there. Open countryside, woodland , livestock and wildlife all included. Pub on route nearing the end and pub in village , we didn’t use either however both looked nice .
Walk information
The longest route is a truly epic and varied adventure around the Fordham Estate and lovely surrounding countryside.
It enjoys everything you get in the third route, but then heads much further west with a long stretch of walking alongside the winding River Colne.
There are some mild ascents on this walk, and if you require refreshments to help tackle these, there is a lovely pub about half way around the route in Aldham.
Train Station:
Chappel and Wakes Colne
Based on 5 user ratings
An outstanding walk
Real feedback from people who have completed this walk using the Essex Walks app.
First-hand experiences
Brilliant walk - not too difficult lots of benches to rest awhile and enjoy the views.
Really enjoyable walk. My wife, dog and I, completed it in 3 1/2 hours with a 20 minute stop for drinks.
Lovely long walk. Lots of variety and well kept footpaths.
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