Constable Country - Stour Valley Circular
16 people attending
9 places left
Skirting the border between Essex and Suffolk, our walk of 9.5 miles (16.5km) will take us along the banks of the river Stour and through the villages of Dedham and Flatford. This quintessentially English, rural landscape remains largely unchanged since it inspired one of our greatest landscape Artists, John Constable. He was born in the Vale in 1876 in nearby East Bergholt, and it is easy to see why he revisited this area throughout his life to draw and paint. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty, featuring a tidal river, wetlands, fields and forests, and it is home to a wide variety of birds, including kestrels, curlews, geese and herons.
As we pass through Dedham, a quintessentially East Anglian village, you will see elegant Tudor, Georgian and Victorian architecture lining an unspoilt high street. Lunch will be in Flatford, by the striking new cafe on the banks of the Stour. Nearby you will see the view across the river to Willy Lott's Cottage, the scene of Constable's famous Haywain painting.
Please be advised that there are a number of areas with long grass and nettles, so long trousers will help avoid any concerns. The tracks can also get muddy if there has been recent rainfall, so appropriate footwear is a must-have.
New Members - We would like to warmly welcome any newbies looking perhaps to try this as their first OutdoorLads event. You may find this link useful https://www.outdoorlads.com/my-first-event or if you have If you have any questions then feel free to message me.
Dog owners - this is a dog friendly walk but please be prepared for the fact that there will be stiles, roads and farm land. Please be a responsible dog owner and keep your 4 legged friend on a lead when and where required in accordance with the Countryside Code.
IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST (please) complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are extremely mild, or who has recently tested positive for Covid-19, is asked not to attend.
Photo credits: all provided and licenced for OutdoorLads use by the event co-leader
What to bring
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Walking Boots/Shoes: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch, snacks for energy, and plenty of hydration