A Essex Suffolk border day walk
19 people attending
7 places left
This walk explores some of the beautiful Essex and Suffolk countryside following a route of 8-9 miles along the Stour Valley Path, between the village of Bures in Essex and the town of Sudbury, Suffolk. The route starts off flat just over the Suffolk border following the river then cuts across a number of valleys, where it becomes a lot more varied and scenic. There is a small amount of road walking, but the number of the ascents/descents are more numerous and on a few occasions there are a few steeper parts - but we'll take our time on these to make sure everyone is looked after.
For those who have been on one of my walks before you'll know that I like to keep them at a pace that suits everyone and if you're considering joining OutdoorLads for the first time I'm sure you'll have a great day with us on this route. As with many of my day walks I like to find us a nice spot to have a picnic lunch and at the end my walks usually finish up with a refreshing pint of something local before we all depart for home.
For our four legged friends this route is definitely dog friendly although usual Countryside Code rules will apply and I ask that you please respect that not everyone is a dog lover. Please note there will be stiles so you may have to lift your dog over them in places.
If anyone coming on this walk has considered seeing what it's like to be an OutdoorLads walk leader, I'm very happy to help and let you help lead with walk with me so you can try it out. Please drop me a message so we can chat about it.
Can you offer a lift? Looking after our environment is important to OutdoorLads - if you are coming by car and can offer a lift, please use the comments boxes on this event page to arrange with other members.
Stour River Image: © Copyright Bob Jones and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
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
Boots/Walking shoes: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain
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
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
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
Food & drink
Please bring adequate water / hydration, bring a packed lunch and snacks for energy. You may also wish to bring money for a post walk drink and if we pass one, I'm never one to turn down a trip to the ice cream van.