Witham to Maldon via parts of a disused railway line
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Join OutdoorLads for a lowland hike from Witham to the beautiful Blackwater Estuary town of Maldon (yes - home of the sea salt!)
This walk is a linear lowland route of 11.5 miles (15km) taking in some stunning Essex countryside. Some of the route will follow the disused railway line that used to travel from Witham to Maldon, closed in 1957.
We'll track alongside riverbanks, farm land and along part of the estuary, leading us to Maldon where we'll visit the the statue of Brytnorth before tracking back half a mile for a drink in one of the local pubs. Once suitably refreshed we'll take a walk up in to the town get the once hourly, thirty minute bus back to the start point (£4 bus fare at time of publishing).
Footwear - you'll definitely need hiking boots/shoes for this route!
Dogs - Having done the walk already I see no reason why dogs wouldn't be ok, but we will be near farm land and there will be some short bits of road walking.
New members - I 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.
IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST 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.
Photo credits:
Brytnorth statue - thanks to Robin Webster (Geograph.co.uk)
All other photos are leaders own - feel free to share or reuse
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: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
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
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Please bring plenty of hydration, snacks and a packed lunch.
We will stop at a pub at the end but it's a very popular day out on a sunny Saturday, so I cannot guarantee we'd be able to eat together.