Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to footer

Walk to the River Stour

Walk 6

A pleasant family stroll to the river, or the start for longer walks. Kingfishers and otters have been seen in the river. The fields are liable to flood in rainy seasons.

A. Leave the Cross via Haywards Lane. Take the first right into Rectory lane, then first left into a short track between the hedge and the former Rectory. At the end of the track, go through a kissing gate. Cross the field, through another kissing gate and into Legal Lane. Turn left for about 300 yards, then near the end of the lane turn right through a green metal kissing gate labelled Stour Valley Way. Go straight ahead between the avenue of oak trees and the hedge (ignore stile on right). Go through the wooden kissing gate, past a derelict stile on the right, and continue to the far end of the field. Go through the wooden gate, turn right to follow the hedge for 20 yards and cross the bridge. Turn sharp left to follow the stream for a short distance, then follow the worn path to the footbridge over the River Stour.

B. After enjoying the view from the bridge, retrace your route to the stream bridge. Turn right and follow the hedge past the gate by which you entered the field. Go through two kissing gates with pleasant glimpses of the river on the right and out onto a track, called Greenway Lane. Follow the lane for some distance and pass the backs of some houses. Where Legal Lane joins from the left, turn right out on to the tarmac road (Haywards Lane). Turn left and follow the road back to the Cross.