and District Rambling Club

John Ray Walk ( to Braintree via Cressing Temple Barns and

Distance: 10.13 Miles Ascent: 573 Feet Time: 3:28 Hours Start Point: TL 821 151 what3words: ///zipped.shallower.cover

Parking is in the Easton Road Car Park, Easton Road, Witham.

NOTE: This is a linear walk and there is a need to catch a train at the end of the walk from Braintree Station to Witham Station.

Walking Directions From the car park cross Easton Road to enter Witham Station Car Park. Continue ahead to cross the bridge over the railway at Witham Station. Turn right on the far side along Albert Road and where this bears left, continue ahead to enter Witham Station car park in Cut Throat Lane. Turn immediately left to walk through the car park and then turn right along Cut Throat Lane.

Continue ahead when you reach the level crossing and when you reach a T-junction of paths ahead, turn right along Motts Lane and then left at the public footpath sign. Keeping to the right hand field boundary continue to the end and then follow the path ahead up a bank onto another stretch of grass. Now walk diagonally left towards the housing ahead.

Turn left on the pavement keeping the housing on your right. Where the path forks take the right path and follow it along Holly Walk to the end. Now turn right to pass the Fleming Way Community Store (One Stop) on your right. Cross Fleming Way and continue ahead to reach Evans Way. Cross this and continue ahead keeping the housing on your left. At the end of the housing where the path turns left, continue ahead to the fence posts. Now turn right to reach Bomber’s Pond. Then head diagonally left and follow the footpath ahead to reach Rectory Lane.

Turn right along Rectory Lane and follow it to the end. Cross Rickstones Road and continue ahead along the footpath opposite. Follow this enclosed path until you emerge from the trees. Now turn right and keep to the right hand field boundary. When you reach the next field boundary turn left keeping the hedgerow on your left. When you reach the next footpath sign turn left keeping to the right hand field boundary.

Bear right at the next footpath sign and keep to the right hand field boundary. Bear left at the end of the field and then almost immediately right by the next field boundary. Continue ahead keeping to the right hand field boundary. At the next footpath sign switch to the other side of the hedgerow and continue ahead to reach Temple Lane where you turn left.

Follow this to a T-junction and then bear left. Immediately after the 50 MPH sign, turn left towards Cressing Temple Barns. Follow the driveway to the end of the car park and then right by the footpath sign towards the Witham Road. Cross the stile and then cross the road before turning right and then immediately left onto another footpath. Go through the lych-gate and continue ahead towards the trees.

Go through another lych-gate on the far side of the field and then cross a stile before crossing the railway line. Cross another stile and continue ahead keeping to the left hand field boundary. Bear right at the footpath sign ahead and then cross the footbridge ahead. At the next footbridge continue ahead, keeping the River Brain on your left. Cross a stile and continue ahead.

Cross another stile and continue ahead along the concrete driveway before going through another gate and emerging onto Station Road. Turn right here and then left signposted towards Fambridge Hall. Turn left when you reach Fambridge Hall and follow the footpath signs ahead. Continue ahead at the next footpath sign. When you reach the trees ahead, bear left to cross a footbridge. Now turn right and cross the footbridge ahead.

Continue ahead keeping to the right hand field boundary. When you reach the farm track ahead, turn left before emerging onto a road. Turn right and then left at the T-junction onto Pole Lane. Follow this before taking the second footpath on the right. Follow the concrete track ahead and when you reach the footpath sign ahead, continue ahead keeping the ditch on your right.

Continue ahead at the next footpath sign and then turn right at the next footpath sign, still keeping to the right hand field boundary. At the next footpath sign continue ahead towards the next footpath sign. Continue ahead here keeping to the left hand field boundary. When you reach the end of the trees bear right to follow the wide path towards the trees ahead. Cross the By-Way and continue ahead keeping left of the fence.

Cross the road and continue ahead along the grass. Cross another road and continue ahead through the trees before reaching another footpath sign. Continue ahead here keeping the ditch on your left. Follow this path gently downhill and go through the gate ahead. Continue downhill to cross the footbridge. Go up the steps and through the gate and continue ahead keeping to the right of the housing. Go through the gate ahead to enter the churchyard of St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Black Notley.

Follow the path through the churchyard to reach a farm track. Continue ahead here to reach Church Road. Turn left here and when you reach the T-junction ahead, cross Buck Hill and then bear left onto Baker’s Lane. Now turn right onto another footpath signposted towards London Road. After passing the pond on your left, continue ahead towards the footpath sign ahead.

Bear slightly right towards the next footpath sign and then continue ahead through the trees keeping the fence on your left. At the end of the fence, bear diagonally right to cross a footbridge before continuing ahead on a broad path across the field towards a telegraph pole ahead. Turn left at the footpath sign to walk parallel with the A120. Follow this paved path ahead before going up the steps before turning right to cross the footbridge ahead.

Once across turn left and go down the steps and follow the path ahead that runs parallel to the A120 again before turning right at the first junction of paths. Follow this enclosed footpath until it emerges onto Tortoiseshell Way. Turn right here and follow it round to the left. Continue ahead along Gatekeeper Close and at the end turn left onto a footpath that emerges onto .

Follow this ahead before bearing left across the grass. When you reach Notley Road turn left. Cross St John’s Avenue and then turn immediately right. Turn left to cross the footbridge ahead and continue ahead along the footpath. This emerges into a car park next to Braintree Station. Turn right to make your way to the station and the finish of the walk. GPX File