Guiding you through The Langdon Nature Reserve covers 460 You can visit the museum by arrangement acres of woodlands, flower meadows and with staff on 01268 419103. old Plotland gardens, making it the Essex Lincewood has some wide Plotland roads for Wildlife Trust’s largest inland nature reserve. you to ride along. There are roses and sweet The Langdon Nature Reserve has four main peas from the old gardens. Ponds are home areas, each with its own special character. to newts, frogs and toads. During May and These are Dunton, Lincewood, Marks Hill June you can admire the purple flowers of and Willow Park. thousands of green-winged orchids growing Dunton is where you will find most of the on the neighbouring recreation ground. remains of the Plotland homes and gardens. Don’t be surprised to hear the tapping Nature has taken over again, but you can sound of a woodpecker at work as you ride still see garden plants and orchard trees through the woodlands of Marks Hill. All such as apple, pear, plum and damson. three kinds of woodpecker live here – green, Adders like to sunbathe in the old bungalow great spotted and lesser spotted. The wild foundations. They are shy creatures, so keep service tree, one of Britain’s rarest native away if you see one – the adder is the only trees, grows here. British snake with a poisonous bite! The hay meadows and rough grassland of On a clear day you get a really good view Willow Park are a haven for many wild plants of . and flowers. The meadows are perfect for You too can step back to the Plotlands butterflies and as feeding grounds for the heyday. ‘The Haven’ was built by Frederick dragonflies and damselflies which hover Mills in the mid-1930s and was his family’s over Willow Park’s nine ponds. home for more than 40 years. The bungalow You can contact staff at the Langdon Visitor has been restored to its original condition. Centre on 01268 419103.

Terrain Undulating, some rough and Florence Way. Telephone the Essex Traveline on muddy terrain 0870 6082608 daily between 7 am and 10 pm Ordnance Survey Map Ref Explorer Map No. 175 Vets House & Jackson Veterinary Centre, 6.18 miles/11 km Southend-on-Sea and Basildon Chevers Pawn, Rookery Road, Blackmore, Essex www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/mapshop Tel: 01277 823858 Parking Horseboxes Parking by agreement Places to visit Hadleigh Country Park, Riding along these tracks today you may have only birdsong for Langdon Nature Reserve Car Park, Hadleigh (8.6 miles/13.8km) Woodland and company, but in the 1930s you would have found yourself in the Lower Dunton Road. Tel: 01268 419103 meadows with views over the Thames Estuary. Castle ruins nearby. Horseride and footpaths. middle of a bustling community. Children playing in the lanes, Langdon Hills Country Park, (Westley Heights). Free admission (car parking charge) mothers hanging out washing in the garden and the sound of Refreshments The Crown (Harvester) Pub, Tel: 01702 551072 High Road, Langdon Hill hammering and sawing echoing through the tree-tops. These were The Dutch Cottage, (9.4 miles/15.1km) Langdon Visitor Centre, 9-5pm Tuesday – Crown Hill, Rayleigh Eight-sided cottage based the Plotlands, where London families built hundreds of bungalows Sunday & Bank Holiday Mondays on the design of 17th century Dutch settlers and chalets as their weekend homes in the country. Tesco supermarket Free admission. Tel: 1702 318150 Transport Cycling by Train - A footbridge links National Motor Boat Museum, (3.2 miles/5.1km) Laindon Railway Station to High Road bridge. Wat Tyler Country Park, Hall Lane, Pitsea Bikes could be pushed directly from High Road The world’s only museum devoted entirely to onto the Country Ride on the south side of the history of motor boats. Free admission Mandeville Way. There is an alternative, rideable Tel: 01268 550077. route between Laindon Station and the Country www.motorboatmuseum.org.uk/home/index.php Ride via Station Approach, High Road and Early this century, property developers bought large areas of poor farmland in this part of Essex. They divided the land into small plots to be auctioned. Most of the plots were sold between the wars to Londoners who built bungalows as holiday homes. During World War II, many people moved into them permanently to escape the horrors of the Blitz. When the war ended there was a sprawling mass of poor housing without proper roads or electricity. Basildon became one of eight New Towns built near London after World War II to provide homes and jobs for London’s growing population. Most of the old Plotlands were redeveloped, but Dunton Hills Estate was saved as a precious nature reserve. Green-winged Today, only a few of the orchid To bungalows are left as A cyclepath runs parallel Lincewood Mandeville Basildon reminders of the Way pumping station to the bridleway alongside Mandeville Way Town Centre old Plotland High Mandeville Way way of life. Rd footbridge To One of these To Basildon Laindon Basildon is ‘Hawthorn’ down Railway Station Town Centre Town Centre TESCO Nottingham at the top of Third Way Nightingales The Avenue. In the garden Highview Lindens Gt. Berry Lane Ave Shelley Ave hedgerow there is a up stile take care Florence Way Monterey cypress tree Stack Ave down take and an oak tree. Lower Dunton Road care Lake Looking at the difference in their Coiled Adder reservoir Dunton sizes, which tree do recreation recreation Dunton Marks Hill flower-rich ground you think is the ground meadow don Hills High Rd Long spring oldest? They were The Haven Wood & summer actually both up Lang planted on Third Ave Visitor Centre Hawthorn The Bridleway the first day (toilets & Lincewood that Refreshments) Staneway Hawthorn’s To Broomhill original owners Horndon on the Hill Wood moved there in the The Chase 1930s. The Monterey cypress is a Stacey To fast-growing evergreen tree with Drive Willow Basildon steps take Park upward sweeping branches. care Westley Road Town Centre gap KEY Hall Wood The Crown Main route View N Westley Heights Other routes Woodland S Road fp Finger post Dry Street outhway link to Track Public house Dry StreetLangdon Hills River or stream Telephone Country Park B1007 Lake or pond Parking To horseride Built up area Horndon on the Hill 011 km mile

Woodpecker at work Marks Hill. Guiding you through Essex Inside Church is the tomb of built on the Welsh marches by Judge Kemp, his son John and John’s Hubert de Burgh in the 13th century. wife Elinor. The kneeling figures on The castle had only just been built the side of the tomb are John and when the conditions of a peace Elinor’s children. treaty with the Welsh meant it had You will be able to see Pentlow to be demolished! It was known as Tower long before you reach Pentlow. “Hubert’s Folly”. Pentlow Tower is a 90 foot high, Pentlow Tower was built as a eight-sided brick tower standing on memorial to his parents by Edward Pentlow Hill. It is a folly. This is the Bull in 1859. Forty-eight churches name given to a building which can be seen from the top on a clear seems to have no use. They were day. Pentlow Tower is on private often look-out towers or fake ruins property. Please respect the privacy built by rich landowners. The name of the landowner. You can enjoy comes from ‘folie’, the French word good views of the tower from the for delight or pleasure. Perhaps the surrounding countryside. word is also a reminder of a castle

Terrain Vets Undulating and hilly in places Lees & Partners Equine Clinic, Catley Cross Stables, Wickham St. Paul. Ordnance Survey Map ref Tel: 01787 269006 Landranger 155 Bury St. Edmunds & Sudbury Places to visit THE BELCHAMPS Explorer 196 Hedingham Castle, (7 miles/11.3km) 12.3 miles/19.8 km Sudbury, Hadleigh & Dedham Vale Castle Hedingham. Magnificent Norman keep, with banqueting hall and minstrel’s Parking Horseboxes gallery. Lake and woodland walks. Parking by agreement: Riding down Hoe Lane one Sunday in times past, you might have Admission fee; please ring for The Half Moon Public House, opening times: 01787 460261 met the villagers of Pentlow walking to church. Like many churches, Belchamp St. Paul. Tel: 01787 277402 Pentlow Church is quite a distance from the community it serves. It is Castle Hedingham Pottery Refreshments (7 miles/11.3km) Studio and showroom, one of only six churches in Essex with a round tower. A local tale tells The Half Moon Public House, with talks, courses and demonstrations. Belchamp St. Paul. that the tower was a well-shaft which was exposed above ground when Viewing free. Tel: 01787 460036 The Pinkuah Arms, Pentlow the surrounding earth was washed away in a flood! What do you think? (evenings & weekends only). Colne Valley Railway, (7 miles / 11.3km) Buntings Farm Shop: on B1064. Castle Hedingham. Award-winning vintage Clare & Cavendish: steam railway. Dine on the luxurious pubs, shops, teashops etc. Pullman train. Admission fee. Tel: 01787 461174 Transport The Belchamps to Sudbury Station 4.4miles (7.1km). Public Transport Information Tel: 0870 608 2608 The larch is a deciduous conifer tree, unlike most other conifers which are N evergreen. The larch has small egg-shaped cones which open CAVENDISH A1092 Pentlow to let the wind blow away its seeds. Layby Follow fp track Pentlow fp Follow path Farm Hoe Lane B1064 Willow through School Riv plantation er Stour wood Barn Farm Bower Follow fp A1092 Hall headland Ponds Pond Busy Pentlow Down road 01 km 1 mile CLARE Tower River Stour fp Country Park Follow Farm Power lines headland Shop Larch Trees Down Pinkuah fp Pentlow Lane Bower Hall Paine’s FOXEARTH Farm Manor gradual Hickfords Hil View towards To Foxearth, climb Claredown l Pentlow Tower Farm & Sudbury Layby The River Stour forms part of the fp To Bellybones Bradfield’s moat of Pentlow Bradleyhill Long Lane Farm Temple Hall. The Hall was End Farm Hubbard’s probably built on Spinney Farm View towards Paul’s Hall Sudbury & Long Melford the site of a Stream beside Brown’s bridlepath Roman staging Farm Eyston Smyth’s post, as Ford Farm Route to Sudbury Pentlow is Cutbush Station Farm Up situated beside fp fp Lovelands a Roman road. Farm Church Street Ford Otten Road Up To Ovington fp Staging posts were To fp To Sudbury Belchamp fp places where you Half Moon Otten Narrow bend - care needed fp could swap your tired KEY fp horse for a fresh one. Main route Built up area Small They were usually about 15 Other routes View copse Road Woodland To Knowl Green miles apart. The present Track fp Finger post Pentlow Hall was built in 1475. The Hedgerows Public house first one was destroyed in 1381 during the Peasants’ Revolt. This River or stream Telephone Lake or pond Parking uprising was caused when the Chancellor introduced a poll tax! Guiding you through Essex Chalk was formed 100 million years Stort and Cam have cut down ago in the Cretaceous period which through these Essex ‘highlands’ to followed the death of the dinosaurs. uncover the chalk on their valley To give you an idea of how long ago sides. The Essex chalklands attract that was, if you counted at a rate of types of plants and animals which 1 year every second, it would take make it very different from the rest you more than 3 years to count to of the county. 100 million! Chalk was formed from Amongst the summer wild flowers the bodies of tiny creatures which growing on the hedgebanks of lived in a warm sea. As they died Parsonage Lane are the tall hairy they sank to the sea-bed and their stems and purplish flowers of the bodies were gradually pressed wild marjoram which loves together. Clavering’s chalky soils. In ancient There is a thick layer of chalk Greece wild marjoram was a symbol beneath Essex, but in most of the of happiness. Wedding couples were county it is buried under clay and crowned with it. gravel. Around Clavering, the rivers

Terrain Vets Undulating, some rough terrain Mercer & Hughes, Devon Lodge, 14 Ordnance Survey Map Ref Radwinter Road, , Essex Explorer 195 CB11 3JB Tel: 01799 522082 Braintree & Saffron Walden Places to visit CLAVERING Parking Horseboxes Audley End House, Saffron Walden 12.8 miles/20.6 km Parking by arrangement in the (English Heritage) (6.4 miles/10.4km) meadow behind The Fox and Hounds Magnificent, Jacobean stately home, with grounds landscaped by Capability Brown. As you follow these chalky lanes past thatched cottages and isolated in Clavering (not the pub car park) farmhouses, it is hard to believe that Clavering could have a darker Tel: 01799 550321 Admission fee. Tel: 01799 522399 side. It was master detective Sherlock Holmes who said that most Mole Hall Wildlife Park, Widdington Refreshments wicked crimes weren’t committed in the city but in the lonely houses The Fox and Hounds, Clavering. (5.7 miles/9.2km) Rare species from around the world plus domestic animals. of the ‘smiling and beautiful countryside’. As usual, he was right. Supermarket on Stortford Road, Clavering has been called the murder capital of Victorian . Clavering. Admission fee. Tel: 01799 540400 Transport Bridge End Gardens, Saffron Walden Clavering to Newport Station (1.2m/2km) (6.6 miles/10.7km) Restored Victorian garden, including hedge maze. Public Transport Information Free admission by appointment 0870 608 2608 with Saffron Walden Tourist Information Centre. Tel: 01799 510444 Ponds Manor could claim to be the Clavering Special Place Farm prettiest house verge KEY Main route Built up area in Clavering, To Clavering Arkesden Other routes View but it has a Court Road Woodland Route to To Windmill Newport darker side to Langley (disused) Track fp Finger post Station Stickling Hedgerows its past. It was Green fp Public house B1038 River or stream Telephone here that Sarah Windmill Lake or pond Parking (disused) Hill Bolsters Chesham Green Fairwells poisoned her ill Lane husband and three To Chestnut Coleh Bushey Cottage Wicken children. The old Castle Coldhams Farm Bonhunt Lays (site of) Moats yew tree in the front fp garden is where fp High Street Grange Ford Orchard Tinney Farm Ponds Fox & Hounds Farm Spinney she is said to have Manor Middle St The Druce hidden the arsenic Guildhall Ford with which she Rickling down poisoned her CLAVERING Gipsy Lane husband’s rice Shop Chalkpit Church End Lane Farm pudding. Yew pylons B1038 Curles trees have Manor Headland Highfield Lane traditionally To been seen as Brent fp omens of Pelham Hanginghill impending Parsonage Clavering Farm Hall Farm up doom. Parsonage Lane fp Stortford Road down Brick Kiln Lane fp

Poor take care Overlooking the ford bridge fp in Middle Street is Ford New fp Rickling Hall Chestnut Town

Cottage. It is Lane To N

Bonneting Bonneting Berden the smallest To Stocking Highlands Quendon house in Pelham Farm 01 km 1 mile Essex. It is To Manuden only 8 feet wide and 10 feet from front to Moat Farm, now Orchard Farm, became infamous nationwide in 1903 when the remains of Miss Camille Holland were found buried there. She back. Upstairs is had vanished four years earlier, only three weeks after moving to Moat Farm with the mysterious Herbert Samuel Dougal. After a sensational reached by a ladder. trial, Dougal was found guilty of her murder and hanged. Guiding you through Essex Three different species of deer can species. Conifers such as Scots Pine be seen in Essex: Fallow, Muntjac do not shed their leaves in winter and Roe. Particularly large herds of and cast a heavy shade all year Fallow Deer can be seen in woodland round depriving plants on the areas and herds as large as 100 are woodland floor of the light they need not unusual. Look out for Fallow deer to grow. Many native woodlands in around Bob’s Barn Wood and Britain were planted with Scots Pine Langford Bottom. in the 1940s and 1950s in an effort to As you ride past Twenty Acre Wood, produce a good cheap timber crop you will see that this woodland is resulting in the loss of biodiversity. very shady with few plants surviving In recent times the Forestry on the ground floor. This is because Commission has made efforts to deciduous trees such as Oak and Ash remove conifers from many of the which shed their leaves in autumn woodlands in its care to help restore have been replaced by coniferous the woods to their original condition.

Terrain Places to visit Mostly flat, some hills, muddy in places Epping Forest The forest is the largest public open space in the London area, Ordnance Survey Map Ref measuring 19km x 4km, two-thirds of Explorer Map No. 175 Southend-on-Sea & Basildon which is wooded with the same proportion designated a Site of Special Scientific www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/map STAPLEFORD TAWNEY Interest. shop/ 7 miles/11.5 km Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge Parking Horseboxes Open all year round. Entrance is free. Parking available at High Tawney car park Tel: 020 8529 6681 Stapleford Tawney is a small parish (670 hectares) located 7 miles off Epping Road and with permission at Epping Forest Information Centre at High north of Romford and is very sparsely populated; approximately 100 the Moletrap Inn. Please phone the pub on people live in the parish making it the least populated parish in the 01992 522394 before setting off on the ride. Beach (12.6 miles) Tel: 020 8508 0028 . In 1771 it was noted by a writer that Stapleford Weald Country Park is steeped in history. It Refreshments Tawney 'hath but few houses in it and, like the other Stapleford, seems was once a and used for hunting Moletrap Inn, Tawney Common, Theydon to carry on no other business than that of husbandry'. In the modern Mount, Stapleford Tawney, 01992 522394 by the Abbots of Waltham in around 1063. Opening times: 8am until dusk (check era this small rural parish is still devoted almost exclusively to Transport entrance boards for details). Parking £2 all agricultural production with a mixture of livestock and arable farming. Theydon Bois Underground Station day. Tel: 01277 261343. Approx. 7 miles away Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker Vets (9.1 miles) The biggest and deepest cold House & Jackson, Chevers Pawn, Rookery war bunker open to the public in southeast Road, Blackmore, Essex Tel: 01277 823858 England! Admission fee. Tel: 01277 364 883. The ditches along some of the bridleways are full of Horsetail, a plant that is a remnant of prehistoric times. Horsetails are primitive plants because they do not flower and in primeval times they grew to the size of a Fir tree and there were forests full of them. Steers Farm Does Toot Hill Four Winds Farm Toot Hill Road High Tawney fp Take care! Nursery Old House Moat Freemans Farm Moat House Playing Field

Fyrth Tawney Blake’s Farm

Stewart’s Farm

Nickerlands Schoo l Road

Woodhatch Farm Woodhatch

Knightlands Wood fp Northlands Wood

fp Knightlands Farm

Long Spring

Cross-field Well Eaves Icehouse Wood Berwick Farm N

Bell’s Farm

Little Tawney Hall Howfields The Twentyacre Wood fp Grove Berwick Ham Garden Cottage Tracey’s The Old Rectory Farm Tracey’s fp Tiger Tenacre Wood

The Moors Dog Tracey’s Take care! Kennel Cottage Stapleford Spring Tawney Bob’s Barn Wood Langford Church Bottom Moat fp Bob’s Barn Great Tawney KEY Hall Main route Built up area Other routes View Road Woodland Track fp Finger post Hedgerows Public house 0 1 km 1 mile River or stream Telephone Lake or pond Parking The farmland on this country ride is scattered with small woodlands known as copses. These woods have survived being ‘grubbed’ out often because they are situated on land that is difficult to cultivate and not productive for growing crops. For example, Langford Bottom is situated alongside a stream and is prone to flooding in winter which would lead to waterlogging of crops. Guiding you through Essex Pleshey has one of the best surviving Unfortunately, none of the castle is Norman castle earthworks in England. left today. The whole village is ringed by a The Lord of the Manor at Pleshey defensive ditch and bank. Inside this had two deer parks created in the is a 50 foot high castle mound and its surrounding countryside. Wooden moat. You can get a good view of these fences were built round the outside from Pleshey’s main street. A 15th to stop the deer escaping. The servants century red-brick bridge still spans loved it because they didn’t have to the moat. worry about their master coming home In 1397 King Richard II heard that his in a bad mood after an unsuccessful uncle, the Duke of Gloucester, was day’s hunting. plotting to overthrow him. The King Have a look at the collection of leather lured Gloucester away from the safety bottles if you call in at Pleshey’s Leather of his castle at Pleshey. He was taken to Bottle Inn. Calais, where he was murdered by hired assassins. In Act 1, Scene 2 of William The castle site is privately owned. It is Shakespeare’s ‘Richard II’ Gloucester’s possible to look around the castle site widow sighs “With all good speed at by prior arrangement with the owner’s Plashy visit me”. land agents, Strutt & Parker, on 01245 258201. She speaks sadly of the castle’s “empty lodgings and unfurnish’d walls”.

Terrain Transport Fairly easy going, unsurfaced routes Pleshey to Station PLESHEY Ordnance Survey Map Ref (4.7m/7.5km) Public Transport 9.2 miles/14.8 km Explorer 183 Chelmsford and Information 0870 608 2608 the Rodings Vets Parking Horseboxes Clarendon House Veterinary Centre, Imagine yourself riding along these ancient lanes in the heart of Essex Parking by arrangement 24 The Green, , Chelmsford when suddenly you hear the sound of pounding hooves behind you. A The Leather Bottle, Pleshey. Tel: 01245 422206 medieval messenger gallops past and disappears in a cloud of dust. Tel: 01245 237291 Places to visit He is carrying word of conspiracy and murder to his master. The pen of The White Horse, Pleshey. Hylands Park, Writtle ensured Pleshey a lasting place in the history of Tel: 01245 237281 Large parkland with Victorian formal gardens, lakes and woods. one of the dark deeds of medieval England. Refreshments Free admission The Leather Bottle, Pleshey. Tel: 01245 490490 x 2078 The White Horse, Pleshey. Aythorpe Roding Windmill Pubs and shop on Barrack Lane, (5.7 m/9.2km) Post mill restored to full working order. Essential to phone first for details of open days. Tel: 01621 828162 Dunmow Lane used to be the main road between Chelmsford and . Part of your Country Ride route follows the Essex Way, an 81 mile long distance route between Epping and . Guidebooks for the walk can be bought from Essex County Council. To Great Dunmow

Poulters A130 KEY Ringtail To Chelmsford Green Farm Main route Built up area Stumps Other routes View Cross Road Woodland Track fp Finger post Hedgerows Public house Wide track River or stream Telephone with tall hedges Lake or pond Parking Rolphy Pleshey Road Green Dunmow Lane Park Farm The Bushet Headland To fp Water Lane fp Ford

ay

Take care Great Essex W PLESHEY Take care Waltham Castle (remains) crossing Take care

crossing fp

B e fp Lan ury To Village Hall Waltham Bury

Leaden Concrete track Roding fp Ford

Headland Great Ford Waltham fp Fitzjohn’s Fitzjohn’s Wood Farm Ford fp Hornbeam & Hazel Coppice

Mashbury Road fp fp To Bards Hall fp Israel’s Farm Great Humphrey’s Waltham fp Farm

Blatche’s Wood fp Gravel lay-by

Cross Field Reservoir Gravel Track fp fp Fanner’s Thatched Cottage Green N To Chelmsford Pond Moat Poplars Chignal Beadle’s fp Smealy Hall Haddock’s fp Route to Wood Chelmsford Station To & Chelmsford 01 km 1 mile

There is an avenue of tall, slim Lombardy poplar trees alongside the bridleway near Beadle’s Hall. Only the male trees grow into this easily recognised shape. There are many other kinds of trees along this lane. Can you identify the hornbeam, larch, holly and cedar? How did the tiny village of Chignal Smealy get such a strange name? The name Chignal comes from ‘Cicca’s nook’ (the small place belonging to Cicca). Smealy means ‘small clearing’. Chignal Smealy used often to be known locally as ‘Brick Chignal’ because of its all-brick church. Guiding you through Essex The town of Brentwood was first known was fought. Warley has also been used as ‘Burntwood’ due to a forest fire that to house militia during the French and created a clearing, which gave rise to Napoleonic wars. the first settlement in the 12th century. As for real conflict, Brentwood became Brentwood was also an important a part of the Peasant’s Revolt in 1381 pilgrim route for those living in East following a riot over a new poll tax. A Anglia travelling to Canterbury. Since Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was this time Brentwood grew as a summoned to restore order afterwards. prosperous market town and a staging The peasant’s had other ideas, they post as the London to road seized him and forced him to name the became an important turnpike. jurors who were involved in convicting Brentwood has seen its fair share the original rioters. They were then of conflict, whether real or fictional! hunted down and beheaded. Ingatestone and Warley have both The town of Brentwood is a lot friendlier been used to house militia when to visitors today with plenty to do and war threatened, the former when the a lot of green space surrounding it Spanish Armada threatened invasion including Weald and Thorndon and the latter when the American War Country Parks. of Independence broke out. At this time a mock battle including 10,000 troops Terrain Vets Some steep hills, mainly rough tracks. House & Jackson, Chevers Pawn, Rookery Ordnance Survey Map Ref Road, Blackmore, Essex Tel. 01277 823858 Explorer 175 Southend-on-Sea & Basildon Places to visit THORNDON Parking Horseboxes Brentwood Cathedral (1.6miles/2.6km) 9 miles/14.4 km In the second car park at Thorndon Country Although this was opened in 1991, the Park North, off the Avenue. Roman Catholic cathedral building has become a local landmark. It was designed Refreshments In the 15th century, Thorndon Country Park was a deer park. These by Quinlan Terry and incorporates the The Countryside Centre at Thorndon North parks were used for hunting in medieval times by the landowner. original Victorian church. Free admission. is open daily from 10am until 5pm in the Tel. 01277 265235 Now the country park is a fantastic place to view wildlife. Twenty-six summer and dusk in the winter. It serves a Brandler Galleries (1.7miles/2.7km) species of butterfly have been recorded, including the brown argus variety of light snacks and refreshments. and purple hairstreak as well as migrant birds such as siskins and There is also an exhibition area, shop and The gallery sells and exhibits artwork toilet facilities. by major artists from David Hockney bramblings. and Damien Hirst to Rolf Harris and Further toilet facilities exist at Thorndon E. H. Shepherd. Free admission. South Pavilion. Try and see what wildlife you can spot on your way round. Tel. 01277 222269 The Greyhound Pub Magpie Lane. Tel. (6.7miles/10.8km) 01277 249910 A 16th century Tudor mansion and gardens Transport built by Sir William Petre. Admission fee. Brentwood Station (2.3miles/3.7km) Tel. 01277 353010 Public Transport Information 0870 608 2608 The walk starts Ingrave Road and finishes in the King George’s Park car park entrance Deer Park. This Shenfield Common KEY landscape has Main route Built up area changed little since Other routes View Road the 1500’s. In this King George’s START/FINISH Woodland Park Track fp Finger post area you can see Entrance Hartswood Rd Hedgerows Public house some of our Hartswood Brentwood Road A12 WARLEY Golf Course River or stream Telephone oldest veteran 8 Lake or pond Parking trees. Hartswood Thorndon Hartswood Golf Course Hall As you continue (private) your walk Donkey Lane Entrance to (private) Ingrave through the Plantation Thorndon The Avenue Warley North forest and onto The Drive playing Hartswood the fields (private) Golf Club trees will The Deer (private) Herongate Park change from flats, shops Countryside planted lines Eagle Way Centre N (private) Little of upright Warley Ford Common The Forest conifers, to the H.Q. Obelisk twisted hornbeams, Seat Childerditch towering oaks and (private) Warley Gap Hatch Farm sweet chestnuts of Home Farm Rd. Lane Childerditch (private) the ancient Wood The Old Park Menagerie Plantation (private) A128 Hartswood. Entrance to Thorndon The Rookery Old Deer South car park Standing on the Park Octagon Childerditch Plantation Magpie Lane Childerditch Lane Street Old Old grassy common Thorndon Hall Ruin Pond beside Childerditch Pastures Wood Halfway House South Roundabout Lane affords splendid Pavilion Pigeon Mill views across the Mount Wood Thames Valley to Kent. The area around Old Jury Hill (private) Thorndon Hall was A127 once covered with a vast garden, hot houses and there was 0 1 km 1 mile even a miniature zoo housed in the area now known as The final stretch of the walk passes through the Old Park, this area is owned and managed by the Woodland Trust. Here they have recreated Menagerie Plantation. some of the plantings of trees that would have once stood here.