Pleshey, Essex Walk

On last Sunday 16th Gill and I did a 5.5 mile circular walk around the ancient village of Pleshey. Home to a famous medieval castle (now long gone) mentioned in Shakespeare's "Richard II". We have walked in the area a number of times but used this time a route from Country Walking magazine.

We saw near a lake, a much smaller bird repeatedly appear to attack and drive off a much larger Red Kite. I assume competition over food/territory?  

Mostly easy going, flat countryside, with a very muddy/clay final stretch. The weather was dry but overcast but there was still plenty of big Essex skies. We stopped for lunch outside the Great Waltham Guildhall. The former home of Sir William Wade who at the Tower of London interrogated (tortured?) Guy Fawkes over the Gunpowder plot.

Great Waltham is also known as the home of Elizabeth Lowys who was executed as a supposed "Witch" in 1565.

On the "listening bench" we sat upon for lunch, next to the war memorial, there was a QR code that you could use to download personal accounts by local residents of life in the village during World War 2, with reminisces of German bombing raids, the arrival of American servicemen and singing Italian prisoners of war. 

We drove from East London in around 50 minutes but you can use public transport via train to Cheltenham then bus 48 or X10. We stopped off on the way home for a drink at the George and Dragon pub in Wanstead.