Blackmore, Essex - Walk Feb 23

Gill and I went on another Big Essex Skies and Sunshine walk today, starting and finishing in Blackmore. This was a "moderate" 7.41 mile walk only 35 minutes by car from East London (public transport not great but possible). Considerate parking on street available. 

We started off with a coffee and tea outdoors at the Blackmore Tea Rooms (I "had to" have a hot sausage roll as well). This cafe was full of brightly clad cyclists also enjoying a drink or bite to eat.

Blackmore and the surrounding villages, hamlets and cottages are simply lovely, with lots of ancient duck ponds, green lanes, footpaths, forests and heathland. 

There is even a pub, The Cricketer" run by "Gray and Sons" breweries (no known relative unfortunately).

The birdsong was marvellous and we heard at least 3 different woodpeckers. Lots of signs of spring. 

There was some noise from local non commercial planes but nothing major. We saw 3 road motorbikes riding along a public footpath, but they were travelling quite slow. I took a picture but the number plates are not clear, so I have not been able to report to Police/Council. 

There was an unusual warning notice in a wood "Caution Archery practice in progress" but we could see no such activity at this time. 

Apart from the marvellous spring like weather, the walk had lots of variety, walking through fields, Common land, forests and villages. A little bit of up and down but this is Essex. 

I finished off with a pint of Doombar in the "Prince Albert" (the only ale available at that time on tap)

I downloaded this walk via the Ordnance Survey site for free (a subscription service but definitely recommended and it originated from the Country Walking site).  We just used the app to navigate and for once did not get lost (apart from few "mishaps" which were easily corrected)

This post with further pictures and map will be on my personal Facebook page but also on https://www.facebook.com/walksinandaroundlondon/. This site has nearly all our walks listed. 

Mill Green & Blackmore walk

Off message but did a fabulous 6.5 mile walk in Essex today (Pathfinder Essex walks). Cold and windy but blue skies and sunshine. Mill Green Common is only about 40 minutes from Forest Gate, East London by car (near Brentwood).

The start of the walk is amongst the remnants of the ancient Writtle Forest. You can park outside the "Gray & Sons" pub, "The Cricketers" (no known relative - unfortunately) The landscape of woodland and open grassland has hardly changed since the middle ages. It is amazing that it has survived.

Other highlights of the walk include the many footbridges, the Big Essex skies, beautiful winter sunshine shadows, the picturesque Norman Church at Blackmore (as well as it's lovely village green and duck pond).

Downside was the mud and biting cold wind but what do you expect when walking anywhere in the UK in January?

“There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.”

― Alfred Wainwright, A Coast to Coast Walk