Souwes two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Souwes here.

This avoids the issues with SouWes 1 (see reviews) but is broadly similar. It's a route of huge skies, drained fenlands, and many ditches and footbridges. For a while it follows the Mardyke Way, and there are also many very prominent fingerposts. In some places I've had to draw the route line by eye. I did my best to ensure important positions like turning and crossing points, or paths being on correct side of hedges, ditches etc.

The surfaces are split between tracks, fieldside paths (clear from crops but might be muddy) and just a little road walking (in West Horndon on pavements and Fen Lane has a wide verge and clear views, about 1km total). Towards South Ockendon the "Bulphan Fen Solar Farm" is being installed (Jan 2024) and there were "Heavy Plant Crossing" signs on some tracks.

You could break the journey halfway by heading east on Fen Lane to Bulphan where there is a very small shop, bus stop and pub, one review of WesBas 1 says this is fair road walking (verge). Both ends have takeaways, convenience stores, a pub (no food?), Essex bound buses plus train stations. Only South Ockendon is within the TfL Oyster zone for contactless/pay-as-you-go and TfL bus routes.

https://www.thurrock-history.org.uk/MardykeWay.htm

This avoids the issues with SouWes 1 (see reviews) but is broadly similar. It's a route of huge skies, drained fenlands, and many ditches and footbridges. For a while it follows the Mardyke Way, and there are also many very prominent fingerposts. In some places I've had to draw the route line by eye. I did my best to ensure important positions like turning and crossing points, or paths being on correct side of hedges, ditches etc.

The surfaces are split between tracks, fieldside paths (clear from crops but might be muddy) and just a little road walking (in West Horndon on pavements and Fen Lane has a wide verge and clear views, about 1km total). Towards South Ockendon the "Bulphan Fen Solar Farm" is being installed (Jan 2024) and there were "Heavy Plant Crossing" signs on some tracks.

You could break the journey halfway by heading east on Fen Lane to Bulphan where there is a very small shop, bus stop and pub, one review of WesBas 1 says this is fair road walking (verge). Both ends have takeaways, convenience stores, a pub (no food?), Essex bound buses plus train stations. Only South Ockendon is within the TfL Oyster zone for contactless/pay-as-you-go and TfL bus routes.

https://www.thurrock-history.org.uk/MardykeWay.htm