Wicray two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Wicray here.

Suburban and green belt route, mostly flat apart from the approach to Rayleigh. Mix of pavement, paths, tracks, fields and woodland. One unavoidable 'A' road section, abut 600 metres, pavement. No steps unless using the unofficial railway crossing at Rayleigh station (see more on that further on).
At time of making there are mid-way refreshments at the big A129/A1245 roundabout - a pub (on route) and also a cafe by a garden centre (a few metres off route to the east).

The route is based on Wicray One, but with some amendments, as follows:
Leaving Wickford, this route uses a quiet, pleasant footpath through the housing estate, which cuts out a lengthy section of road walking alongside Salcott Crescent.
After examining the footpath just south of Tresco Way I decided it is pleasanter to continue along the pavement, as the path is not well maintained, but is well used by rubbish droppers.

Approaching Rayleigh, the route is more or less as Wicray One until it reaches the railway station. After a lot of ummming and ahhhhing I've decided to amend to cross the railway line further north. Unofficially, crossing at Rayleigh station is quite straightforward (although steps), as the station doesn't have barriers, but it does mean walking along the platforms, which are not public footpaths, and I don't feel comfortable making that part of an 'official' Slow Way when access rights are not clear.

However, since it is more convenient, and seems to be a locally used cut through, I've put up a map showing how the route can work if the railway line is crossed at Rayleigh station, then via the Mount and the old castle earthworks: National Trust run, with advertised closing times at time of making this route, including early closing on Saturdays.
This is really the pleasantest, greenest, way to approach Rayleigh on foot from Wickford direction, and I would have liked to make it official, but I think there are too many doubts about access

Suburban and green belt route, mostly flat apart from the approach to Rayleigh. Mix of pavement, paths, tracks, fields and woodland. One unavoidable 'A' road section, abut 600 metres, pavement. No steps unless using the unofficial railway crossing at Rayleigh station (see more on that further on).
At time of making there are mid-way refreshments at the big A129/A1245 roundabout - a pub (on route) and also a cafe by a garden centre (a few metres off route to the east).

The route is based on Wicray One, but with some amendments, as follows:
Leaving Wickford, this route uses a quiet, pleasant footpath through the housing estate, which cuts out a lengthy section of road walking alongside Salcott Crescent.
After examining the footpath just south of Tresco Way I decided it is pleasanter to continue along the pavement, as the path is not well maintained, but is well used by rubbish droppers.

Approaching Rayleigh, the route is more or less as Wicray One until it reaches the railway station. After a lot of ummming and ahhhhing I've decided to amend to cross the railway line further north. Unofficially, crossing at Rayleigh station is quite straightforward (although steps), as the station doesn't have barriers, but it does mean walking along the platforms, which are not public footpaths, and I don't feel comfortable making that part of an 'official' Slow Way when access rights are not clear.

However, since it is more convenient, and seems to be a locally used cut through, I've put up a map showing how the route can work if the railway line is crossed at Rayleigh station, then via the Mount and the old castle earthworks: National Trust run, with advertised closing times at time of making this route, including early closing on Saturdays.
This is really the pleasantest, greenest, way to approach Rayleigh on foot from Wickford direction, and I would have liked to make it official, but I think there are too many doubts about access