I walked this route from Ipswich to Mannigtree on an early May morning after a long dry period. There is a road section that leads to Jimmy's Farm which was not busy when I did the walk on a Tuesday morning but I guess it would be a lot busier if at a peak time for Jimmy's Farm....

Robin Langdon

I walked this route from Ipswich to Mannigtree on an early May morning after a long dry period. There is a road section that leads to Jimmy's Farm which was not busy when I did the walk on a Tuesday morning but I guess it would be a lot busier if at a peak time for Jimmy's Farm. Due to this error the route is then inaccurate until it reaches Jimmy's Farm where it gets back on track....

Robin Langdon

The walk goes through a second large wood a bit before getting to the crossing of the A14 and the route up into Ipswich....

Robin Langdon

Once out of Manningtree, the route follows tracks through woodland and across fields, however once it reaches Tendring the route becomes increasingly urban, along footpaths all the way through to Clacton. The first pub I stopped at was The Black Boy in Weeley, friendly staff and they serve food. As the route progresses into Clacton there are more shops and facilities available, with good transport links and plenty of Shops, Restaurants and a Pier at Clacton....

Dan Jackson

Great first half, second half mostly road...

Matt Gooch

Quite a varied walk from the industrial area in Parkeston, across paddocks at Ramsey, farmland and then back to a riverside walk around Wrabness....

Clive

On leaving Hadleigh the route is through a small wooded area with a steep climb with some logs over the path, so not suitable for wheeling. The route doesn't align at all with the roads here, I took a right on to Chaplin road after the Hare & Hounds, crossing to Pitts End and picking up the footpath at the corner of Richardsons Road. Continuing onto Manningtree, if not needing the train station, I'd suggest deviating from the route and following the path along the river towards Cattawade....

Clive

Then onto Frating Abbey Farm to join the footpath heading south west to Thorrington and Glebe farm....

Clive

A very beautiful walk out of Manningtree tracing around the estuary edge with glimpses of the Dedham Vale landscape. We enjoyed the various pathways that encountered different bodies of water along this route. The views of Ipswich as we descended down into the city were an enjoyable way to reach our destination....

Pandora

Leaving Colchester up the hill through the High Woods Country Park was lovely to look back over the city before we immersed ourselves in the winding woodland paths....

Pandora

Starting with a stunning view of the River Stour, you will walk along clear and enjoyable footpaths. There would be big stretches of the trip with gravel. Referring to earlier reviewer Thom Brisco’s explanations regarding clarifications of the route....

Tiril Sofie Berg

The trip was a wonderful walk, with a great variety of landscapes and surfaces. Could potentially be muddy when wet weather, but overall a good footpath. There are some difficulties as explained by previous reviewer Thom Brisco....

Tiril Sofie Berg

Turning north, the walk follows a gentle mixture of paths, lanes, and field tracks....

Thom Brisco

The route’s major challenge is a stretch that passes right through the middle of Crown Quarry to the west of Ardleigh....

Thom Brisco

The route at Wix is on the main road which is lined with hedgerows and a narrow verge. At Beaumont there is also a better route keeping off the busy main road (B1414). From Wix road there is a footpath that heads south and then east across the B1414, staying south of the reservoirs and then rejoining the route....

Clive

Mistley to Weeley Heath across flat farmland and quiet country lanes. After that it’s a footpath along a relatively busy road to Clacton....

Clive

Some clarity of the footpath around Jimmy’s farm needed as I lost the footpath going through the farm rather than around it....

Clive

Route: I walked this route in March (20/03/23 Monday). This makes the route a mainline station to mainline station should anyone want the convenience from further afield though as WivmanOne (route originator) has shown the original route is well supported with public transport. I changed the route only once more at the busy Colchester to Elmstead road. The footpath circumnavigates an old orchard on right and eventually joins with Wivmanone’s route at Church Road....

Stuart McCain

My preference would be the slightly longer Essex Way starting in Harwich as it is more scenic with more points of interest for the first couple of miles. Highlights of the walk were a view into Harwich International Port, walking through 3 beautiful Nature Reserves in an AONB, river views across the Stour, Grayson Perrys House for Essex, 2 historic churches, the historic oak tree Old Knobbley and Historic towns of Mistley and Manningtree....

MartinG

The route shown cannot be used because the level crossing at Brantham High Bridge has been closed by Network Rail on safety grounds....

Clare

footpath across Wivenhoe quarry to Keelars lane was completely flooded by the quarry lake. Easy to follow the quarry road out though without significant deviation and that cut out a portion of Keelars lane as well. Footpath from Bromley Cross (Hall Road to Carringtons Road) was completely overgrown and inaccessible...

arundago

The route also notably deviates from the Essex Way Path from Bradford to Wrabness, going straight up to the coast via the road whereas Essex Way makes a slow farm-based move upwards - the Manhar route then takes you along a public footpath that is VERY close to the mean high water of Jacques Bay....

battlestarvalk

At one point the farmer has blocked the entrance with some equipment - I think due to unwanted travellers - but you can still get by onto the path....

Kim Swift

The path between Crown Lane North and Wick Lane goes through the middle of a quarry and is steep and very rutted on the south side and equally steep but loose shingle on the north side....

Timothy Hull

The Level Crossing at Brantham High Bridge suggested in this route has been closed for some years and the alternative option to walk on the A137 main road which has no pavement and a 60mph speed limit would be considered unsafe by many especially if walking with children or dogs...

Clare