Essex farm land is industrial, where paths used to run along field edges with hedgerows they now run across vast open fields. To cap this August is a busy month for farmers, crops have been harvested and fields are being ploughed. You can't see the far side of the fields and walking across uneven ploughed fields, following a compass bearing, was a slog....

Strider

Paths are variable from wide flat gritted paths to narrow uneven stones and roots....

Strider

It crosses a railway line where there is no crossing or bridge, See Harsaw Two....

Strider

After Hunsdon Airfield take the track north toward Eastwick Wood, then through Queens Wood coming out on the track to High Trees, then road to Accorns Farm....

iU3A

I walked from Ware to Sawbridgeworth on a day with occasional torrential rain. A lovely walk, big open skies and dozens of benches along the way....

Strider

Instead I would choose to walk along either just the towpaths of the two rivers Lee and Stort (14.5 miles but level and well surfaced), or use a route a bit further north part of which follows the Hertfordshire Way (which I have followed) and includes footpaths....

John D Bevan

There's also a bus, the HSB1 at Matching Tye, although it's only 3/7 and 2/24 so probably not much use. Sadly there were also three places where paths hadn't been restored since ploughing (other walkers hadn't made paths through) which might be annoying in wetter weather but were ok yesterday in August. Plus there were two places where vegetation hid the ground, 1) ///ritual.until.table next to a ditch with a deep drop beside, and 2) ///frock.spared.shapes before a small bridge obscuring a drop (had to double back around the hedges/ditch). Looking at this route and SawChi 1 on Strava heat maps (1 year of activity) shows underused paths matching some of these and similar gaps for SawChi 1. Anyway most paths were well cleared and long grass on field edge paths had even been mown....

Daisy C

Most attractive, mainly countryside...

John D Bevan

Road currently ( 6 March 2022) flooded between Mablets and Great Penny's Farm. Not passable on foot for about fifteen yards - verge submerged....

Ruth

Buses available at A1184 so it's possible to split this route in half....

MadGeordie

An easy to follow, calm path that runs alongside the river Stort for the whole route. For the most part it's a calm and serene walk, however some sections are less so (to be expected given it's a stone's throw from Stansted Airport!). The path can be narrow and uneven, and most definitely muddy after heavy rain....

LCGBGR

At the Bishop's Stortford end there are major building works and the section of footpath is diverted through the railway carpark. Cost of train is £3.80 (off peak adult) [June 2021], trains about every 30 minutes....

kayaking_mark

There are two pubs with food and drinks at Hudson which is around 40 percent into the route walking from the west....

v199629

I suggest taking the road from the station to the A414 roundabout and turning right follow the footway alongside the A414 and over the rail bridge and almost immediately after there is an unsigned footpath through a wood that leads down to the river....

vic

Depending on day and time the final road crossing can be hazardous but can be avoided by turning right and taking the controlled crossing....

vic

The only slight blip is at the start coming out of Harlow station, the map suggests you can cross directly under/over the railway straight after the station, but in fact it seems you have to go up to the roundabout and cross via the A414 road bridge, but it's not much further at all....

Rose