Day 34: Bishop's Stortford

I've had a couple of rest days after coming back from Lancaster (520 mile round trip!) so back in the swing by heading off out to Bishop's Stortford, for the sole reason of having a walk around.

I was in the town a year ago to watch a highly fractious match between Billericay Town U13 and Brentwood Town U13. Prior to that I'd been at the same stadium to see a goalless draw between Bishop's Stortford and Barking with my dad, when I was about 16. I didn't go anywhere near there today!

Much of the walk was along the picturesque urbanity of the river Stort, which (like Ipswich) has a well laid out river path, with lots of new apartments on either side.









I particularly like the country market which appears to be held in someone's garage.



While walking back to the car I saw this boundary stone. Bishops Stortford is wholly in Hertfordshire now - looks like at some point in the past, it was in Essex. Mr Google has been unable to tell me when this stone no longer became part of the boundary between the counties.

3.09 miles in 1 hr 1 min 23 sec (ave 3.02mph)
Calories burned 508; steps taken 6,851; elevation 108 ft
8 deg C, cloudy

Day 33: Lancaster

Off to the north to see Jay who's in his first year at Lancaster University.

We've booked into the Holiday Inn on the north east outskirts of the city - which is about 2.5 miles from the centre, with a traffic-free walk all along the river Lune to get there. Perfect! That gave me an opportunity to walk into town to find a suitable pub to replenish my spent calories. At least I think that's how it works.

I detoured a little to go through Lancaster Castle and an unncessarily steep walk to finish off. But for the most part, it was extremely quiet, with no one but me doing the walk on a late Saturday afternoon.
















3.20 miles in 1 hr 2 min 25 sec (ave 3.08mph)
Calories burned 525; steps taken 7,022; elevation 113 ft
11 deg C, cloudy

Day 32: Little Waltham

Little and Great Waltham date back to the Domesday book. They're around five miles to the north of Chelmsford but in a very rural (for Essex) setting, straddling the river Chelmer.








I parked up in Little Waltham and walked through the village and towards Great Waltham, and up to Langley's, a Georgian house surrounded by a deer park with public rights of way.





And a particularly passive aggressive sign about dog poo!


I've walked around Great Waltham before but this time I didn't walk up to Suzi Quatro's old house, or the model village designed in the late 1960s. Both are very interesting in their own way.


Lunch in the pub wasn't too bad. Honest.


This sign made me laugh! It was on a fence on the primary school, where some building work was taking place. I just wish the dicks that spent 9 months building an extension on my next door neighbour's house had a sign like this.

3.17 miles in 1 hr 0 min 32 sec (ave 3.14mph)
Calories burned 520; steps taken 6,879; elevation 85 ft
6 deg C, cloudy

Day 31: Billericay

Just a quick stroll up and down Noak Hill Road. And just the one photo!


3.30 miles in 1 hr 1 min 10 sec (ave 3.24mph)
Calories burned 539; steps taken 7,041; elevation 93 ft
6 deg C, cloudy

Day 30: Ingatestone

It's still pretty cold but I've decided to go out for a lunchtime stroll around Ingatestone.


I parked up in the Roman Road and walked past Ingatestone railway station (something I hadn't seen before. because I'd never needed to!)




There was a hidden green space behind the station going back towards the High Street, close to the middle of town, which I'd never seen before - you just wouldn't know it existed if you drive through.




I love these old iron signs. Years ago I found a website which catalogued these in extreme detail, although I can't seem to locate it now.




Just opposite Seymour Field there's an unnamed road with the Ingatestone Veterinary Centre in it. Google maps indicates that you can cross the railway line there, but you clearly can't. I made this my halfway point and headed back.




3.06 miles in 1 hr 0 min 41 sec (ave 3.03mph)
Calories burned 503; steps taken 6,780; elevation 93 ft
4 deg C, a little cloudy