Essex Cycle Routes

Did you know that Colchester is Britain’s oldest recorded town, dating back to 77AD, before the Roman conquest? Or that the mountain biking at the 2012 Olympics will take place at Hadleigh Farm, in south Essex? Or that the pier at Southend is the longest in the world? Probably not, but that’s what makes Essex ripe for exploration, and there’s no better way to explore than by bicycle.

It is also a county of contrasts. Estuaries and coastal villages steeped in maritime tradition in the east, give way to rolling fields, ancient woodlands and beautiful parks as you head inland. There’s a notable lack of punishing hills in this part of eastern England, but an abundance of byways, bridleways and country lanes, making it ideal cycle country. So saddle up, and follow our guide to some of the best cycling Essex has to offer.

1. The painters’ trail

Beginning at either Manningtree, Essex or Sudbury, Suffolk, the Painters’ Trail is a circular route ideal for cycling through some of the county’s most celebrated and picturesque countryside. The full trail runs over roads, cycle paths and tracks and can be covered in two to three days, with a total distance of 111km (69 miles), but there are various shortcuts available for morning, afternoon or full-day rides. Part of National Cycle Route 1, it is ideal for both the experienced and part-time cyclist.

One of Britain’s most famous artists, Constable, lived and painted in a rural area on the border between Essex and Suffolk. The Dedham Vale, in the Stour Valley, is now a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and forms the centre point of this great cycle adventure. The Painters’ Trail links Constable Country with areas made famous by other celebrated British artists, including Gainsborough and Munnings.

Your two-wheel art history pilgrimage begins at England’s smallest market town, Manningtree, which nestles on the south bank of the River Stour. From here, head to Cattawade and its nationally protected marshes (home to waterfowl and waders), where the freshwater Stour meets the tidal estuary. You’ll reach the lowest point of your entire journey on the way, at two metres above sea level.

The route from Cattawade suddenly thrusts deep into the heart of Constable Country. It’s worth taking a break in the attractive villages of East Bergholt and Flatford, both steeped in the artist’s history. John Constable was born and grew up in East Bergholt House, parts of which still exist, and Moss Cottage was used by him as a studio. Bridge Cottage in Flatford has a Constable exhibition, and the surrounding area is where several of his major works are set, including Boat-Building near Flatford Mill and The Hay Wain. Flatford Mill itself was once owned by Constable’s father and is now a National Trust building. There’s so much to see here it may be worth a ‘refreshment stop’ at one of East Bergholt’s many pubs, of which The Hay Wain is probably the most appropriate.

The route then provides an opportunity to really stretch the legs as it meanders past and through a number of villages and hamlets, including Holton St Mary, Lower Raydon, Shelley and Thorington Street, from where a shortcut is available, cutting the total distance back to Manningtree to a ‘manageable in one day’ 37km. After Thorington Street comes Stoke-by-Nayland, situated on a ridge between the Stour and Box valleys, where you’ll find the 15th-century St Mary’s Church and its 40m-high tower.

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