Another circular: there is no public transport between these villages &, in any case, it was Sunday so buses wouldn't have been running even if they did exist....!
Had seen on yesterday's walk that there appeared to be few places to park in Nayland so left the car in the parking area for this newly-developed Nature Reserve, about half-way between the 2 villagesSpouse's Vale was bequeathed to the Trust by sisters, Edith & Frances Vale, while Arger Fen was bought in 2008
An area of ancient woodland, it's one of the few in Suffolk to support the wild cherry; already named a SSSI & there are a couple of interesting-looking walks laid out
Highlight of the Day: so far I've tried to make sure that the day's highlight has been on the Essex side of any border I might have encountered but I was hopelessly defeated at the outset this morning!
Main part of the walk was along the Stour Valley Path again but I started, & finished, on the St Edmund Way. This runs for 79 miles between Manningtree & Brandon in Suffolk & is named after King Edmund who died a martyr's death in 869 at the hands of the Danes
Picture above is of a beautiful stretch of the Way between fields & through woodland shortly before the early mist burnt away
St Edmund was the original patron saint of England before being replaced by St George
In 2006 a campaign to restore Edmund was defeated but he was named patron saint of Suffolk!
Back in Essex! Low-lying farmland just after crossing the Stour near Wissington
'The Crown', Wormingford
Pint & a burger for lunch at this 17th century pub.... another listed building!
Burger good.... but not as good as yesterday's!
Cheated slightly here! This photo was taken in January 2005, the last time I walked here
The view is currently marred by cranes & a large construction site putting together the Wormingford Pumping Station: curiously, it's being built by Northumbrian Water!
A private residence for many years now, the mill was still producing animal feed when I first walked here in the 1980s
First record of a mill on this site is in 1190!
The river was still navigable & in use by barges until 1912
Flour production ceased in the 1930s when grinding was moved to Fingringhoe Mill (I'll be there much later on this walk!) where river transport could still be used
Beer of the Day: had a pint of Adnam's 'Lighthouse' at 'The Three Horseshoes' in Bures before picking up the St Edmund Way again & heading back to the car
An amber bitter, darker & sharper than the bottled version: good, but not an Adnam's favourite
Another old Bures' business - these buildings are part of Church's Seed Merchants who have operated from here for over 100 years
Behind these offices stands a 16th century cowled drying-kiln with a beer barrel on its arm as a reminder of its origins as a maltings
Almost back at Arger Fen & Spouse's Vale, this is a view back along St Edmund Way with Bures hidden in the valley beyond the distant trees
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