From the car park at the village hall, walk to The Street and turn right, passing Holy Trinity Church on your right and former White Horse pub on your left. After the church you will see the 16th-century gatehouse, behind which is the convent – collectively they are known as the House of Retreat. Just after the restored water pump turn right into Pump Lane. After 100yds (91m), on your left you will see the bridge over the moat – the entrance into the earthworks of the motte-and-bailey castle.

With your back to the castle, and keeping the church to your right, walk across the cricket field to the right of paddock fencing to a hedge gap. Bear right along the concrete path, keeping the field on your left. Maintain direction, ignoring two footpaths on the right and one on the left by the reservoir.

At the three-way public footpath sign turn left and follow the bridleway bounded by trees. At the Y-junction bear left along this path, which may be very muddy after rain. Pass Fitzjohn's Wood, enjoying good views of rolling countryside. Beyond the outline of Holy Trinity Church you can appreciate the advantage of the hillside location of Pleshey Castle.

When you are level with the old house on the right, which was Fitzjohn's Farm, walk a few paces to the line of trees by a waymark on your left and turn left onto the field-edge path, downhill. Just after a wooden footbridge over a brook to your left, the path curves first right and then left beside a wire fence. Keep ahead to cross a plank footbridge over Walthambury Brook, and continue up the embankment so that the brook is now on your left. You are now on the grassy path of the Essex Way, which follows Walthambury Brook all the way to The Street at Pleshey.

Turn left at The Street and turn right into Back Lane, passing Pleshey Hall Cottages on your left. At the signpost marked Pleshey Grange, turn right into Vicarage Road, passing the site of the former Pleshey Forge on your left. At the next public footpath sign, just after a house called Pleachfield, turn left onto the grassy path which follows the Town Enclosure, with the ditch on your left. Cross the footbridge and maintain direction until you emerge into The Street. Turn right to return to the car park.