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Hadleigh Country Park

Recommended by

Our view

"A fairly taxing walk with steep green slopes, marshes and a famous castle."

Walk directions

Start the walk from the car park and follow the path through the kissing gate to the right of the information board. Turn left, and walk beside the stepped path downhill to a wide, grassy plain. Go through the kissing gate and make for the clump of trees on your right. Continue alongside these to cross a track by a ‘Hadleigh Castle via Marsh’ public footpath sign. Keep ahead and follow the path towards the railway line. Keep to the right edge of a wide grassy area and go through a kissing gate beside a metal gate. Cross a track and go through a kissing gate on the other side. Continue uphill to the left of the hedge and go through another kissing gate.

Just before the earth bridge, turn left. Go through a set of double gates and follow the path all the way to the castle ahead.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Woodland and field tracks, grassy paths and some streets

Landscape - Pasture and scrub, salt marsh and woodland

Dog friendliness - Plenty of open spaces, but watch for cows around castle

Parking - Pay-and-display parking at Chapel Lane

Toilets en route - Chapel Lane car park

Walks in Essex Dog-friendly walks in Essex

About the walk

Modern times may have engulfed much of Hadleigh's history, but in the village centre you can't fail to notice the 13th-century church enclosed, not by a green, but by a busy one-way traffic system. Meanwhile out on the hill overlooking the railway line, linking the Essex coast with London and... beyond it the Thames estuary and the Kent countryside, are the ruins of Hadleigh Castle, which stand as testimony to a bygone era. Founded by Hubert de Burgh in 1231 as a guard against the risk of attack by France, it was rebuilt by Edward III in the 14th-century. A park with a view Hadleigh Country Park has been an important conservation area since the 1950s due to its variety of habitats, from grassland and woodland to salt marsh and mudflat. The park covers 472 acres (191ha) and overlooks Canvey Island, the River Thames and the Kent Downs. The area once consisted of two farms, Poynetts and Kersey, which used only traditional chemical-free farming methods. The rich soil sustains a variety of wildlife making this a delightful place to visit; in spring you can see shaded woodlands of bluebells, yellow celandine, nettle-like yellow archangel and plenty of butterflies, while in summer you may hear the sound of a cuckoo or spot grass snakes and adders on the rough grass and heathland. The views of the estuary and the Kent countryside improve with every step as you reach the summit of the hill, where you'll find the impressive remains of Hadleigh Castle. After Hubert de Burgh's death in 1243, the danger of attack from France decreased and the castle fell into disrepair. It was spruced up again when Edward III came to the throne in 1327. Stone and sand were imported from Kent, chalk and plaster from London, wood and tiles from Thundersley, straw from Benfleet and glass from Rayleigh. By 1551 the slopes were unstable and the castle suffered from landslip. It was sold to Lord Richard Riche, who made a tidy sum selling the stone as building material for houses and churches on his properties in Essex, and by 1600 the castle was in ruins. In the 19th century there were tales of a ghostly woman in white who dislocated the neck of a milkmaid when she refused to meet her at midnight, and of smugglers who sailed up the River Thames, climbed the hill and hid their ill-gotten gains in the ruined castle. Such stories were told in the pubs in Hadleigh, where it was also believed that there was a tunnel linking Hadleigh Castle with a former pub in the town centre. The Olympic legacy In 2012 the land surrounding Hadleigh Farm was used for the Olympic mountain bike events. Its terrain and gradients of 70m (230ft) against the backdrop of the castle offered a a challenging course, and it has since been adapted for public use with the creation of a visitor hub and new cycling trails.

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About the area

Essex is full of pleasant surprises. It has the largest coastline of any county in England, with its fair share of castles, royal connections and scenic valleys.

Route details

Difficulty:

Medium

Gradient:

Moderate

Distance:

3.25 miles (5.2kms)

Ascent:

207ft (63m)

If you like this walk, you can try more routes in the area.

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Hadleigh Country Park

Recommended by

Our view

"A fairly taxing walk with steep green slopes, marshes and a famous castle."

Walk details

Difficulty:

Medium

Gradient:

Moderate

Distance:

3.25 miles (5.2kms)

Ascent:

207ft (63m)

Walk directions

1 of 5

Just before the earth bridge, turn left. Go through a set of double gates and follow the path all the way to the castle ahead.

2 of 5

At the waymarked path leading up to the castle turn left through a kissing gate. Having had your fill of folklore and explored the castle, you now exit through a gate and turn right.

3 of 5

In front of Home Farm, now a training centre for the Salvation Army, turn right through a kissing gate into Castle Lane. In 1890 General William Booth set up a colony here for the rehabilitation of down-and-outs from London. Some 400 men passed through the establishment, working at various aspects of farming, before either returning to their families, settling down in the local area or seeking pastures new via the Salvation Army's emigration department.

4 of 5

At the top of Castle Lane, where it meets the High Street, turn left. Cross the road to visit St James the Lesser Church with its lovely Norman apse. If it's open, look at the 13th-century carved font, but pride of place is taken by a painting of Thomas Becket. Continue along the High Street, and turn left into Chapel Lane to return to the car park.

5 of 5

Location

Starting point

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Woodland and field tracks, grassy paths and some streets

Landscape - Pasture and scrub, salt marsh and woodland

Dog friendliness - Plenty of open spaces, but watch for cows around castle

Parking - Pay-and-display parking at Chapel Lane

Toilets en route - Chapel Lane car park

Walks in Essex Dog-friendly walks in Essex

About the walk

Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

About the area

Essex

Essex is full of pleasant surprises. It has the largest coastline of any county in England, with its fair share of castles, royal connections and scenic valleys.

Hadleigh Country Park

Been on this walk?

Walking in Safety

Get an AA guide

Been on this walk?

Walking in Safety

Get an AA guide

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Hadleigh Country Park

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