A little stroll around the Essex and Cambridgeshire border with three aims
in mind.
A: Go for a walk!
B: Visit the highest points in the two counties.
C: Try out my new Lowe Alpine rucksack.
I started in Langley, parking by the village hall which is next to the
cricket field at TL446352. Headed west and then north along farm tracks
dodging huge tractor ruts and deep puddles. The high point of Essex at 147m
above sea level is to be found in the woods around TL 442 361 and takes some
walking around ducking through branches till you can be sure of hitting the
top!
Then followed the track north to Chiswick Hall where I turned west again to
come out by Building End. Someone near here has been thoughtful enough to
provide a white post to mark where the path round the field leads onto the
next field, without which I would have jumped the ditch earlier. I turned
left at this point and came out through a field occupied by a thoroughly
bored and disinterested pony who barely acknowledged my presence. A wander
along the road brings you to the bridleway northwest towards Great Chishill.
This takes you past a nice woodland and into the village past the pretty
Georgian period Hall Farm B&B. You walk down the main road with care till
you reach the footpath. On the right is a reservoir and the village hall
with sports field which share the Highest Point in Cambridgeshire at 146m
above sea level.
Further on into Great Chishill shows you St Swithuns Church (rebuilt several
times since 1346) and the Pheasant pub who possibly serve the Highest Pint
in the county!
The way back to the car lead me down May Street to the bridleway at TL 420
384 which takes you south to Little Chishill with its tiny rundown looking
church. I followed the road to Killems Green where I took the footpath east
back to Langley Upper Green and my car. Thankfully the grass verge is wide
and flat for walking on as the road started getting busy.
For pretty much the whole way I was accompanied by the loud bangs of bird
scarers and the flicker of modern windmill type scarecrows. It wasn't till
near the end, just south of the Essex high point between Roughway wood and
Oldfield Grove, that I saw a herd of 15+ Fallow deer.
I only just noticed these in the twilight and then only because two of their
number were white coated, one being a dark cream and the other being a near
brilliant white. Sadly the dark light and the distance prevented me getting
a good photo.
Total route was about 6 miles taking me 2.5 hours.
My new Lowe Alpine Cirque Air 35l rucksack served me well with its Pure Air
system allowing air to flow around my back keeping me cool and near
sweatfree. The back system adjusted the straps nicely to fit my big back and
I'm still learning all the different pockets.
Nick