Stour Valley Showcase

Dedham Vale

A circular walk in the finest countryside of Suffolk & Essex, through charming villages and along the River Stour valley, enjoying the scenery as painted by England’s finest landscape artist, John Constable.

View across Bures Bridge in Dedham Vale AONB

Where to start: Bures Railway station
This is grid reference TL 903339 on the OS Explorer 196 map.

1. TL 903339 - From Bures railway station, turn down into the village, left to cross the bridge from Essex into Suffolk. Turn right after St Mary’s Church, past the school/village hall on the right. Then left to take the Footpath onto the St Edmunds Way. At the top of the hill go left, right onto the lane, and immediately right on the footpath through Fysh House Farm. Past a Chapel right, cross a small bridge, up a steep incline.
2. TL 928348 - Past Over Hall Cottage, left onto the lane, next right onto the Byway (Dead Lane). If time, divert to Arger Fen, a fragment of ancient wildwood that once covered Suffolk. Past Hullback’s Farm and Farthing Hall, at the T-junction bear right, signposted ‘Bures 4 miles’. Past a cottage on your right, then take the footpath on your left. Over a stile, past Grange Wood and Wissington Grange. Right at the Footpath sign, over another stile, follow the Footpath, the stream to your left.
3. TL 957340 - At the road go right down Campion Hill, and right at the junction onto Bures Road.  Continue until the road turns sharply, at the corner follow the sign to Wiston Church, passing an old-style phone box on your left. After the church turn left, passing Wiston Hall on your Rright. Over a footbridge across the River Stour.  From here you will be following the Stour Valley Path. Over another small bridge, continue straight ahead.
4. TL 958330 - Over another small bridge, across the field, up the hill. At the top go left, and at the junction with School Lane go straight on, signposted ‘Footpath only’. Follow the SVP signs to your left. Go down some steps, go right.  Walk briefly along School Road and then follow the SVP signs on the right. Cross a small bridge, bear left go straight on, over a stile. Go down the hill, right at the stile across the field. right, then left at Garnons Chase road, up the hill.
5. TL 946323 - Take time to admire the views across the valley to Nayland Church.  England’s finest landscape artist, John Constable, was from this area, and these fabulous views featured in many of his paintings. Follow signs right, through a gate, down the hill, through another gate, over a small bridge, over a stile. Go left and through a gate at the top of the hill, then over a stile onto a field path. Right across the field towards Wormingford School, through a gate, then left at the T-junction towards and through the church, taking the gate on the right.
6. TL 933322 - Go up and down the small hill, right at the bench, through a gate, straight on, through another gate and then straight across the field into the next field. Follow the edge of the field and at the end go right, then left at the telegraph pole, over a small bridge, over a stile, towards the white building, Bures Mill, in the distance, keeping the River Stour on your right. Cross a couple of stiles and a bridge over the River Stour, passing the weir on your left and Bures Mill on your right. Cross the road and follow signs across the field.  Back in the village, at the road go left, then left at the T-junction, over the bridge, and you’ll soon be back at Bures railway station.