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Newport to Audley End

From station to station via Audley End Estate

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Walk summary

Summer

The parkland of Audley End, massive old beeches in Beechy Ride, and a flower-rich roadside verge.

At the end, 30-minute walk along a busy road to reach Audley End station; some footpaths cross arable fields that may be ploughed.

Train to Newport from Liverpool Street or Stratford, returning from Audley End

3–3½ hours

Gently undulating terrain, mainly on unsurfaced footpaths, mostly well-defined and waymarked; short sections on road through Audley End and a long road walk back to the station.

Click on a marker on the map for route details

Stage AB: Newport Station to Debden Water

35 mins

Cross the lines via the footbridge if northbound. Leaving the station from the southbound platform, turn left on the road and take the footpath 100m up on the right, just before the top of the rise, up a short flight of steps then across an arable field. Go through the hedge at the other side and continue on a grass path beside a hedge on your left, round left-hand and right-hand bends, then past a small wood and house. Beyond the house the footpath turns left down to the road. Turn right to follow the road for 50m, then turn left on to a footpath between hedges, down through a small wood, then straight on across an arable field, on the far side of which you cross a footbridge over Debden Water – here a small stream – and beyond it join a crossing footpath, turning left to follow it.

Stage BC: Debden Water to Beechy Ride

45 mins

Follow the footpath first through light woodland then as a grass track beside arable, with a tree belt on your right. At the end of the tree belt turn right up a hedged track, from which you emerge on to open farmland. The path converges with a stretch of woodland on your left and, 150m after joining it, turn right across the field, heading for a gap in the hedgerow opposite. Turn left through the gap on a narrow, path along the edge of an arable field. A footbridge through a copse leads into a second arable field, with a broad grass headland and shortly a poplar plantation on the left. Through a copse and across a footbridge over the infant River Fulfen, then on beside the wood and up a bank where a footpath joins from acute right, at a point known as Thieves' Corner. Bear right by the tree belt then left across a footbridge just beyond the field end, and continue on a dirt track by arable with the hedge on your right, and shortly you come to Beechy Ride, an avenue of beech trees.

Stage CD: Beechy Ride to Audley Park

40 mins

Follow the avenue up to and – with care – across Newport Road (B1052) then on beyond it. At its end the path goes through the hedge on the right and continues alongside it, soon crossing the Fulven again and then reaching Wenden Road. Cross the road and follow the access track to Abbey Farm opposite, past houses, then the farm, then St Mark's College. Bear right beyond the college to follow the road between rows of cottages up to Audley End Road, turning right to follow it beside the wall of Audley Park. About 400m on you come to a gate in the wall, marked by a footpath sign.

Stage DE: Audley Park

35 mins

Go through the gate and follow the public footpath waymarked across the park. When you reach the exit opposite, turn 135。 to follow a footpath heading back across the park through an avenue of trees, then out into open pastures with scattered oaks. (If you meet the fence enclosing Audley End House, bear right to pass to the right of it: you have strayed too far left.) At the end of the grassland, the path continues past a farmyard gate, between a stream on the right and a wall. Turn left on coming out on a road and follow it across the River Cam bridges and out to the London Road (B1283), passing the perimeter wall of Audley End House on the left.

Stage EF: Road to Audley End station

30 mins

Turn left to follow the pavement beside London Road (B1283), passing in front of Audley End House. Cross the Audley End entrance road and continue until you come to the Fighting Cocks PH on the left. Opposite is a road signposted to Wendens Ambo and Audley End station. Cross London Road with care and follow this for c. 300m up to a turning left to the station.