Middleton to Lamarsh
Approx. distance: 3.5 / 7 miles
Park on the road near the sign pointing to the church, Middleton church is about 150 yards along what look like a private driveway and is not visible from the road.
Leaving the church head back down the driveway towards the road, about halfway along on the right is a footpath between a fence and a row of firs, follow this to the end until you meet a road. Turn right and then immediately left along a narrow road. Around 50 yds along here on the right is a footpath leading uphill into a wood. Out of the wood turn left and follow the Stour Valley Path signs, it is a fairly obvious, well worn path.
You will soon see the distinctive twisted spire of the church at Great Henny.
The footpath passes a distinctive old oak tree with a memorial bench underneath it. Continue following the Stour Valley Path signs, which crosses a footbridge and turns left over a style into a paddock, cross the paddock to a stile under a tree which leads to an uphill path bringing you out next to Great Henny Church.
The footpath crosses the church yard, note the decoy spire to your right for (successfully) fooling woodpeckers into not attacking the church spire itself! The path drops downhill along a track to a road. Turn left and continue along the road until you reach a junction, cross straight over and walk along a driveway, this turns into a farm track for some way.
The path arrives at a house where the footpath splits, continue straight over with the house on your right. Climbing over a stile takes you into a field which may have livestock in, follow the edge of the field to the corner where you will find a stile taking you downhill towards a white house. You will cross a footbridge, a stile and another footbridge in quick succession. The path then climbs uphill again along a farm track.
The footpath leaves the farm track and a stile on your right leads you into across a steep paddock, head directly up the hill towards the phone lines. Climb over the stile and onto a single track road, turn left and continue.
Just before the road drops down hill there is a stile on your right which leads onto a wide pathway following the brow of the hill, with views across the Stour Valley towards south Sudbury, Assington and Leavenheath.
The path eventually meets a farm track which leads you to the left and downhill towards the charming round towered church at Lamarsh.
You may wish to return the way you came, or if you would prefer to see some different countryside the road is quite scenic and well sign posted.
Please note: the maps on this website are guides only and we strongly recommend that you invest in a suitable OS map for accurate navigation.
