Step into John Constable’s paintings with this Flatford Mill circular walk from and to Manningtree. From the Dedham Vale, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, to the River Stour which inspired John Constable’s work, this Suffolk walk in John Constable’s country will amaze you and who knows, maybe inspire you to pick up painting as a new hobby!
It is one of the most beautiful walks I have done in quite some time. When you hike every weekend, you stop being impressed because it became normal or expected to see cows, sheep and horses grazing or a hamlet, a farm and a traditional cottage. It feels like “deja vu“.
But this walk is different, it’s new, it’s lovely, charming, delightful (ok, I am running out of synonyms here, but you get the idea). It is worth it and, trust me, you will be reshuffling your top 3 of the best walks list after doing the Flatford Mill walk.
Disclaimer: Hiking groups may offer the same or similar walks to Flatford Mill. Check the groups here.
Logistics of the Flatford Mill Walk
- Distance: 10.7 miles (17.2 km)
- Ascent: 892 feet (272 m)
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Walking Estimate: 4 hours and 40 minutes (walking time only, does not include the break at Flatford Mill)
- How to get there: Direct train from Liverpool Station to Manningtree. The journey takes between 50 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes depending on the train you take. As it is a circular walk, you can book an anytime day return ticket
- What to bring with you: Comfortable clothing and footwear, gaiters, if it has been raining the days before as the path, can get muddy, headcover, sunscreen and sunglasses if you are going on a bright day, backpack with water (2L recommended), snacks, packed lunch, money for the coffee shop at Flatford Mill
- Additional Information: There are public toilets in Dedham in the park behind and Church and in Flatford Mill. There is no pub stop on this walk.
Highlights of the Flatford Mill Walk
- Dedham Vale AONB
- Dedham
- St Mary The Virgin Church
- National Trust Flatford Mill
- Flatford Cottage
- John Constable exhibition
- River Stour
The Flatford Mill Walk
Manningtree
Lying on the River Stour, Essex, Manningtree had for a long time been the smallest town in England with its 700 inhabitants, until 2011 when Fordwich, Kent, took the title. Manningtree flourished from the fifteenth century to the eighteenth century thanks to the trade of wool. The town is also famous for being at the centre of witch hunts. in 1644, Matthew Hopkins, who called himself the Witchfinder General, overheard women talking about their encounter with the Devil. His accusations lead to the poor women being executed.
Fun fact: Margareth Tactcher lived in Manningtree
Manningtreet to Dedham
Manningtree is one of those places where the train station is not in the town centre but on the outskirt. As you come out of the station, walk across the car park. When you reach the alley on the opposite side of the car park, you see a footpath indicated a little further down on your right. Take the footpath and you soon set foot on the countryside fields.
Walk 15 minutes and you arrive at St Mary the Virgin Church, Lawford. Erected in the fourteenth century, the Church architecture is unusual for its time, due to the 8 windows making the chancel well-lit.
We leave Lawford and continue our walk in Dedham Vale. Cross over the railway tracks and take East Lane all the way to Dedham. You walk across meadows with horses grazing and as you walk by Park Farm, you come across a memorial plaque and quickly understand that you are indeed in poney land.
To the memory of Fred the character and Shem the gentlemen now forever in Trapaland
Park Farm
Take the time to admire the endless green fields, say hello to the poneys as you are walking past, and soon arrive in Dedham.
Dedham
Welcome to Dedham, Essex, a village known for its beautiful water meadows by the River Stour. The village is at the heart of John Constable’s work with landmarks such as Dedham Mill and the St Mary the Virgin Church, with a 36 m tall tower offering an impressive view of the vale. The tower is open to the public.
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The park behind the Parish Church on Royal Square is the perfect spot for a lunch break. With the view of the Parish Church, sit on a park bench or the grassy football field and relax.
After lunch, take the time to walk around the Parish Church. Muddy shoe hikers, beware! The floor of the church has a bright red carpet. It might be wiser to take a look at the inside standing in the door frame.
On the opposite side of the tower, you find a passage with a bench leading to the cemetery. Perfect spot for pictures!
Dedham to Flatford
After visiting the Church, turn right onto the High Street in front of the church. Follow the street until you reach the crossroad with Crown Road. There, take left onto the bridleway leading towards the River Stour. When you get to the river, cross over the bridge and follow the towpath on the opposite bank.
As you are now walking on wetland, please note that this part of the walk can get extremely muddy or even flooded. Make sure that you bring comfortable and waterproof footwear with you.
You then arrive at the village of Stratford St Mary. Previously an important stop for wool traders, the village was also a source of inspiration for John Constable. Landmarks such as the Ravenys Manor or the Stratford Mill can be found in his work.
After you leave Stratford St Mary, you have two options
- Go back to the towpath and follow the River Stour
- Take Donkey Road and walk uphill to admire the view over the Stour Vale
The choice is yours and very much dependent on the weather. In this walk, we chose to follow Donkey Road. The route is not difficult and the view at the top is worth it!
Once at the top of the hill, cross Flatfort Road and take the footpath on the other side. Follow the footpath all the way to Flatford.
Flatford
And here you are, walking on the same road, crossing the same bridge, visiting the same cottage and walking past the same mill as the ones in John Constable’s famous paintings The Hay Wain and Flatford Mill.
The site is managed by the National Trust, and you can find activities such as a free exhibition on John Constable’s work, Bridge Cottage decorated as it was back in the days and a nice coffee shop with outside seating by the river.
A coffee and a pastry down the belly and take a walk towards Flaford Mill and the exact viewpoint of the Hay Wain painting featuring Willy Lott’s Cottage.
After walking around the Flatford site, go back to the bridge by Bridge Cottage. Cross over to the opposite bank and take right onto the towpath.
Flatford to Manningtree
We are getting towards the end of our Flatford Mill walk. Follow the towpath by the River Stour in direction of Manningtree. You are walking alongside Longhurst Copse, a stand of saplings planted by the National Trust.
You then leave the towpath at Dedham Heath. Follow the road leading back to the train tracks but this time you will cross under via the tunnel. After the tunnel, take left and walk alongside a wall hiding the trail tracks. After a couple of minutes, you arrive at Manningtree train station.
There is no pub stop on this walk, as the train station is a bit far from the town centre. However, if you are looking for a place to eat and drink, as the train is going back to Liverpool Street, I would advise you to then go for a meal at Old Spitalfield Market, where you can find a selection of food and drinks stands.
Bon appetit!
Flatford Mill Walk Map
Do you want to do the same walk and enjoy the Stour Vale? Download the map of the Flatford Mill walk by clicking on the button below. Check how to upload it on your navigation app by following my step by step guide here.
Final Thoughts on the Flatford Mill Walk
Mixing culture and hiking is an art and if you like mixology, there are plenty of walks you can do passing by National Trust sites or Castles and Manors. Check these walks:
Kingston Loop via Hampton Court
Eynsford Circular via Lullingstone Castle
And you, what is your favourite culture and hiking walk? Let me know in the comments below.
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