The walk is about 11 miles long, with a possible pub stop after 7 or so miles, at the Red Lion, Kirtling Green (shut on Monday lunchtime). The morning will take about 3 hours, and the afternoon about one and a half hours. Most of the walk is pretty dry (we hope!). Do keep dogs on a close lead; there are horses everywhere at the right time of year.
[1] From the Ellesmere Centre turn right and walk back to the junction, and opposite the Marquis of Granby, turn right down a footpath, labelled Icknield Way, cross a small road running through an estate of houses, to soon start walking down hill with open land to the right and woodland to the left. At the bottom of the hill, climb up over the Devil's Dyke.
(A) Not to be confused with Devil's Dyke in Sussex, and also known as Reach Dyke or Devil's Ditch, it consists of a 7.5 miles (12.1 km) long bank and ditch that runs in a south-east direction from the small village of Reach to nearby Woodditton. It is generally assumed to be an Anglo-Saxon earthwork and is one of the largest and best surviving examples of its kind in England.
Go almost straight ahead, along a headland dividing a field. (The right of way is across the field, and muddy, and the farmer has left the headland clear). At the far side of the field, climb up on to a track and head right, and soon turn left before a copse, up a good track, with hedge on your right. A view of Ely Cathedral is possible in the distance on your left as you cross this field. The Grandstand at Newmarket can also be seen.
[2] Soon reach a road. Cross this and go down road, Maypole Lane, to pass the church (Woodditton)
(B) St Mary's, Woodditton Parish Church has been a feature of the village for over 500 years. Parts of the north aisle are 14th century. The church was vandalised by Cromwell’s men, but thankfully not razed. Notable features include a beautiful brass and a unique ‘dripping pan’ gravestone.
Soon after bear left , following Icknield Way sign,as road swings right (do not turn left!). This path goes straight for some distance, and when it swings left, turn right through the hedge, over a stream and up and across a field. Cross the road, and go down the path opposite, with stud paddocks and stables on either side, and then houses and gardens to the right. On reaching the road, turn left and head towards Cheveley. Soon, there is a small green on the right (with a seat!), pass this and shortly after you will see the village church on the right.
(C) Saint Mary and the Holy Host of Heaven church was built in 1260 with rebuilding in the 14th, 15th and 19th Centuries. It is unusual for its cruciform shape which is usually only seen with cathedrals.
On leaving the church turn right and walk to the small green. Turn left here and head round the back of the Brook Stud, and walk along pleasant green track, again with stud paddocks on either side.
[3] Emerge on to a village green and turn left along the road, and walking on the right hand side of the road, enter the grounds of the Banstead Manor Stud, by a signpost and a notice indicating the Covering Yard. Go down the tarmac drive, then onto a green track to a small house, over a stile, and along a green track. Bear left, over a road, and on up with hedge to the left and paddocks to the right.
[4] Emerge on to a road, turn right, then through the gateway of a large house, and bear left immediately, with a newly planted hedge on the right. Follow the path round the side of the garden, and the tennis court, then turn sharp left, and left again, with the hedge on the left. Follow the path down into the yard of a stud and turn right along a track, but soon turn left through the hedge, and eventually emerge onto a road in Upend. Turn right and almost immediately left (fingerpost Lidgate) and go down the road until it swings sharp left. At this point turn right, and follow the path around a meadow to reach the far corner, where you cross a bridge, turn sharp right to follow a fairly indistinct track through scrubland, soon turning left along a field edge with wood to the left. Turn right on entering a copse at the end of this field, and soon go up hill with field to the left and substantial hedge to the right; through a thick copse, and down to a road. Turn right, and at the bottom of the hill, turn left by the sewage works, along a path to reach a recreation ground. Turn right to pass the pavilion on the right, and through the car park on to the road. Turn left, and after just over half a mile,passing Chapel Lane on the right, there is the Red Lion.
[5] Out of the Red Lion turn right, and almost immediately right again into The Green. Walk along here and just after the village sign on the right take a tarmac road to the left (signed cul de sac) and follow this down to a stream with substantial weirs. Cross the stream at Kirtling Weir No 8 and turn right along the back, passing three weirs until a finger post directs you right, back over the stream (Kirtling Weir 12). Over the bridge turn right, and follow a good path, with wood to the left and field to the right. At a corner, the path dives over a bridge to the left, and then the path goes forward with the wood now on the right, and paddocks to the left. This is the Stour Valley Path.
(C) The Stour Valley Path is a 60 mile long-distance footpath that stretches from Newmarket to the village Cattawade near Manningtree and follows most of the River Stour connecting with the Icknield Way Path, Stour and Orwell Walk and the Essex Way.
The path goes straight on for perhaps two miles, with wood to the right and paddocks to the left. At the end of this length, the path turns right, and quickly left to cross a field, with the Ellesmere Centre now in sight: down into a dip, cross a path, and over a stile into a paddock, up the hill, over stile onto a grass track with fence to either side. Follow up to the road, and on emerging, turn left, and soon find the Ellesmere Centre.