Walks you can reach from Hythe (Colchester) by train

River estuary mudflats, sea wall paths, woodland, water meadows, saltmarshes, farmland and quaint riverside villages.

Wivenhoe

Time: 4h30

Warnings: Check ferry timetable.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Flat North Sea coastal path, sea wall, beaches and seaside resort promenades.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Reverse direction: Railwalks.

Wid Valley fields, riverside paths, cattle farm estate, bluebell woods, tree-lined tracks, open fields with far views and Crouch Valley finish.

Time: 5h30

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Mildly undulating Essex countryside, ancient woods, arable fields, historic villages, old churches, manor houses and London Clay subsoil.

Time: 6h

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Recommended: Lovely sandy beaches along almost the whole stretch. An easy coastal walk along promenade paths, the sea wall and pavements and beside lovely sandy beaches for almost the whole stretch. Only one set of steps to negotiate. Interesting information boards along the route as part of '150 years of Clacton'. Regular public conveniences en route, and good train links to return to the start.

Coastal: almost all along the coast.

Time: 2h30–4h30

Lunch: A couple of cafes along the route, plus plenty of options in Clacton and several in Frinton.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Recommended: Beautiful buildings and churches and amazing woodlands. A largely green route from central Chelmsford out through Galleywood, with clear, well-signposted paths through woodlands and farmers' fields and plus a stretch through the village of Stock. Can be combined with onward routes heading down to the coast.

Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.

Time: 5h–9h30

Warnings: Follows a busy road for a sixth of the walk.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A good route with lots of field walking, on marked footpaths and bridleways with some road walking and starting along the Chelmer navigation and passing around the south of an RHS garden on a charming footpath. Care needed where verges are limited; some field sections likely very muddy in winter. Passes a pedestrian entrance to RHS Hyde Hall, where a short diversion reaches the Clover Cafe (outside the ticketed area).

Time: 4h30–9h

1 lunch spot: the Crown

Warnings: Crossing the A1060 between the Water Works and Sandon needs care as the road can be busy with fast traffic; a stretch of road walking on Crephedge Lane has very little verge until pavement is reached; field sections can be very muddy in winter.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Time: 4h30–8h30

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A good-surfaced route between two historic Essex market towns, following the River Brain and a branch line through countryside, with farm tracks and wide grassed field edges and a delightful old tree-and-ditch-lined lane. Good even in winter with no deep mud; a few stiles and bridges to climb. Follows the Essex Way through old Cressing. A church cafe at Black Notley is open most days for lunch; Cressing also has a few amenities if you divert into the village.

Time: 4h–8h

Lunch: A church cafe and a few small shops at Black Notley, and amenities at Cressing, both a short detour.

Warnings: Two short no-pavement sections on the B1018 where the road is 50mph; locals use the field edges or grass verge. A footpath near Tye Green can flood.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Reverse direction: Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership.

A route on mostly easy paths that get waterlogged and very muddy in places, crossing a golf course where the path is unclear and with some confusing navigation points. The Billericay-to-Stock half is lower quality and very muddy; the Stock-to-Chelmsford half has nice views and varied paths.

Time: 5h30–11h

Warnings: The path across Stock golf course is unclear and badly marked, seeming to go through the middle of holes. Take care crossing the fast-moving A414, which the main route crosses twice. Can be muddy.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Great views. A route through farmland and fields with great views, on clear, easy-to-follow paths, becoming built-up and residential near the towns. Muddy and wet underfoot near the canal in winter, some footpath sections become very overgrown with brambles and nettles and narrowing to a foot wide. An alternative is to join the canal towpath at Paper Mill Lock to avoid the section through Boreham (though the towpath can be muddy in winter).

Time: 5h30–10h30

1 lunch spot: Paper Mill Lock Tearooms

Warnings: A section of footpath near the property Latney's (south of the A12 west of Witham) can be heavily overgrown with brambles; further sections towards Wickham Bishops and Witham can be very overgrown with nettles and brambles and at times unmaintained where the path disappears; muddy near the canal in winter.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Wid Valley fields, riverside paths, cattle farm estate, bluebell woods, tree-lined tracks and Crowsheath Community Woodland.

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Source: An alternative variant of Ingatestone to Battlesbridge – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).