Arkesden to Clavering Walk
Strangely, I’d first done this walk on 25th April 2015, but had then also done a recce a couple of weeks before today. So it was that on a beautiful sunny April 25th 2026 that 14 of us (12 current EFOGers and 2 former ones) assembled outside The Axe and Compasses in Arkesden at 11.30 (EFOG time) to traverse the hills and fields to Clavering, a distance of about 5 miles. This included a path called Coleshill Road, which wasn’t anything like a road, but where we were passed by 3 motorcyclists. En route we spotted a couple of red kites and a rabbit’s foot (obviously not the lucky one).
At Clavering we stopped for lunch by the crenellated 14/15th Century church of St Mary & St Clement. We also had a look at the site of Clavering Castle, next to the church. It was an old Motte & Bailey castle, now more motte than bailey. Some EFOGers also found ‘The Cake Shed’ a short way down the road.
After rounding everyone up, we then headed past thatched Tudor cottages, through a ford (or over a bridge for those who preferred), and up a narrow footpath to the rolling Essex fields, through Stickling Green around a copse where I’m not sure who was startled the most, but we saw two groups of fallow deer which went bounding through the crop of oats.
We then arrived back at Arkesden for a welcome and refreshing drink at the pub.
It was a shame that the stream in Arkesden had dried up as it is a pretty village with thatched cottages/houses, some accessed by bridges across the stream.
Richard, 28th April 2026
Clavering Ford, crossing the River Stort
The village sign at Clavering
The 'Cake Shed'
At the Axe and Compasses in Arkesden