Brockwell Swimmers headed up country to follow the Essex Way through the beautiful Constable Country of Denham Vale. This follows Walk Number 9 from the Wild Swimming book written by the lovely ladies of Hampstead Ponds which was reviewed back in 2015.

As usual we met at Brixton, picking up walkers and swimmers along the way until we arrived at our destination (via coach replacement service) at Manningtree Station for the start of our circular 7.5 mile route. We could not have hoped for better weather with a sky painted blue and dotted with fluffy clouds. We could feel the artists very presence as we headed down our first footpath into the depths of the Essex countryside.

First stop was the 14th Century St Mary’s Church with its square tower dotted with puddingstones. Then on to Dedham Heath and Dedham Church. A very impressive building for this wool rich town and boasting a Constable original above the nave door, rather poorly lit, maybe to encourage the purchase of a post-car.

Pub lunch at the Marlborough Inn and then our first swim at Dedham Lock at a delicious 16·2°C. This happened to coincide with the annual canoe race to Manningtree who thought us all a bit mad actually swimming in the stuff rather than floating on it.

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We then followed the River Stour (pronounce this as you like, as in ‘hour’ or ‘or’) past the bridge where the traffic was then joined by rowing boats, plenty of walkers, kids with fishing nets… it was just wonderful to see a British water-way being enjoyed by so many people, as it should.

Downstream, away from the melee, we decided to have another bathe before our final destination of Flatford Mill and the iconic Willy Lott’s Cottage, subject of Constables famous painting The Hay Wain. Definitely worth the journey, not too crowded, and as the book suggests it is like stepping back in time.

Then back to Manningtree picking handfuls of wild Sloe on the way. Warm memories to savour while sipping some delicious flavoured gin in the cold days of Winter.