I was impressed straight away when we set off yesterday from Manningtree Station for our walk to picturesque Flatford Mill in Constable Country as a new single storey car park has been built for commuters since I was last there two years ago, and it was virtually empty. Last time we struggled to find a parking space and cars were sprawled on nearby roads, leaving us no choice but to park on an industrial estate and leg it over there for the start of our walk, which I downloaded from the National Trust website, and can be found at this link.  We desperately need the same upgraded car parking facilities at Cambridge and Ely rail stations, though it costs a hefty £6.50 per day.

The walk is easy peasy and takes you along a well trodden footpath flanked by undulating meadowland and the meandering River Stour. Suddenly you arrive at the mill, made famous by artist John Constable with the Haywain. We were lucky enough to join a guided walk and paused at the spot where the great man himself once stood and painted this well known scene which was to become immortalised centuries later as  famous landmark of a tiny corner of  English countryside.

At this point the battery gave up on me on my iPhone and so this walk only covers the 3.9 miles from Manningtree to the mill. I promised to publish this walk to two girls working at Flatford Mill who share my enthusiasm for the EveryTrail app and wanted to see the end result. Unfortunately,  this meant I was unable to capture the remainder of the trail we followed across the unspoilt countryside and river path to nearby Dedham. I regarded it as a blessing in disguise because I was able to totally focus on my stunning surroundings and its breathtaking beauty. Many families also shared my thoughts and were loving Constable Country too, and having fun boat trips along the river.

One of the first things I noticed as I gazed up into the clear blue skyline was that there wasn’t a pylon in sight. Then I remembered having read about a well supported action group, the Groton Pylon Alliance which has been formed in Suffolk to prevent the spread of new pylons in the region – though I doubt the national grid would even contemplate placing them on this sacred land – but the absence of these ghastly structures is certainly a campaign worth supporting.

Constable certainly wouldn’t have approved!

Manningtree to Flatford Mill

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