Great Notley & the Flitch Way

Description

Great Notley Country Park covers some 100 acres of open space, which is managed for the benefit of wildlife and the community. The site was formally aroble farmland and has been transformed into a mixture of wetland and open grassland. Each of these habitats provides a haven for a variety of species.

The park includes a number of mature species of bats. Elsewhere, native trees have made their homes in the grassland and wildflower meadows.

Walking, cycling, jogging and horse riding can all be enjoyed in the park and beyond with its links to the Flitch Way in the north and the bridleway in the south. A variety of activities and events are held throughout the year. Families can picnic or fly kites or, for the more energetic, there is an all-weather, multi-activity, floodlit pitch and two grass football pitches. There's also an excellent visitor centre, housed in the award-winning Discovery Centre. An outstanding example of sustainable arcitecture, this has been designed with construction materials, which ensure low maintenance and energy consumption to reduce the impact on the environment.

The Flitch Way passes through 15 miles of countryside along the former Bishop's Stortford to Braintree railway in the heart of rural Essex. Its name comes from a medieval ceremony, which originated in Little Dunmow and which still takes place every four years. The ceremony involved married couples trying to prove that they hadn't argued for a year and a day - if successful they were awarded with a Flitch (or side) of bacon.

The route of the Flitch Way has a multi-user surface making it accessible for all throughout the year. Much of the route can be explored on foot, bicycle or horseback taking you through wildlife-rich railway cuttings, past Victorian stations and over embankments with views across impressive farmlands, villages and woodland.

It would take a full day to walk the length of the Flitch Way from end to end, but with links to other paths it is easy to plan a circular walk. The route passes through historical towns and villages allowing you to explore places such as Great Dunmow or to combine a walk with a pub lunch at Rayne or Little Dunmow. It also links with other countryside attractions such as Great Notley Discovery Centre and Hatfield Forest.