Walks list . Path map with numbers

This walk in pictures: Gt. Yeldham to Toppesfield . Toppesfield to Dyer's End . Dyer's End to Weybridge Farm

Great Yeldham and back via Toppesfield and Dyers End. Circular walk, about 3 hours, can be muddy in parts. Just over 7 miles.

Start: Great Yeldham village green. Go along Bridge Street, over the bridge, go left of the small triangular green to the High Street. Just opposite to the Police Station cross the main road. Go up the concrete steps just to the left of the Police Station, follow the path behind the houses. (To avoid the steps go to the top right side of Whitlock Drive, and go through the gap on the right). At the end of the houses ignore the junction with an unofficial path along the old railway line on the left and go foreward along a narrow uncultivated strip across a field. This is Smiths Field, Great Yeldham Hall. At the far side of the field ignore the junction with the path on the left which leads to the Sports Ground, go foreward with the hedge and ditch on your right. This is Brickyard Field, Great Yeldham Hall. Continue to the far side of the field ignoring a path joining from the right which leads to the landing strip. At the far end of the field go right over a plank bridge. Go left with the hedge and ditch to your left along the side of Kitley Wood Field. At a gap in the hedge on the left, go left then go right along a green lane which becomes Church Lane, Toppesfield. Ignore paths joining from Gunce's Farm on the right. At the main road junction in Toppesfield cross the road and go right. Pass Chapel House on your left. Take the Park Lane on the left. Follow it into the farm yard of Berwick Hall Farm. In the yard turn right through the gap between two large modern farm buildings. There are dust cyclones overhead. Carry on forward down the the side of the field with the hedge and ditch on your left. This is a field boundary and not made up at all - it is heavy clay soil and very difficult walking when the ground is wet. At the bottom of the field with Berwick Hall Wood on the left go foreward up the other side of the valley with the hedge and ditch on your right. Near the far side, where the hedge bends off to the right, the path goes straight ahead across the field to the road entrance. Cross the road into a large field. (Note: the OS maps may show field boundaries since removed.) You can go either 1. straight down the field to a gap in the conifer hedge of a garden at the bottom of the hill, then bare left to the junction of the roads from Finchingfield and Yeldham. or 2. Diagonally down the hill to the left to a gap in the hedge at a corner on the left hand side, over a wooden bridge into the next field. Cross that field diagonally to the opposite corner where there is another wooden bridge into the next field. Go ahead with a paddock fence on your right to emerge on Finchingfield road, Dyers End. Go right along the road to the junction with the Yeldham Road. Cross the stile into the meadow opposite the junction. (The stile is in such a poor state that it would be reasonable to use the metal gate to the left). Follow the hedge on your left past the pill box and water works. Go through the gate in the far side of the meadow. In the next meadow bear diagonally to the right to the top far corner of the meadow. Cross the stile. Go a few yards right up the grassy farm track to leave the meadow. Ignore the OS Map which shows the path following non existant field boundaries. In the next field go left with the ditch on your left. At the far side go through the field entrance into the next field and go sharp left. Go ahead with the hedge on your left. Follow the hedge as it soon bends right. Look out for Bee Orchids flowering in June on the bend. Go left across a wooden bridge to leave the field. Go ahead up the hill with the hedge on your left. Go right along a hard track. At the corner of Pettyfield Wood ignore the by-way joining from the left from the Ridgewell Road and ignore the footpaths joining from the left at the far side of the wood and near Weybridge Farm. At the bottom of the hill go left along the Stambourne Road towards Great Yeldham. If you have the consent of the land owner divert off the Stambourne Road along the old railway line. Go left from the old railway line to join the main road near Man's Cross. Go right into Great Yeldham.