Flatford Mill to Dedham on the Stour
Route facts
Waterways:
River Stour (Suffolk) »
Difficulty: Easy
Suitable for: Everyone
Circular route from: Flatford Mill car park
An easy walk along an historic waterway with the chance to explore the scenes of Constable's paintings.
Getting there
Parking: There is parking at Flatford Mill.
Waypoints
1. Through the kissing gates
Leave the car park by a small path in the top corner which leads to Dedham mill. Pass the mill and cross over the sluices then the lock and turn right alongside the river. Go over the road and rejoin the river path, to your right is the Restaurant and boat hire. The path soon angles slightly away from the river and through a kissing gate into Dedham Vale National Trust land, the path is now among trees. Next at a junction turn right, still tree lined, this leads to a kissing gate and over the river on a wooden bridge, turn left.
2. Stour Valley Path
You are now on the Stour Valley Path following the river to another wooden bridge over to Flatford Mill. A path to the right leads to the lock, this lock has a big sluice gate in the centre which is the Flatford Automatic gate. Return to the bridge and cross to explore Flatford Mill. There are Constable guided tours from the Mill and an exhibition on Constable at Bridge Cottage, which also has a tea-garden, shop, boat hire and information centre.
3. Back over the bridge
Re-cross the bridge, through the kissing gate and take the path straight ahead across the field, not the riverside path. Ignore the bridge off to your right that you crossed early on in the walk, the path meets the river then rejoins the path on your right and soon a tiny bridge crosses a stream with two kissing gates. The path bears to the left now across a field to yet another kissing gate into a green lane, through yet another gate and up a small rise to the next gate, carry straight on, don't take the footpath left. Bypass a farmstead on your right and then walk down the drive, the kissing gate to the left of the main gate does not appear to be used but the footpath sign is there.
4. Into Dedham
This brings you out onto the road in Dedham where you turn right, past the magnificent flint Church, built with the wealth created by the wool trade. The celebrated first World War artist Sir Alfred Munnings was born in Sulfolk and in 1919 he bought Castle House here which is now an art Museum. Turn right and return to the car park.
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