Wrabness to Harwich on The Essex Way

Getting there

Wrabness is situated on the branch line to Harwich, which normally requires a change of trains from London.

Greater Anglia trains run hourly every day from Manningtree (9 mins) where they connect with frequent services from London Liverpool Street (55-70 mins), usually timed to connect with the fastest express trains from London, giving a total journey time of 69 mins.

The earliest part of All Saints Church, a doorway in the north wall, dates from the early 12th century, with additional sections added through to the 15th century.

The original roof of the chancel collapsed in 1697 and was rebuilt. At one time the church had a stone tower housing 5 bells, but this collapsed (possibly at the same time as the chancel roof fell in) and was never rebuilt.

In the 17th century, two of the bells were relocated, supposedly temporarily, to a wooden structure in the churchyard, where they remain today. It’s known as the bell tower, although it is commonly known as the bell cage.

© Robert Edwards under Creative Commons

Wrabness is also home to this quirky collaboration between the artist Grayson Perry and FAT architects.

It was designed to evoke the wayfarer’s lodges and chapels while being very distinctly a modern vision of its creators – that of being a shrine to the fictional saint Julie Cope!

The interior is richly decorated with unique art works by Grayson Perry. Tapestries, ceramics, decorative tiles and timberwork, and mosaic floors, all telling the story of Julie Cope’s life and death.

It is well worth the short 500m or so diversion from the path to take a look and you can even book it for a stay if you get lucky with your dates!

Starting from Wrabness train station, head down Station Road, and turn down Black Boy Lane.

Head over the railway and up the track until you see the signs for the Essex Way pointing you along Stone Lane.

Join the Essex way and turn right towards a small woodland and the river bank of the River Stour.

Copperas Bay

A little way along, you will pass “Strandlands” and head through a long field towards another woodland.

This section of the river is Copperas Bay, with terrific views across to the Suffolk coast opposite.

Behind you is Stour Wood, which has been coppiced for centuries and is owned by The Woodland Trust but is now managed by the RSPB, who also owns much of the area.

Once you reach the bird hide and the path will turn inland. This leg of the Essex Way passes through Copperas Wood, a 12-hectare SSSI nature reserve that has been traditionally used for Sweet Chestnut and Hornbeam coppicing.

Follow this track until it becomes a path along the edge of the field. Once you reach the end of the hedge, the path takes a slight left turn. Follow the path to a stile and cross this. Follow the path for another 150m following the hedge to another stile.