The Green Man
- Hannah
- Apr 13, 2021
- 5 min read
The main feature of this one? There's the option to stop off at a gorgeous family-run village pub mid way through! A fairly easy 2-mile stroll in beautiful countryside with far reaching views, stop off for lunch, and then 2 miles easier downhill stroll back to the start.
Starting Point: Stansted Recreation Ground, Malthouse Rd, TN15 7PH
Difficulty: Medium
Length: 4.4miles / 7.1km
Highlights: A mid way stop off at a beautiful family run pub is the obvious highlight on our pub walks! However, there’s also the quiet village of Stansted and it’s pretty church, some lovely woodland paths, rolling fields, great views over the countryside (and London on a clear day!) and plenty of chance to spot wildlife along the way!
Route: This is a moderate level walk with some steep inclines but overall not too hilly. The route is mostly off-road along rocky tracks and footpaths through fields with some short sections on the road. At times it’s a little bumpy and rocky underfoot but should be manageable for most.
Parking: There’s plentiful free parking available at Stansted Recreation Ground but the rest of the village has limited parking. If, for any reason, it’s not possible to park at the recreation ground, please ensure you park safely and responsibly elsewhere. Alternatively, as a back up, you it’s possible to park and start the walk at The Green Man pub in Hodsoll Street (step 7) continue the loop back to there.
Refreshments/facilities: There are no toilet facilities or refreshment opportunities on this walk, except at The Green Man pub half way round.
Step 1
Start your walk from the car park at Stansted Recreation Ground. Walk diagonally across the field, past the park on your left, to reach a gate at the other side. You’ll emerge onto Plaxdale Green Road opposite St Mary’s Church. The first church building was built in the 1300s, overlooking the village beside a three hundred year year old yew tree. More than seven hundred years later that tree is still standing just outside the church porch. See if you can spot it! Continue right along Plaxdale Green Road as the road dips and then gets quite steep then turn right onto Hatham Green Lane. Shortly after the road bends to the left you will see a gravelled parking area on your right. Just there, you’ll see a gap in the bushes which is the start of a bridleway, accompanied by big stone markers. Continue along the bridleway.
Step 2
Follow the bridleway path for approx 1km as it winds around the edge of fields and in and out of woodland. When you come to an intersection, turn right and continue until you reach a crossroad of paths with a gate on both your left and right. Use the right hand gate to enter the field and continue straight ahead. You’ll cross an open section of field before following a line of trees and eventually entering the secluded Baker’s Wood. It’s currently filled with blossom and bluebells but I reckon it’ll look just as beautiful in any season! Follow the footpath through Baker’s wood until you emerge onto Malthouse Road.
Step 3
Turn left onto Malthouse Road and continue for approximately 200m passing a beautiful thatched cottage and several other pretty houses and gardens. You’ll need to follow a footpath which goes through a metal vehicle gate into a grass field on your right. It is marked with a green ‘footpath’ signpost but could be easy to miss if you’re not looking out for it. If you reach a large new build property with wooden cladding you’ve gone too far! Continue straight up the grass hill (one of the walk’s steepest sections) and stop to admire the view before taking the left hand gate at the top into a field (don’t continue into the woods).
Step 4
Turn right and follow the footpath further uphill. When you reach the corner of the field, a yellow footpath marker will direct you diagonally across the last part, towards a house and gate on the opposite side of the field. The path will bring you out onto Haven Hill. Turn right and continue for just 20m or so before taking a gate and following a footpath on your right. Follow the track straight ahead, along the hedgerow, and then across the field and up the other side into Jub’s Hill Wood.
Step 5
When you enter the wood, continue straight ahead until you reach a gate. Once through the gate, a footpath will take you around the edge of the wood through a second gate, and will then turn right. You’ll cut across the fields of Walnut Tree Farm, crossing a farm track, through another gate and then finally taking a third gate into a large field. Don’t be tempted to take the bridleway to the right of the final field - you’ll end up in the wrong place! Continue along the edge of the field, ignoring a gate which you’ll pass on your right hand side and head towards the big building on front of you. Exit the field via the gate and continue down the drive towards the main road - Hodsoll Street.
Step 6
By far our favourite step - it’s pub time! When you reach Hodsoll Street, turn right and after a few meters you’ll reach the village green where the family-run Green Man pub is located. The Green Man is a quintessentially English country pub offering a selection of guest ales alongside the traditional tipples - it’s a popular stop for walkers. The pub also serve a range of food including pub classics, sandwiches, nibbles and kids meals and have a large outdoor space with a quirky circus-like shelter and kids play area. Dogs are welcome too! Relax and enjoy - you’ve earned it!
Step 7
When it’s time to head off, turn right out of the pub and continue along the road, past the village hall and then turn right at the junction. Follow Haven Hill around to the left and then again to the right until you reach the gate for Pettings Park. On your left you’ll see a metal gate accompanied by a green footpath sign.
Step 8
Go through the gate and follow the footpath across the field to another gate. After the second gate, follow the footpath alongside the fence until you reach a gate on your right (into private land), at this point you’ll need to head in a diagonal direction to your left. Once you reach a patch of trees, continue to follow the footpath straight ahead towards the gate.
Step 9
From here, the rest of the route is pretty straight forward. Follow the footpath straight across the field and cross the road, climbing the stile on the other side. Continue down a pretty fenced pathway in-between two fields and into the trees at the other end. When you emerge from the trees you’ll have a fantastic view over the starting point - Stansted village. End your walk by heading straight down the steep hill and turning right along Malthouse Road to take you back to the car park. You’ll pass Stansted war memorial - a statue of a man holding up a 'peace' branch, fixed on top of a stone plinth. Interestingly the statue standing here is not the first! The original memorial by Alois Strool was stolen in 1995 and it was replaced by the bronze figure by Faith Winter 13 months later.
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* Please remember to follow the countryside code and behave respectfully and responsibly when enjoying these routes *
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We enjoyed the walk today, particularly the woodland blossoms and fabulous views. On the first bridle walk, stay on the path until you reach a 'proper' intersection, don't stray onto the footpath that takes you into the field. In step 4, after crossing the field diagonally it's a LEFT past the house, then footpath to the right. We did a shortcut as the kids were tired - right down Haven Hill, bear right at the fork down Fairseat Lane and the there's a footpath with gorgeous views over London that takes you down to the War Memorial in Stansted. We then drove to the pub. Due to COVID restrictions booking is essential.
This is my favourite walk out of all the Darent Valley walks and not just because of the pub (although that helps!). I can't believe how peaceful and quiet the route was given the breathtaking scenery but this added to its appeal. It's also easy to park and at the start/finish there's a small playground so you can tire your kids out further if needed. Definitely recommend giving this one a go 🌿😍