The Local Area

Information

Location & Nearby Attractions

Situated on the outskirts of the picturesque village of Castle Hedingham, our hut makes a great base to explore the local countryside, or to visit some of the quaint and historic towns and villages in the area. 

Castle Hedingham

It is about 15 minutes walk to the centre of Castle Hedingham, via road or footpaths. We are lucky to have a range of amenities:
The Bell Inn – a firm favourite of ours, traditional country pub with friendly staff and locals, which offers a good range of food and beers. Live music on a Friday night, and jazz on the first Sunday afternoon of the month.
The Wheatsheaf – slightly smaller pub, also offering food and a good range of drinks.
The Moothouse – beautiful period restaurant, for more formal dining. Their tasty menu covers breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. It might be wise to book if you fancy dinner, to avoid disappointment.
Memories – located at the opposite end of the village, only another 10 minute walk, Chinese restaurant/take-away. They also have a bar with a good selection of drinks, and often show big sports fixtures.
Shops – There is a community run village shop which has all of the essentials, and a post office which incorporates an eco-shop with a selection of refills for essentials.
Hedingham Castle – right in the centre of the village, the castle is one of the best examples of a Norman keep in the UK. It is set in beautiful grounds with woodland walks and has a small gift shop and café as well. There are fantasticl events on bank holidays, such as re-enactments and jousting contests. It is worth noting that the castle is sometimes closed due to private functions, so do check the website.

Sible Hedingham

The larger village of Sible Hedingham is a 30-40 minute walk, or a 5 minute drive. Here you can find a Co-op, Londis, Spar, butchers, petrol stations, Indian take-away, kebab shop, fish and chips, White Lion pub, café (more greasy-spoon style!), play-areas and a recreation ground. There is also a working water mill which is open some weekends.

Nearby Towns

Our closest town is the small market town of Halstead; here you will find a nice array of independent shops rather than all the well known high street stores, but there is a Sainsbury’s Local, Co-op supermarket, and Lidl. Sudbury, a Suffolk town which historically prospered from the wool industry, is slightly larger, with a Tesco and Sainsbury’s supermarket. It still retains the feel of a market town, with the market in the centre every Thursday and Saturday. A monthly farmers market in the church also gives a nice opportunity to buy local produce. We are also only a 15 minute drive from Braintree, another market town, which also boasts the designer shopping outlet ‘Braintree Village’, and a cinema complex with some well-known chain restaurants.

For a full day's shopping we are lucky to be within reasonable distance of Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds, Colchester, Ipswich and Chelmsford. All of these are between 35-50 minutes (depending on traffic), and all offer park and ride options. We are happy to give advice on the best options for visiting any of these for day trips.

Quaint Villages and Countryside

There are some wonderfully picturesque villages around, such as Finchingfield, Lavenham, Thaxted, and Coggeshall. It’s also not too far to Constable Country, where the famous painter found his inspiration; Dedham and Flatford Mill are simply beautiful in the summer, where row boats are available to travel along the Stour between the two.

However, if you are looking for a quiet country getaway and don’t want to travel far, we have some wonderful walks around us for you to explore our beautiful Essex countryside- the farm is on the public footpath network so it really couldn't be easier.