Dedham Vale: a Man About Country Story Walk

"The gentle declivities, the luxuriant meadow flats sprinkled with flocks and herds, and well cultivated uplands, the woods and rivers, the numerous scattered villages and churches with farms and picturesque cottages, all impart to this particular spot an amenity and elegance hardly anywhere else to be found." - John Constable

Celebrate the 250th anniversary of John Constable's birth with a special story walk around one of Britain's most beautiful lowland landscapes, intertwined with myths and legends from Dedham Vale's forgotten past that still resonate through the area today.

Essex is well known all over Britain and around the world. But before TOWIE and the tabloids, there was John Constable. His paintings of the Dedham Vale in North Essex captured the beauty of the English countryside so magnificently that they are still celebrated on the walls of the National Gallery 200 years later. To walk through the Dedham Vale, also known as Constable Country, is like walking through one of Constable's paintings: a dream of rural paradise.

But behind the paintings, there are stories, secrets, and legends, which show that there's much more to Constable Country than paintings alone. Giant kings, hellfire preachers, bloodthirsty vikings and the original patron saint of England - there's a lot to discover here!

On this story walk, you’ll be guided by storyteller James Lawrence, who will bring Constable's landscape to life with history, folklore and local legends, alongside the plants and wildlife that make this part of the world so special. 

If you want to know more about the history, stories and places in your local area, while getting some quality time in nature - this walk is for you!

Walk Details

• Start time: 1pm
• Start & Finish point: Royal Square, Dedham, CO7 6AA
• Parking: Mill Lane Car Park (paid)
• Public Transport: Buses to Dedham
• Walk Distance: 5km
• Walk Duration: 3 hours
• Terrain: Grass paths, dirt tracks, pavement
• Amenities: Toilets and refreshments in Dedham and Flatford (approx halfway through the walk)
• Questions: james@manaboutcountry.co.uk

About Your Guide

James Lawrence, AKA Man About Country, is a storyteller, adventurer, naturalist, and Cultural Ambassador for Essex. For over five years he’s led walks around some of Britain’s most fascinating places, guiding people to discover the country like never before. James is fresh off the Essex Ways: a 400km walking adventure around his home county to discover its stories, people and places. He set out to bust the negative media stereotypes and prove that Essex is one of the most fascinating counties in England. After a sell-out storytelling tour around Essex, a film, and a book of Essex stories on the way, James is dedicated to showing how the old stories of Essex are at the heart of the special place it is today, and provide vital guidance on the issues facing the county’s future.

Learn more about James and his recent 400km storytelling adventure around Essex:

• Website: www.manaboutcountry.co.uk/essexways
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/man_about_country
• TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@manaboutcountry