Start : At the junction with Church Road, close to the entrance to St. Andrew's church, Hetfield Peverel. CM3 2HF. Grid ref. TL 797 111
(S/E) Carefully cross Church Road heading towards the gate posts of St. Andrew's Parish Church. Take the footpath on the left (East) just after the wooden bollards before the church entrance.
On meeting allotments turn sharp right (South) on the tarmac path. Walk alongside the allotments continuing past the fenced burial ground on the left and the church grounds on the right. Where the cemetery fence ends carry on ahead on the path to meet a distinct path on the left, just before some power lines.
(1) Turn left (South-East) here to walk along between fields, passing a powerline pole on the right. Ignore an unmarked path on the right just before the pole. The path meets Ulting Road at a fingerpost opposite the road sign announcing Nounsley.
Turn right (South-East), following the road to the stile into the playing field. Cross the road to take the off-road parking area opposite. Just after Windmill Lodge take the marked path left through the kissing gate. Where the hedge ends keep straight ahead on a narrow grassy path bounded by electric fences on both sides. On reaching an old fence line go through the gate, then diagonally through the next gate. The path here is again bounded by electric fences. There is an attractive fishing reservoir over to the right.
(2) At a couple of a trees, which often have a flock of sheep beneath them, be careful of the rabbit burrows that litter this section of the path. Keep ahead, still with electric fences on both sides of the path. It continues, bearing right over a footbridge and then immediately left through a gate. Turn right to follow a field edge path with fence on the right and hedge on the left. At the end of the hedge turn left and go through a kissing gate with a horse manège and paddocks on the right.
(3) The path joins Maldon Road - B1019 - TAKE CARE - at a finger post. Turn right, carefully cross the end of the lane at Letchs Corner, by the bus stop, and take the marked path on the right (South) between hedges, passing a garden gate on the left.
The path emerges from the hedges to become a field edge path going straight ahead with a hedge on the right. After 200yds the path swings right and left to follow the adjacent field with the hedge now on the left. At the corner of the field the path and hedge bear right to continue following the field edge. There is a dilapidated waymark post here but it looks likely to fall over at any time! After a few yards at a waymark post the path turns left through the hedge to follow another field edge path straight ahead. Where the hedge ends carry on directly ahead, straight across the field - it is usually reinstated. The path reaches a lane to the right of a triangular road junction.
(4) Turn right (West) on the lane watching out for cyclists - this is a favourite route. After 100yds turn left (South) off the road beside galvanised railings. The path goes gently downhill and there are good views ahead, and a little further on to the East, where on a clear day Bradwell wind farm can be seen in the far distance.
At the bottom of the field the path continues ahead to the trees across a footbridge. At a marker post it turns right to follow a field edge with a hedge and ditch on the right, still going gently downhill. Soon the reservoir / fishing lake fencing can be seen through the hedge. Since the fencing has been erected the footpath has become quite difficult to follow (previously the reservoir bank could be used). Do not take an obvious but unmarked path on the right, towards the fence/lake but carry on down to the very corner of the field where there is (leaning drunkenly at time of writing) a tall fingerpost.
The path goes to the right of this, through scrub. There is a fallen waymark post and a prominent "Private No Public Right Of Way" notice on the left of the path. The route rises over a low earth hump and into a shallow dip and rises to meet a field with the lake fence on the right. Turn left to follow a field edge path with a hedge and trees on the left.
At the corner of the field do not cross the footbridge on the left but follow the field edge to the right, with hedge, trees and fence on the left. Where the hedge begins to bear left, immediately after a marker post, head diagonally right across the field towards the opposite hedge. The path goes over a dilapidated stile in the hedge to meet a gravel track, with a gate on the left.
(5) Turn right (North) and follow the track gently uphill towards the fishing club car park. After 300yds, just after a four/five trunked tree, a marked grassy footpath leaves the gravel track on the left and continues ahead between dilapidated paddock fencing on the left and a hedge on the right. Continue through a six-bar gate and then through leylandii behind two white containers.
The path is quite obvious, if a little overgrown in the summer, soon turning right at a wooden fence and passing ramshackle sheds on the left, then widening to follow power lines above with an old fence on the left. On meeting a waymark post turn sharp left. The path goes through a few spindly trees before meeting a lane at a fingerpost. Turn left on the lane, watching out for vehicles and bicycles, passing the bait farm and properties on the left.
(6) Shortly after Long Acre turn right into Bumfords Lane watching out for cyclists as this is a popular section of the NCN. Follow this tree-lined lane passing the entrances to Rosemead and Ulting Lea and Bamfields, a very attractive thatched cottage. After almost half a mile cross the weak bridge and turn right at a finger post to take the marked path alongside the River Ter. This field edge path follows the meandering course of the river for some distance, eventually descending some steps to join a lane beside Nounsley ford.
(7) Cross the road and, ignoring the marked path to the left, cross the concrete bridge over the ford. Continue ahead on the lane as it climbs gently away from the river crossing. Just after houses 'Heatherdene' and 'The Croft' on the left, turn left off the lane at a finger post to follow the narrow footpath, initially between fences and then hedges. It emerges on to Sportsmans Lane opposite the iron gates of The Priory with The Sportmans Arms on the left (long closed as a pub unfortunately).
Take the marked footpath opposite, on the right of the iron gates, between hedges. The path later becomes a field edge path. Follow this with a fence and hedge on the left. Ignore the outward route path on the right and another just before the burial ground. (You reach here waypoint (1))
Shortly after reaching the cemetery fence turn left beside some rather derelict gates (see NOTE below) and head towards St. Andrew's church along the stony path. At the church access road and car park turn right, walking past properties on the right to emerge at Church Road and the parking spot.(S/E)
"NOTE : In the event of the churchyard path being unavailable (perhaps due to a wedding or funeral), rather than turning left at the gates continue ahead beside the cemetery and allotments to reach the outward route footpath T junction and fence. Turn left here to return to the parking spot."