Alton Water Reservoir

Start: Alton Water, Stutton car park (IP9 2SF) Grid ref. TM 156 353

Just keep the water on your right and keep walking!

(S/E) The path is easy to find from the Stutton car park. Follow the paved path to the left of the buildings. There are other little footpaths closer to the water's edge which can be used.

(1) After 2 Km, the path leads through Larch wood to emerge close to the Tattingstone Wonder, a folly that appears to be a church tower.

(2) Carry on the path, following the road around a sharp right hand bend.

(3) Then where it turns left a footpath right leads back down to the waters edge. Keep to the footpath until it emerges at Lemons Hill bridge after 1.4 Km.

(4) Cross the bridge, then take the path on the right. Keep to this path ignoring all other paths leading off from it for 6 Km. This will follow the small creeks along the north side of the reservoir.

(5) Eventually it will emerge at the dam, where a path leads South across to the meadows and car parks on the Stutton side. (S/E)

Start: Alton Water, Stutton car park (IP9 2SF) Grid ref. TM 156 353

Parking : Alton Water, Stutton car park (IP9 2SF) Grid ref. TM 156 353. This is a pay and display car park and the method the majority of visitors use to visit the site.

Transport: It is worth noting that there are alternatives to personal transport, principally provided by Ipswich Buses which has routes from Ipswich to Manningtree via Stutton (Service 92) and Ipswich to Colchester (Service 94) which passes through Tattingstone on the northern side of the reservoir.

Terrain: As stated earlier there are asphalt paths leading away from the main car park and these make up the Easy Access Trail, a 1.5 mile route that can be used by all, no matter what ability. The full circumnavigation goes beyond this trail and includes footpaths, tracks and a little road walking. There is one steep hill on the far side of the reservoir but nothing too challenging for the average walker.

Refreshments: Refreshments can be purchased at the shop by the Stutton car park. There is a pub off route at Tattingstone, where following the road after traversing the Lemons Hill bridge will bring one to the White Horse Inn.

Map: OS Explorer 197

Note: The south-west side of the reservoir is usually busy with many visitors taking a small walks along the asphalt paths that lead away from the main public car park, close to the village of Stutton.

Find more information and walks at Griffmonsters Great Walks here.