Heart of Constable Country
Sketch ‘Constable Country’ roughly as the area the 19th century artist could reach on foot or horseback, and it’s not surprising that the places where he set up his easel are all within easy pedalling distance of each other around the Stour. This tour enjoys the gentlest of English landscapes, taking in historic towns, water meadows and meanders, boats and bridges and includes the sites of some of Constable’s best-loved paintings. Read More
England
Any Day
Bed & Breakfast
£423.00
3 Days, 2 Nights
Feb - Nov
Grade 2 (Easy)
Overview
Visiting the sites of some of John Constable’s most well known paintings, this tour takes you to the historic towns and rolling countryside that make up ‘Constable Country’.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive & explore
Arrive at Needham Market, explore the area and spend your first night in or near this small market town.
Day 2 From wool towns to the water’s edge
Cycle the lanes to the prosperous ‘Wool Town’ of Hadleigh with its fine old High Street and pretty riverside walk. Continue through the tiny riverside hamlet of Shelley to East Bergholt, the birthplace of John Constable. Visit Flatford Mill and perhaps take a guided walk to seven sites painted by Constable (including ‘The Haywain’), take a rowing boat on the River Stour, or simply relax in the riverside tea room. Continue on to Dedham and your overnight accommodation nearby.
You may also enjoy a short walk over the fields and along the river between Flatford and Dedham.
Mileage: Rec 29 Min 20 Max 30
Day 3 Hidden gems & hollyhocks
The return to Needham Market takes you through more of the prettiest villages in England. There are options to visit Langham Church and Stoke by Nayland, both with close links to John Constable. Splash through the ford at Kersey, then on to Chelsworth with its narrow bridge and pretty weavers’ cottages. There is also the opportunity to visit Lavenham, the most spectacular of the wool towns with its unique collection of medieval buildings.
Mileage: Rec 33 Min 27 Max 39
Dates & Prices
Download PricesFor tour start days/dates, seasons and all prices, please click on the PRICES button above
PRICE INCLUDES
Ensuite accommodation as described with full English breakfast (prices based on two adults sharing)
Hire of hybrid bicycle and ancillary equipment (single pannier and handlebar bag or map holder, pump, basic tools, spare inner tube & puncture repair equipment, helmet if required)
Luggage transfer between hotels
Local assistance on call (we will attend for puncture repair in Suffolk)
Detailed itinerary with meticulously planned and researched routes following quiet country lanes with a choice of routes available each day (usually recommended, long and short)
Route notes, descriptions and use of good OS mapping (maps available on arrival). We pride ourselves on our detailed level of documentation which includes plenty of top tips for places to visit or for relaxing and sampling the local fare along the way. We send electronic versions of these documents by email approximately two weeks before your stay so you can plan ahead and look forward to your gentle cycling adventure
We have now switched the default navigation system to GPS – in our opinion this is now the most convenient method as it eliminates the need for frequent stops to check the map
- We provide you with access to a premium GPS smartphone navigation app (IOS or Android) and send you links so that you can download all of the route options before you leave home. We will provide a handlebar bracket for your phone if required; it is also recommended that you bring a spare battery/powerbank to make sure that your phone lasts the day
- We can also provide GPS tracks in whatever format if you prefer to load them into your own GPS Unit
- Finally, we can provide a limited number of GPS units with the routes preloaded – this is on a first come first served basis – please let us know as soon as you can if you would like to use one
- We will also provide OS 1:50,000 mapping on arrival as additional support to allow for any impromptu route changes
- Traditional map-based navigation (using marked OS maps) is still available as an alternative at extra cost upon request (at least two weeks in advance)
Please note that the price EXCLUDES
Costs of getting to and from the start point
Accommodation Options
Selected 3 star hotels in Bildeston and Dedham.
We are pleased to discuss details on request
Request Booking
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