River Stour Boating, the journey from Sudbury to Cattawade

Take a trip down the River Stour from Sudbury to Cattawade by Canadian Canoe

Your Journey along the River Stour

Getting ready to launch from sudbury quay

Sudbury to Wissington

You will commence your journey from the slipway adjacent to the Granary/Quay Theatre in Sudbury, where you will be retracing the route of the barges (lighters) which once travelled between Sudbury to Mistley.
The "lighters" carried all types of cargo from bricks, coal and grain.
All the way down the river, Essex will be on your right and Suffolk on your left.

Your first portage will be Cornard Lock which was reconstructed on the site of a former lock and opened in 1997. Cornard, Dedham and Flatford are the only remaining working locks on the entire stretch of the river.

After leaving Cornard lock you then pass along the quiet stretch of the river arriving at Henny.
This stretch of the river is idilic taking you through the heart of Constable country. Your next portage will be the Henny Weir.

Onwards past Pitmere to Lamarsh which can be seen to your right, the last village before Bures.

	About a half a mile from Bures you now enter a stretch of the river surrounded by Willow trees growing on both sides of the embankment. These are commercially grown and cut on a rotational basis to manufacture "Cricket Bats" These Willow trees continue past Bures nearly to Wormingford. As you journey along the river from Sudbury you cannot help but notice the proliferation of Pill Boxes along the embankment These were erected in 1941, only along the Essex side of the river to form a defensive line in the event of a German invasion. At Bures they change route and follow the rail line south.
	On your arrival in Bures, the Minbus which left you at Sudbury will be here to greet you on your arrival at approx 12.45pm This is a very peaceful picnic area where you to just relax and enjoy your lunch. The area is Private Property and is maintained by Bures Scouts. They also provide us with Full Toilet facilities at their Headquarters just 100yards away. . Note:- Tthe area was once a thriving wood, but it was felled during WW11 to supply timber to the armed forces. Later the area was to become the home of the "Bures Bowls" club.
	After Lunch:- Now refreshed, you enter the centre of Bures and pass under the cast iron road bridge (B1508) which forms the county boundary between Essex and Suffolk. Further along you pass under the Bures Millennium Bridge (left photo)which was erected in 2002. The final leg of the first day will take you pass Bures Mill, Wormingford Mere to Wissington arriving approximately 4.00pm. Once again the RSB staff and MiniBus will be there to meet you and help you disembark and provide you with refreshments after your successful day on the river. Both the one day and two day trips, stop at our official campsite at Rushbanks Farm, a working farm on the River Stour. A refurbished jetty along the river bank, makes access on and off the river very easy. Toilet facilities are available here.
	Here is where crews on the River Stour Boating two day trips will spend the night. All the tents will be erected in readiness and the RSB team will be on hand to assist you and to provide a hearty evening meal. If you are on a one day trip the RSB Minibus will escort you back to Sudbury after some light refreshments. In addition to the tents you see on the left, we have accommodation where you can eat and talk in reasonable comfort without worrying about the weather outside.

Wissington to Cattawade

Leaving the camp site on Sunday morning, you will pass Wissington Mill. This is the best way to see this magnificent building as its well hidden when using the public footpath. Just a few hundred yards more and you pass under the A134 Main Rd and into the village of Nayland. This would have been the halfway stop for the barge-men when hauling cargo to Cattawade.
Onward now to Boxted Mill and Langham before finally arriving in Stratford for lunch.
Meals will have been prepared for you at the Swan Inn in the centre of the village on the banks of the river.

	After lunch at Stratford, you set off on your final leg of the journey to Brantham, adjacent to the Cattawade Bridge. This part of the journey is idyllic, taking you through the heart of John Constable country. Passing under the busy A12 you will now approach Dedham and negotiate Dedham Lock (left photo). Just as you pass out of the lock the towering Dedham Mill can be seen to your right. This was one of the last Mills to be working on the river before its closure in 1935. Later the Mill was converted into residential flats. At Dedham and Flatford as long as we have a full compliment of five canoes the Environment Agency will se us through these two locks. An interesting experience for those taking part and it certainly draws the spectators from the many visitors at these well known beauty spots.
	Past the Dedham Boathouse and then along the river surrounded on either side by meadows to Flatford. From a vantage point that no footpath can offer, you will pass by Flatford Mill and Willy Lotts Cottage, all owned by the National Trust. Forget about the crowds of people visiting the centre, you will have the river to yourself to view the spectacular scenery at your leisure. This part of the journey will surely make your experience a time to remember.
	Just over another mile to go and the Cattawade Bridge comes into view. Brantham or Cattawade Bridge is where the River Stour becomes tidal and flows out to the sea at Harwich. In the days of the "Lighters" this is where their journey ended by horse drawn power. They made their final leg of the 2 mile journey to Mistley either by sail or using poles to push themselves along. This was quite hazardous considering the river was now tidal , with currents and winds impeding their progress. The cargo was then transferred to sea going barges which travelled north (for coal) or down to London with bricks etc.
	This is journeys end, where you disembark and welcomed by RSB staff with hot or cold drinks. The RSB crew with the minibus and boat trailer are also ready to whisk you back to Bures or Sudbury so that you can continue your journey home. A personal certificate showing your achievement of completing the 25 mile journey is presented; a momento at the end of a memorable journey. For most new visitors this is a life changing event, that in many cases will result in them continuing canoeing the River Stour experience.

For more detailed information on the Bures leg of the journey CLICK HERE