Community Rail Partnerships aim to encourage and promote the use of railways in their local area. They support local projects developed in partnership with community groups and businesses, and focus on projects that promote local railway stations and encourage rail travel.

Amongst shire counties, Essex has one of the largest rail networks, with some 80 rail stations.

The Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership (ESSCRP) aims to promote the use of the area’s six rail branch lines. ESSCRP recently organised a free guided walk around Bures on the Essex/Suffolk border.

The walk started and finished at Bures railway station, with a group of about 20 people led by enthusiastic local volunteers Hugh and Caro Turner.

Along the way, participants learned about the history of Bures, saw the Bures dragon, which is a hill carving of a legendary dragon that terrorised the village of Bures in the Middle Ages, and viewed 13th-century St. Stephen’s chapel, which contains remarkable effigies of the de Vere family. There was also an opportunity to socialise with a coffee in front of an open fire in a local pub.

The walk is included in Essex and South Suffolk’s Railway Walks volume 2, which is available online at https://esscrp.org.uk/things-to-do/bures-dragon-walk-walk-5-in-volume-2-in-our-essex-and-south-suffolk-railway-walks/

Jayne Sumner, Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership rail engagement manager, said “We have such wonderful countryside to explore in our region, with many historic features.

“Getting the train is a brilliant way to go and explore without clogging up roads with cars.”

Elizabeth Trustrum, who did the walk with her son Lark, said: “It was so nice to get some fresh air, learn something new and meet some really nice people.”

More walks are planned for the spring. Details are available on the ESSCRP website at www.esscrp.org.uk.

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