Essex R&R 200

213km cycling event starting from Witham, Essex. Controls at Stock, Burnham-On-Crouch, Tillingham, Sudbury, Great Bardfield and Witham.

Mainly on quiet Essex B roads and some single track lanes with visits to two reservoirs and a few rivers. Commercial controls and checkpoints.

The Essex R&R starts from the Labour Hall with plenty of free car parking and is very close to Witham Railway Station which has frequent services to/from London and Ipswich/Norwich. A light breakfast bar & drinks will be ready to welcome you at the start and also some refreshments at the end included in the entry fee.

A gentle leg warm up will bring you to the foot of one of Essex’s infamous non-flat bits when you climb North Hill then head off for your first reservoir as you ride around 3 sides of it visiting the old village of Stock. Then it’s off to the famous yachting town of Burnham-On-Crouch with some views across the River Crouch to the South. Head out to the quant little village of Tillingham in the Dengie Hundred for some real open countryside. Not an official control but at almost half way the time may be right for a lunch stop in Maldon; it abounds with cafes and pubs. Abberton Reservoir Visitor Centre gives you your second reservoir visit of the ride. Following the River Stour there’s a brief interlude in to Suffolk at Sudbury before returning to the best of Essex in picturesque Finchingfield and final pause at the spiritual home of the Audax Club Mid-Essex (ACME) The Compasses Inn at Littley Green.

THIS IS A CALENDAR EVENT – Here is a link to the permanent version of Essex R&R 200.

Along the route

Key: Cafe Convenience Store Restaurant Service Station Supermarket

Witham is a historic market town located in Essex. The town has roots going back to Roman Britain, where it is believed that a settlement existed along the Roman road from Colchester to London. Its position along the River Brain made it a center for milling, and later industries like brewing and textile production.
Costa Coffee  Morrisons  The Battesford Court  Toast  Witham Café

Stock is a charming village located in the Chelmer Valley in Essex. Stock retains a quintessentially English rural atmosphere while offering easy access to both urban areas and picturesque countryside. The Dandelion & Burdock Kitchen is a popular destination for randonneurs!
Budgens  Dandelion Coffee Shop

Burnham-on-Crouch is a picturesque small town located in the county of Essex, on the River Crouch. Often referred to as the “sailing capital of Essex,” Burnham-on-Crouch is renowned for its maritime heritage, charming riverside setting, and peaceful yet vibrant atmosphere.
Ground Coffee House  Parlour Café  Peaberries  The Anchor Hotel  The Ship Inn

Tillingham is a small, picturesque village located in the Tillingham Valley in the northeastern part of Essex. The village is surrounded by farmland and open countryside, making it an ideal destination for those seeking peace and tranquility in a rural environment. The Tillingham River, a tributary of the River Blackwater, meanders through the area, contributing to the picturesque landscapes.
Londis

Abberton Reservoir Visitor Centre is located beside huge expanse of Essex & Suffolk Water’s Abberton Reservoir, one of Europe’s top wetland sites. It lies close to east-coast migration routes and, with its surrounding envelope of pasture and tree plantations, is a welcome sight to tired birds. Up to 40,000 ducks, swans and geese visit each year.
Café

Sudbury is beautifully set on the banks of the River Stour, and its surrounding countryside is stunning. The town itself is nestled within the Stour Valley, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It is also famously known for its association with Thomas Gainsborough, one of Britain’s most celebrated portrait painters, born in the town in 1727.
BP Service Station  Co-op  Esquires Coffee  Grover & Allen  McDonald’s  Premier Stores  Twenteaone

Great Bardfield is a charming village located in the Braintree district of Essex. Over time, Great Bardfield grew from a small agricultural community into a hub for the arts in the 20th century, particularly known for its association with the Great Bardfield Artists – a collective of printmakers, painters, and designers who settled in the village.
Co-op

Littley Green is a small, rural village located in the county of Essex and is part of the civil parish of Little Baddow. Known for its tranquil atmosphere, beautiful natural surroundings, and close-knit community, Littley Green offers a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of nearby towns. The Compasses Inn – spiritual home of ACME – is located here.
The Compasses

Key Information

Facilities

	GPS files available from organiser		Secur(ish) luggage storage at start
	Parking at start		Free or reasonably priced refreshments at start and/or finish
	Toilets at start		‘shoestring’ event, few or no facilities or AUK controllers
	E-Brevet is available

E-Brevet

Enter this event on the Audax UK website, then sometime before the start download the E-Brevet for this ride, set the Brevet Code on your E-Brevet App to 26-298 and then click Download Brevet.

Comprehensive details on how to use E-Brevet can be found on the Audax UK E-Brevet homepage.

Route Detail