The John Clare Walk

The Footstep Challenge "in the Spirit of John Clare"

With his remarkable story as inspiration the John Clare Walk recreates, “in the spirit of John Clare", the poet’s trek northwards from High Beach in Essex to Helpston, the village of Clare’s much loved first home and the site of Clare Cottage. 

Using Ordnance Survey maps and following carefully set routes the John Clare Walk evokes a spirit of this remarkable poet’s trek, passing through the Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire landscape. Much has changed since Clare’s day, the landscape unrecognisable, and part of the 21st century challenge is to follow strict public paths, restricted fields, and new urban areas, once common open land, now a cement landscape.

Target: 195,360 steps - John Clare’s journey home was some 195,360 steps.

Day 1

Distance: 22 miles - 58,080 steps
Ordnance Survey - Map Nos: 174 & 194
Set walks: Forest Way, Three Forests Way, Stort Valley Way, Harmcamlow Way, Hertfordshire Way

  • 01.
    Epping Forest Field Centre, High Beach, Essex

    Ordnance Survey Map - 174
    Grid Reference - 41/98
    OS Set Route - Forest Way

  • 02.
    Upshire

    Ordnance Survey Map - 174
    Grid Reference - 41/00
    OS Set Route - Forest Way

  • 03.
    Epping Green

    Ordnance Survey Map - 174
    Grid Reference - 43/05
    OS Set Route - Three Forests Way

  • 04.
    Roydon Hamlet

    Ordnance Survey Map - 174
    Grid Reference - 41/07
    OS Set Route - Three Forests Way

  • 05.
    Roydon Hamlet

    Ordnance Survey Map - 174
    Grid Reference - 39/09
    OS Set Route - Stort Valley Way

  • 06.
    Roydon

    Ordnance Survey Map - 174
    Grid Reference - 40/10
    OS Set Route - Harmcamlow Way

  • 07.
    Stanstead Lodge

    Ordnance Survey Map - 194
    Grid Reference - 41/11
    OS Set Route - Harmcamlow Way - crosses Hertway just before Thunrderidge

  • 08.
    Thunderidge

    Ordnance Survey Map - 194
    Grid Reference - 35/17
    OS Set Route - Harmcamlow Way

  • 09.
    Wadesmill

    Ordnance Survey Map - 194
    Grid Reference - 35/17
    OS Set Route - Hertfordshire Way

  • 10.
    Tonwell

    Ordnance Survey Map - 194
    Grid Reference - 33/17
    OS Set Route - Hertfordshire Way

  • 11.
    Stapleford

    Ordnance Survey Map - 194
    Grid Reference - 31/16
    OS Set Route - Hertfordshire Way

Day 2

Distance: 22 miles - 58,080 steps
Ordnance Survey Map Nos. 208 & 225
Set walks: Ouse Valley Way, Pathfinder Great Long Distance Walk

  • 01.
    Tempsford Bridge near Roxton 

    Ordnance Survey Map - 208
    Grid Reference - 16/54
    OS Set Route - Ouse Valley Way

  • 02.
    Roxton

    Ordnance Survey Map - 208
    Grid Reference - 15/54
    OS Set Route - Ouse Valley Way

  • 03.
    Chawston

    Ordnance Survey Map - 208
    Grid Reference - 15/56
    OS Set Route - Ouse Valley Way

  • 04.
    Wyboston

    Ordnance Survey Map - 208
    Grid Reference - 16/56
    OS Set Route - Ouse Valley Way

  • 05.
    Eaton Socon

    Ordnance Survey Map - 208
    Grid Reference - 17/59
    OS Set Route - Ouse Valley Way

  • 06.
    St. Neots

    Ordnance Survey Map - 208
    Grid Reference - 18/61
    OS Set Route - Ouse Valley Way

  • 07.
    Little Paxton

    Ordnance Survey Map - 225
    Grid Reference - 18/62
    OS Set Route - Ouse Valley Way

  • 08.
    Buckden Marina/Offord Cluny

    Ordnance Survey Map - 225
    Grid Reference - 21/67
    OS Set Route - Ouse Valley Way

  • 05.
    Godmanchester

    Ordnance Survey Map - 225
    Grid Reference - 24/70
    OS Set Route - Ouse Valley Way

  • 06.
    Huntindon/Cook's Stream

    Ordnance Survey Map - 225
    Grid Reference - 25/71
    OS Set Route - Ouse Valley Way

  • 07.
    Houghton

    Ordnance Survey Map - 225
    Grid Reference - 28/72
    OS Set Route - Pathfinder Great Long Distance Walk

  • 08.
    Kings Ripton

    Ordnance Survey Map - 225
    Grid Reference - 26/76
    OS Set Route - Pathfinder Great Long Distance Walk

Day 3

Distance: 30 miles - 79,200 steps
Ordnance Survey Map No: 227/235
Set Walks: Nene Way, Hereward Way

  • 01.
    Barnwell

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference - 04/84
    OS Set Route - Nene Way

  • 02.
    Oundle

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference - 04/87
    OS Set Route - Nene Way

  • 03.
    Ashton

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference - 05/88
    OS Set Route - Nene Way

  • 04.
    Warmington

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference - 07/91
    OS Set Route - Nene Way

  • 05.
    Eaglethorpe

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference
    OS Set Route - Nene Way

  • 06.
    Fotheringhay

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference - 05/93
    OS Set Route - Nene Way

  • 07.
    Nassington

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference - 07/97
    OS Set Route - Nene Way

  • 08.
    Yarwell

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference - 07/97
    OS Set Route - Nene Way

  • 09.
    Wansford

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference - 07/99
    OS Set Route - Nene Way

  • 10.
    Sutton

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference - 09/98
    OS Set Route - Nene Way

  • 11.
    Roman Villa

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference - 11/97
    OS Set Route - Hereward Way

  • 12.
    South Peterborough

    Ordnance Survey Map - 227
    Grid Reference - 19/98
    OS Set Route - Hereward Way

  • 13.
    Castor

    Ordnance Survey Map - 235
    Grid Reference - 12/98
    OS Set Route - Public Footpath

  • 14.
    Crickety Park

    Ordnance Survey Map - 235
    Grid Reference - 14/99
    OS Set Route - Public Footpath

  • 15.
    Bretton

    Ordnance Survey Map - 235
    Grid Reference - 16/00
    OS Set Route - Torpel Way

  • 16.
    Park Farm

    Ordnance Survey Map - 235
    Grid Reference - 15/00
    OS Set Route - Torpel Way

  • 17.
    Burmer Wood

    Ordnance Survey Map - 235
    Grid Reference - 14/01
    OS Set Route - Torpel Way

  • 18.
    Foster's Coppice

    Ordnance Survey Map - 235
    Grid Reference - 13/01
    OS Set Route - Torpel Way

  • 19.
    Simon's Wood

    Ordnance Survey Map - 235
    Grid Reference - 12/03
    OS Set Route - Torpel Way

  • 20.
    Oxey Wood

    Ordnance Survey Map - 235
    Grid Reference - 12/03
    OS Set Route - Torpel Way

  • 21.
    Helpston

    Ordnance Survey Map - 235
    Grid Reference - 12/05