Colchester Campus Tree Walk

Event Information

A pleasant walk around parts of the campus and Wivenhoe Park highlighting some of the notable trees, devised by Christopher Howard and guided by local tree expert Phil Brew.

The route starts at Square five, and will take around an hour, or longer if you linger over some of the more interesting trees!

There is also a shorter option marked on the map which takes around 40 minutes.

Our Tree Walk is a self-guided tour of some of our notable trees and is available here:      

https://www.visitcolchester.com/things-to-do/university-of-essex-tree-trail-p1230531

https://visitcolchester.nmdemo.net/dbimgs/University%20of%20Essex%20Tree%20Guide.pdf

Contributors

Phil Brew

Retired (nearly 20 years ago) from an academic career at the University of Essex. A life-long nature lover, my initial enthusiasm for bird-life has more recently refocussed on trees. A tree enthusiast but not a tree expert, I enjoy combining this enthusiasm with another: photography.

Christopher Howard

Many [Colchester] people knew Christopher as a permanent feature of the Jane's Walk festival, with his two walks entitled 'All Trees Great and Small': the first, opening the festival each year, around the trees of Wivenhoe Park at the University of Essex; the second, around the wonderful tree trail he himself created in the Castle Park.

Excerpt: Walk Colchester - https://www.walkcolchester.org.uk/post/thank-you-christopher

Location

Meeting in front of Wivenhoe House Hotel, Wivenhoe Park, Park Rd, Colchester CO4 3FA

Getting here:

Access by car – do not use the entrance half way up Clingoe Hill (A133) but at the top of the hill take the Wivenhoe Road (B1028) then turn right into Boundary Road then right again into Park Road. Parking is free at weekends anywhere above ground (except the multi-storey park and the spaces immediately in front of Wivenhoe House). There are a number of Visitor spaces on the right just after the House which are free.

For public transport: Take the 87 Brightlingsea bus from the North Station to ‘South Courts’ stop on campus and walk 10 minutes to Wivenhoe House - it takes about 40 minutes.

There is parking nearby, opposite the Lakeside Theatre, some of which may be free on Sundays, please check signs to be sure.

Other walk info:

Footwear: stout shoes or walking boots advised.

Post-walk hunger: There is a pleasant picnic area between the lakes and there is the Brasserie at Wivenhoe House Hotel. Please check in advance for info on food outlets on campus, which may not be open on a Sunday.