Bourne Mill Pub Tour, Bourne Mill

This gentle linear stroll of just over two miles links a Colchester neighbourhood pub with the historic Bourne Mill on the edge of town. Starting in New Town, the route sets off from The British Grenadier before threading past the Colchester Christian Spiritualist Church and heading south towards quieter, greener surroundings.

As the streets give way to the softer landscape of the Bourne Valley, you pass Distillery Pond, a peaceful pocket of water that hints at the area's industrial past. The path continues alongside the Bourne Stream, with Nicholl's Grove and St Stephen's Church Centre nearby, and a Lest We Forget 1918-2018 memorial to the Great War providing a moment of reflection along the way.

The walk finishes at Bourne Mill itself, a striking former fulling mill set beside its millpond in a wooded dell. With only a modest 57 metres of ascent and around 45 minutes of easy walking, it's a rewarding short outing that pairs a pint at the start with a fine slice of Essex heritage at the end.