Walk the footpaths of Essex and Suffolk, England, UK - Shared double/twin room with ensuite

Hosted by

Gwendoline

Guided trip
Hi! I am Gwen, originally from Lyon, France, and currently living at the top of a hill in the countryside North of Toulouse. I am a freelance linguist (translator, interpreter, language teacher), 37 years old, a traveler at heart and an apprentice artist. I often travel with my husband, James, English-Australian, also a freelance linguist (writer and teacher) and our dog, a friendly Irish setter who loves cuddles and travels. I speak French and English fluently, some Spanish plus a few words in other languages, and I know a few other alphabets. Both my husband and I have been working in the travel industry on and off for the past 15 years or so, that's how passionate we are about travelling. When not teaching, painting, writing or reading, you will find us renovating our property, discovering cities, walking in the great outdoors, exercising, cooking feasts, talking over coffee... We are pretty active. That's why we can't stay in one spot and keep traveling and working remotely. And you can join us on our next week of work away from home! 📍 What's on the program? I guess you could call it a 7-day pub crawl. ;) James and I will meet you in Colchester, England, and travel by train to the start of our walk - the St Edmunds Way, by the seaside, in Mistley. There you will meet the rest of the group over drinks and dinner in a nice country pub. From the following morning and until the last day, everyday will have a standard program: -Breakfast at the pub/hotel (included), -Pack your bags and carry them to the support car (yes, we will be carrying your bags for you, this way you do not have to carry heavy equipment and can just enjoy the walk and the countryside while having all the comfort you need in the afternoon/evening for work/creation/etc.). -start your daily walk to our next night stop over (9 to 15 km per day) with us as guides, through the lovely Essex and Suffolk countryside, crossing century-old towns, former WWII airfields, lovely local farms and stopping over at quaint pubs and cafés for tea and lunch (not included). -You will arrive at our accommodation for lunch or early afternoon and you will be able to choose your schedule: discover the small town or village, work if you are a digital nomad or work remotely and are in to enjoy co-working, practice yoga, rest, have a chat, meditate, create art, whatever steams your boat. We will be teaching English every afternoon to co-travellers who join to improve their English, you are more than welcome to join in. We might also do some pilates, go for a run or visit a museum, take picture or paint. -In the evening, we will meet for pre-dinner drinks and dinner in a local pub (included), before having a good night of sleep to do it all over again (included). 6 REASONS TO JOIN : 1. Time for a change Work away from home, see something new, discover! 2. Socialise, share, exchange, find support Working freelance and remotely can be a bit lonely. Come along and get to meet new people, share your experience about your work, get the full advantage of co-working. It might get your job to the next level. 3. Discover a new place Discover the benefits of a daily walk and change of scenery while everything else is taken care of. You will see what makes England unique according to us: it's countryside pub culture where everyone meets in a friendly atmosphere with great atmosphere, amazing gastro-pub food, warm fireplaces, good beer and hot tea. Places seen along the way: Mistley and the coast, the estuary, Tudor buildings and villages, Lavenham, The Crooked House, Dedham, Nayland, Bures, Long Melford, Sickelsmere, Bury St Edmunds, Colchester, WWII airfields, etc. 4. Relax and enjoy I make a priority of having a good work-life balance and only work part-time. I'm more than happy for you to join in any activity planned: sports, art, visits, walks, etc. I'm also happy to plan activities around your tastes and hobbies. 5. Practice and improve your English We are both teachers and tour guides, so we will be guiding you in the morning and teaching English to whoever wants to join the class in the afternoon. We are affiliated to Cambridge University Linguaskill language certification, so if you need a language level certificate, we can coach you to sit the test (you can even sit the test on the last day of your trip with us - cost EUR 185). 6. Learn French or English I'm a fully registered language teacher for both English and French. If you'd like to take formal or informal language classes, just ask, we can certainly organize this! SO HOW DO YOU JOIN? Simply click on "Join My Trip". 8 Days 7 Nights, 4 to 15 participants 💰 What's included? - Accommodation: 7 nights in high standard country pubs in double/twin or single rooms (supplement) with ensuite - usually equivalent to a 3 to 4 star hotel. These pubs are landmarks and usually centuries olds, fully renovated. Pictures shown are from the pubs we are planning ion staying at - this may change to other pubs of the same standard depending on the size of the group. - Organisation of the trip, tips and guidance + problem management before and during the trip, language classes. - Breakfasts and dinners. - Daily walk and train transfer on day 4/5 (to and from the hotel) day 7 for people not wanting to walk the whole way (24 km total, last 10 optional) 💰 What is not included: - Lunches - Transportation to the starting point of the tour (Mistley) and from the ending point (Bury St Edmunds - we are happy to help you get there with advice, though - Insurance (free JoinMyTrip insurance for Austrian and German residents) - All personal fees and expenses - Visa, passport fees, vaccination fees and all other travel requirements that might be necessary for you (I can advise) This trip is for you if: - You want to meet people and discover a new place while working away from home or learning English. - You are happy to walk every day, even if the weather is not that great (we did it ourselves to try it out, the whole 90 km in 3 days, we had 2 gorgeous days and 1 poor rainy day - but we still manage to witness the most beautiful rainbow and take shelter into amazing pubs for tea). - You are not expecting to party until the end of the night and are happy to be up and walking by 8/9 am. - You enjoy a good chat, a cup of tea, a glass of wine, great food from around the world, all sorts of discoveries. - You love a laugh, and you are open-minded and respectful. Please note: My husband and my dog do come along every so often. They meet the above requirements as well. If you are allergic to dogs, please let me know in advance. If you love them, then my dog is THE best company and will cheer you up either with a cuddle when you are working remotely or by being silly on a walk when you feel that you are over it. Any question? Send me a message 📬 Looking forward to meeting you, let's co-work together! If you are a French resident, this trip can be eligible for CPF financing. Contact me for more info.
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Hi, I'm Gwen, a former travel pro now working as a language teacher (French and English) and as a translator and interpreter.

You can chat with Gwendoline once you reserve your spot.
Trip Itinerary
1

Mistley

Day 1-2
We will start our journey in Mistley, by the sea with a lovely pub meal and a restful night before heading out on day 2 to start our walk. You will be able to discover the town and the seaside, meet us and the others.
2

Dedham

Day 2-3
We will leave after breakfast and walk to Dedham. Your luggage will be transferred by car to the next stop; All you need is your walking gear, water, your camera or notebook/sketchbook and snacks?!? Although we will be stopping along the way for hot drinks and cake (UNESCO site Flatford). A lovely walk by the estuary and along the river to Dedham where you can hire a boat, a paddle, etc. 10km walk
3

Stoke-by-Nayland

Day 3-4
After breakfast, you will start walking to Stoke by Nayland, the landscape will change and you will enjoy the Suffolk hills, crossing farm fields, along hedges, stopping for tea along the way in a local inn. You will reach the beautiful small village of Stoke by Nayland to stay in its amazing pub. Walk: 12 km
4

Bures

Day 4-5
After breakfast, you will walk to Bures, through rolling hills. After a stop at a local inn for tea, you will get to Bures where we will transfer by train to our overnight stop in Sudbury. Sudbury is a medium size town, you will be able to visit the town, relax at the hotel, do some shopping, etc. Walk: 15km
5

Long Melford

Day 5-6
After breakfast, you will ride the train back to Bures to walk to our next stop. We will cross Sudbury on the way, so you can also simply wait for us to come by and pick you up, if you do not feel like walking too much. We will then walk to Long Melford. Walk: 16km (or 6km)
6

Lavenham

Day 6-7
The walk from Long Melford to Lavenham is lovely, through fields and woodlands. We kept this walk short so that you could spend the maximum amount of time in Lavenham, which is a landmark in itself - one of the oldest villages in England. The village is picturesque and full of art galleries, pubs and museums. Walk: 9km
7

Bury St Edmunds

Day 7-8
The walk from Lavenham to Bury St Edmunds is quite long (24km). You will have the choice to walk the walk or stop in Sicklesmere at the pub and be transferred to Bury (17.5km). This is a lovely walk along a former railway track, through old WWII airfields and by lovely ancient villages. In the evening we will have our celebratory dinner in Bury, as it will be our last evening together. On the following morning breakfast is included.
Trip Summary
Accommodation
Hotel & Bed & Breakfast & Other
8 days trip
Mistley, Dedham & 5 more
Transportation
Trekking
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