RHSO Location and Access
The orchard site (blue outline) and the adjacent wildlife site can be accessed via public footpaths (green) from High Wych, via permissive footpaths (red) from Sawbridgeworth or from the Rivers Hopsital access road (yellow, walking only). If coming by car, park in The Crest (Sawbridgeworth) or Brookfields (High Wych). Please do not park on Rivers Hospital access road or car park, except at events where permission has been obtained.
Nearest postcode: CM21 0HH (for Rivers Hospital)
What3Words: songs.native.sculpture (for orchard entrance from the hospital access road)
Walking Directions
From Sawbridgeworth
Walk to The Crest (either using Hoestock Road/Gilders or Burnside from the A1184 London Road). Make your way to Brook End or the small side road opposite house number 34 then proceed through the gate onto the permissive path. Head towards the area with the football goal. From the football area, turn left and walk down a wide mown area between two areas of hawthorn scrub until you reach a beech hedge (with the Rivers Hospital behind it). Turn right and walk on a dirt track between the beech hedge and hawthorn scrub then continue along the beech hedge past the grass meadow. At the end of the meadow, in from of you to the right, there are a couple of rows of fruit trees, and directly in front is the path to the orchard.
From High Wych
The footpath can be accessed by entering Brookfields and continuing straight on or walking along High Wych Lane then turning right (signposted) about 150 meters past the entrance to the Manor of Groves. After these paths meet, turn right (if coming from Brookfields) or continue straight on (if coming from High Wych Lane), past the scrubland to the right until the path turns left away from the scrub. Enter the scrub by the gate on your right and the left hand path leads to the orchard.
You can also walk into the orchard from the Rivers Hospital access road (off High Wych Road) (yellow route), but please don't park any cars on the accesss road or hospital car parks except at events where permission has been obtained.
Public Transport
Bus
The 508, 509 and 510 bus services between Harlow and Bishop's Stortford pass along the A1184 through Sawbridgeworth. Alight at either Springhall Road or the White Lion and walk down the hill towards either Hoestock Road or Burnside (on your right hand side. Buses along High Wych Road are infrequent.
Train
There are frequent Greater Anglia services running between London (Liverpool St. Tottenham Hale or Stratford) and either Bishop's Stortford or Cambridge stopping at Sawbridgeworth station with the orchard about a 30 minute walk away.
Wheelchairs, pushchairs, mobility scooters, etc.
The public footpaths from High Wych are uneven and can be very muddy in winter and, along with the narrow paths through the scrub, are probably unsuitable for most wheelchairs, pushchairs and mobility scooters. The paths from Sawbridgeworth are usually suitable in summer (but can be muddy in places in winter) but there are a few exposed tree roots at the orchard entrance.