The Blue Egg Café – Bannister Green Halt loop from Great and Little Leighs

Bike touring routes & trails

Great And Little Leighs

The Blue Egg Café – Bannister Green Halt loop from Great and Little Leighs

Moderate

riders

The Blue Egg Café – Bannister Green Halt loop from Great and Little Leighs

03:06

52.4km

340m

Cycling

Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 1, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

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176 m

Witches Stone

Highlight • Natural Monument

Easy to see as on main road by The Castle pub.

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7.69 km

Rumblebees Café

Highlight • Cafe

Pleasant little cafe but only limited space, indoors and out, and no space for bike parking so best for only a couple of riders - larger groups, go elsewhere. Cakes and drinks only.

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10.7 km

Tomb of Matilda Fitzwalter (Maid Marian), Little Dunmow Priory Church

Highlight • Historical Site

Within Little Dunmow's pretty church lies a tomb purporting to hold one of the most intriguing literary figures in English history. Maid Marian of Robin Hood fame is said to be buried here, or rather, the woman who served as the inspiration for her.

Matilda Fitzwalter was the daughter of Baron Fitzwalter, the Lord of Little Dunmow and instrumental in the signing of the Magna Carta.

Story has it that Matilda fell for a knight who turned out to be Robin Hood and spurned the affection of future king, Prince John, leading her to flee her home.

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33.2 km

The Bell

Highlight • Pub

Lovely pub, that during the Dunwich Dynamo, opens late to serve hot food out in their garden (chilli with rice, burger, ratatouille with rice and veggie burgers) and beers, softs etc. as usual.

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33.3 km

Buddy & Rhino Café

Highlight • Cafe

Now called “Buddy & Rhino”. Under new management, still a great cafe. Lovely lunch!

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34.9 km

The Blue Egg Café

Highlight • Cafe

Such a great mid-ride stop, where almost everything is made fresh on site or sourced locally, the cafe at the Blue Egg is a real institution for cyclists and a regular haunt for southern road cycling pros in the UK. It's open daily from 9am to 5pm, but closes at 4pm on a Sunday. Three days a week there's fresh sour dough bread so try and time your ride appropriately ;) The cafe also does its own super delicious, natural energy bars with dates, oats, and nuts so no excuses if your energy dwindles on a long ride.

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