Dunmow Cutting and boardwalk

Map Ref: TL 609 214 to TL 622 216 off B1256 Great Dunmow  

​Dunmow Cutting is one of the richest and species diverse areas of the Flitch Way and is soon to be declared as a local nature reserve.
Access to the Cutting is the signed entrance midway along the B1256 Dunmow bypass or from Buttleys Lane.  Parking is not available. 

The south facing banks support unimproved grassland dating from the creation of the railway. While the area around has become intensively farmed the railway banks in the cutting are relatively undisturbed. They were kept open during the lifetime of the railway for safety reasons and they retained a wide variety of wild flowers.

​This area is especially rich because it goes through a chalk soil. After the demise of the railway it had become overgrown with scrub. Our work is to hold back the invasive scrub and create and maintain clearings where wild life can prosper.  

You can regularly see Gatekeeper, Common Blue and Orange Tip butterflies along the Cutting in the summer.​

In 2006 local farmer Ken Wooding opened up three overgrown clearings with a long reach side arm flail. We spent several work parties in November of that year raking up all the cuttings from this operation and extended the clearance beyond the reach of the flail additionally opening up the ditch line on the south of the trail. This work was to have a beneficial effect on butterflies and other insects and wild flowers in the cutting. 

The work continues as each autumn / winter the volunteers return to open up this area more and more, taking out the trees on the north banks to let in the sun and improve the grassland. We regularly need to cut back the brush with hedge trimmers and rake the banks to reduce the nutrients so that the wild flowers will flourish. It is a task that always needs a large number of volunteers so if you are interested in joining us please get in contact.

Scabious can be seen in the summer.

Between the triple arched bridge and the Dunmow bypass exit, the track follows a boardwalk through a lush wetland area where damselflies and dragonflies can be seen.