The Apricot Centre

The Apricot Centre is at The Apricot Centre, 83 Hungerdown Lane, Lawford, Essex. CO11 2LY

Routes below include by road, rail, and also there is a google map for walking and cycling from the station.

From Ipswich/Manningtree (Also Felixstowe/Norwich/Cambridge etc..)

From the A14 turn onto the A137 (direction Manningtree & Colchester). This is the exit before you would cross the Orwell Bridge.
Stay on the A137 for about 10 miles until you come to Manningtree railway bridge.
Pass under the bridge and immediately come to a roundabout.
Take the 3rd exit (Manningtree/Mistley is the first exit) and drive up the hill to another small roundabout with the Esso Station in front of you. Turn right (direction Colchester & Ardleigh). You are still on the A137.
For a 1/4 mile the road goes downwards and then rises up again. Turn left opposite a pink pub called the Kings Arms, this is Hungerdown Lane.
The Apricot Centre is at number 83 which is 1 mile up the lane on the left hand side. There is a sign at the entrance. But if you miss the entrance, then you will come immediately to Tile Barn lane on the right with a BT phonebox in the hedge on the left.
Important – See Parking details and Maplink below.

From Colchester

Follow signs for Manningtree and Ardleigh, on the A137 (Manningtree & Ipswich direction).
Pass through Ardleigh and travel 2 more miles. Over railway bridge. Past Giant Strawberry (on right) at Pole House Nursery.
Turn right at Tile barn lane (crossroads). Signposted Great Bromley.
Tile Barn Lane ends with a T-Junction. Facing you is a BT Phonebox. Turn left and into the first driveway.
Important – See Parking details (below) and Maplink
From London, Chelmsford etc..
This is the quickest way but you must pay fine attention to directions, as they are a little complex.A longer way is to go to Manningtree from the A12 and then follow Manningtree directions.
On the A12 look for and turn onto Exit 29 immediately after BP Services (signposted Clacton/Harwich A120 & Colchester North A1232)
Follow signpost immediately to Ardleigh by following the road left to A1232.
At the Roundabout take the 2nd exit following Brown signs to Gnome Magic. And immediate turning to left (again Gnome Magic). Pass the Ramada Inn on your left.
At the T Junction turn right, again signposted Gnome Magic & Ipswich A12
Drive 1/4 mile and turn right onto Wick Lane (EASILY MISSED). Follow Wick Lane which winds and turns for exactly 1.4 miles past a farm, a reservoir, over a small crossroads (at Dead Lane)
Turn left onto A137 (direction is Manningtree but no sign)
On A137 Pass through Ardleigh and travel 2 miles. Over railway bridge. Past Giant Strawberry (on right) at Pole House Nursery.
Turn right at Tile barn lane (crossroads). Signposted Great Bromley.
Tile Barn Lane ends with a T-Junction. Facing you is a BT Phonebox. Turn left and into the first driveway.
Important – See Parking details and Maplink below.

From Clacton

We will soon have the directions from Clacton, but need to do the journey slowly to get full details. For now please travel to the A137 and follow our directions from the A137.
From Stansted Airport
There are several ways to travel from Stansted to the Apricot Centre. If you don’t have access to a car then take a bus from the front of the Airport which travels to Marks Tey (railway station), Colchester (railway station) and to the University of Essex (also in Colchester).
You can take trains from either Mark’s Tey or from Colchester which will take you quickly to Manningtree Station (from where it is a 2mile walk or a taxi ride).

But the most direct route is to take a 103 or 104 bus from Colchester Bus Station heading for Manningtree. The trick is to get the bus driver to let you off right next to us, and to do this you need to say:
“Can you let me off at Kennal’s Corner, which is between Ardleigh and Lawford?”
Kennal’s Corner is a bus stop on the main road A137 at the crossroads with the road Tile Barn lane coming off it. Walk to the end of this short straight lane and you will find the Apricot centre at the T-Junction at the end. We are behind the BT phonebox, so you need to turn left and immediately right into our driveway.

Parking

Please park in the area immediately to the right as you enter our driveway. (N.B. Please don’t park in our neighbours house on the left hand side of the drive) Please drive slowly as children are about. When parking spaces at the front are no longer available you may drive past the centre and there are further spaces to the rear. One space is available for disabled parking next to the disabled ramp).

Detailed Map

Find us on Multimap here . We are nearer to Tilebarn lane than where the circle marks us.

Taxis

• Manningtree Taxis – T 01206 393333
• Riverside Taxis – T 01206 397563
• Stour Cabs – T 01206 393935
• P & S Taxis – T 01206 396321
• R & J Taxis – T 01206 391678

View Cycle or Walking Route from Station to Apricot Centre in a larger map