Directions
Sapphire Fields at Great Dunmow Grange is located off the B1256 Stortford Road. The area enjoys convenient travel links to Braintree and Colchester in the east and Bishop's Stortford in the west; it is close to the M11 for road travel to London and Cambridge, and it is just five miles from Stansted Airport.
The development lies within the administrative boundaries of Great Dunmow Town Council, Uttlesford District Council and Essex County Council.Leisure
Located in North Essex, Great Dunmow is a pretty market town, with a mixture of medieval and modern buildings. The town has a museum, an art centre, a leisure centre with swimming pool, and several play areas, open spaces and gardens.
The development - and the town itself - are surrounded by countryside so ideal bases from which to explore, whether on foot, by bike or on horseback. There are also many pretty and interesting trails, such as the Flitch Way, which stretches for almost 15 miles from Braintree to Bishop's Stortford and is suitable for horses, cycles, runners and walkers. Great Notley Country Park links with the Flitch Way and is 12 miles from Dunmow. The park is popular with families, thanks to its play trail, sky ropes, sports pitches, wildflower meadows and visitor centre.
Hatfield Forest is another natural destination popular with locals and visitors. It is one of the last surviving medieval royal hunting forests, is more than 2,000 years old - and it is less than six miles from Sapphire Fields.Transport
The nearest rail station to Sapphire Fields is at Stansted Airport, 10 minutes' drive from the development, but there are also stations at Stansted Mountfitchet, also around 10 minutes' drive away, Bishop's Stortford, less than 20 minutes' drive away and Braintree, around 15 minutes' drive away. Regular services run from all of these stations to London Liverpool Street, among other destinations.
Major roads within convenient travelling distance of the development include the A120 (for Stansted Airport, Braintree, Colchester and Harwich), the M11 (for Cambridge and the A1 to the north, and Harlow and London to the south), and the M25 London Orbital.
Stansted Airport is less than 10 minutes away by car.Education
There are a number of well-regarded schools in the local area. For young children, these include Great Dunmow Primary School and Dunmow St Mary's Primary School - both of which are a short walk from the development - The Flitch Green Academy, Stebbing Primary School and Felsted Primary School, all of which can be reached in around 10 minutes by car.
For older students, secondary providers include Forest Hall School (around 10 minutes' drive away), Birchwood High School (15 minutes' drive away), The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College, and The Bishop's Stortford High School (both around 20 minutes drive away).Shopping
High Street Dunmow high boasts a variety of boutiques and independent retailers, as well as a few well-known names. There's also a good selection of caf?s, restaurants and traditional pubs serving food cooked from local ingredients and catering to all palates. A weekly market takes place in the town on a Tuesday.
Fifteen minutes' drive away, Freeport Braintree offers designer shopping at discount prices, with a range of fashion, homewares, beauty and accessories stores. Bishop's Stortford town centre, nine miles away, is also popular with shoppers. This pretty market town has a vibrant commercial district and a twice weekly general market that extends through North Street, South Street, Market Square and Potter Street.
