Suffolk Permanent Walks

Suffolk Permanent Walks

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HAVERHILL ANNIVERSARY WALK

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THE HAVERHILL ANNIVERSARY WALK     ROUTE CLOSED due to the development of a new housing estate. 

ROUTE DESCRIPTION

DISTANCE: 11k

START VENUE: East Town park Car park, Coupals Road, Haverhill. (Map 154 GR 685448). Post code: CB9 7UW.
CAR PARKING: Free at start venue.
TOILETS: Toilets can be found at the start in The East Town Park Visitors Centre.  Go through the barriers behind the handicapped parking area, and the toilets are in the building in front of you, at the end nearest the road.


ROUTE DESCRIPTION  (Checked June 2021)

Standing in the car park facing the East Town Park  building, leave the car park through the gate in the right hand corner, then turn right, then right along the path. There are picnic table to the left, and a pond on the right. At cross junction of tracks, turn right, and follow path as it meanders between fenced off areas, trees and bushes. Go through gap/gate to road. Cross with care and take footpath opposite, along disused railway track. There is a  signpost for Haverhill Country Walks.
Pass the recycling centre and sewage works on the left. Ignore a path to left and right, and continue ahead towards houses. Arrive at road (Manor Road). Cross with care and continue ahead along path. There is a yellow way marker arrow. There are allotments, and the town cricket ground on the left, plus a car park, a cinema and the sport centre. Chalkstone housing estate is to the right. Pass through a set of barriers, then immediately at the junction, bear right, then left – Vange Place is on the right. Continue ahead, with Vange Place still to the right, trees on the left.

Continue straight ahead on footpath, Tesco’s car park and store to the left. At the end of the Tesco site, bear left, then right over Road Bridge. Continue ahead to reach a set of  barriers.

Immediately after passing through barriers, turn right. Pass flood pond on left and school on right .Continue straight ahead uphill ignoring all turns to the left and right, to reach a house with a pale yellow/cream  gable end wall directly in front of you. Turn left, and follow path to the left, walking parallel to the hedge on the left. Ignore paths off to the right.

Go through gap in the hedge, then turn right.  Walk uphill, hedge on right, field on left towards a water tower.    

In corner of field, go straight onto an enclosed path. At the end of the enclosed path, bear right then left, to pass to the right of the water tower. Reach a concrete road, and pass the Water Tower entrance gate.

Continue along concrete road, and at a bend to the left, ignore a footpath signposted  to the right. Follow the concrete lane downhill , which later bends to the right,for about 700 metres. Pass through a metal barrier. and follow lane (Moor Pasture Way) to the main road . Turn right, and follow the road with care.

Continue for about a further 400 metres. Just after a house called Ash Tree House, turn right on clear track (There is a footpath sign). Pass a wooden barrier, and continue uphill on a gravel path to where the track splits. Bear left, going downhill for about 100 metres into a valley.
Just before the track bends left,turn right along field edge along clear path, with ditch and hedge  on the left.  Follow the path around the edge of the field. The last section goes slightly  uphill and leads to a  gap in the hedge. Go through the gap and turn left on a gravel track – there is a yellow way marker arrow.
Follow the track for about 400 metres, heading towards The Water Tower with hedge on the left. Just before the end of the field on the right, at a way marker post on the left, turn left over a footbridge in hedge into field, Cross the field, heading towards a tree in hedge. (Path may not have been re-instated). 
After crossing the field and reaching the hedge, take track to the left of the hedge. In the corner of the field, go through a small gap in the hedge into the next field and keep left, hedge now on the left. In the corner of this field, go into an enclosed path and continue ahead to reach the road. At road, turn right on a roadside path.

Continue on roadside footpath for a few more metres to a footpath finger post on left. Cross the road with care to take this footpath  just before roundabout..
Go straight ahead following path around field edge, between wire fence and hedge, then ditch, wire fence on left all the way to gravel track.
Keep between wire fence and hedge, school playing field behind hedge on right.. Ignore path through metal gate on right. 
Continue ahead, still between wire fence and hedge. Ignore path to left between wire fences to wood. Continue to reach gravel track. 
At track, turn left for about 20 metres on track, then turn right through  a gap in hedge into field, and continue straight ahead on field track between fields to trees.
At trees, DO NOT ENTER BUT turn right, trees on left. In about 20 metres, cross an earth bridge, and continue up between fields on grass track to trees. Pass through trees to another track and turn left.
Keep ahead on track for approximately 600 metres to reach a wood on right.
At wood, take path on right just inside wood – CAREFUL easily missed. There is a post with 2k on it. Continue down through trees.
At the bottom of path, bear right and follow path between golf practice area and road (between hedges), to arrive at main road. keep to the right on roadside footpath.
At the junction with Roman Way, turn left and cross the main road with care  to pass through a small barrier into East Town Park.
Continue ahead on a grass path. and at a path junction, turn right. (Ignore all turn offs to the left) to reach the children’s play area.
East Town Park building and car park  and the end of the walk are on the right.

Well done!

We hope you have enjoyed the walk.

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.

BURY ST. EDMUNDS HISTORICAL TRAIL

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THE BURY ST. EDMUNDS HISTORICAL TRAIL 

             
DISTANCE: 10k

START VENUE: Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club, The Haberden, Rougham Road, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 2RN.
CAR PARKING: There is free parking at The Rugby Club. However, from Monday to Friday, the first section of the parking area is rented out to The NHS for workers at Bury Hospital. 
Please park in the area beyond the sign saying “Mon – Fri No NHS Parking beyond this point”. The rugby club keep a very strict watch on who parks there, so please put a note in your windscreen saying that you are walking Havac’s Bury Historical Trail. There may be limited parking at the weekend during the rugby season.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Bury St Edmunds is served with both a train and a bus service.
TERRAIN: The route is all around the streets of Bury St Edmunds.
REFRESHMENTS: These can be purchased at numerous outlets in the town.
TOILETS: There are some available after about 3k of the walk and at the Abbey Gardens.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION

Updated May 2021

Leave the car park at the far end, to the right of the club house, along a track (yellow way marker arrow). The track becomes a path between trees. Ignore a path to the right going over a bridge. Just before a gate, turn left along footpath (signposted), fence/rugby pitches to the left. At next gate on right, turn right through gate onto a tarmac lane and turn left (St. Botolphs Lane; sign at the far end). Continue to main road, and turn right (Southgate Street).

Note the limestone blocks in the wall on the right, by the post box. These came from The Abbey Church when it closed down and was sold for building material. Such blocks can be seen all over Bury.

Pass The Abbey Hotel on the right. Ignore lane to left (Maynewater Lane).

Note the plaque on the right to Crabb Robinson on yellow house – Linnet House – above the door. He was the first war correspondent, reporting for The Times on The Crimean War. He also assisted in the founding of University College, London – the first college of what is now London University. The plaques all around Bury were put up as part of The Bury Pageant in 1907.

Continue straight ahead.

You pass the old Post Office on the right – number 28.

On the left is an old medieval building – number 134B – which now has a Georgian Facade, with the old building behind it. There are many such buildings in Bury.

Note buildings with white bricks – 134D and 134E. These are Woolpit Whites, or Culford Whites, and are more expensive than red bricks, so are a display of wealth, as they gave the appearance of a stone building.

There is a medieval building on the left – number 148 and 149 – with a jetty, which is an overhang at first floor level. Their purpose was to avoid tax on the building footprint, and to give extra space in the floors above. Jetty is a corruption of the French verb, jeter, to throw. The small windows are called mullion windows. They were an open area, with curtains or shutters, but no glass.

Arrive in St Mary’s Square.

This was the site of the first market place in Bury. The building on the right is early Georgian, and in red (cheaper) brick. The plaque at the top is a reference to the abolition of slavery – Thomas Clarkson was a driving force behind this reform.

Turn left along St Mary’s Square, signposted on the green to Greene King Brewery and the Theatre Royal. Pass St Edmunds Hospital on the left.

Opposite the brewery is a house belonging to Lot Jackaman. He was a builder, stone mason and marble mason. On the end of his house he has displayed all the different styles of work, as an advert for his trades. It was built in 1884. Note the carvings on the front of the house. Much of his work involved flint.

The major building of the brewery here dates from the 1930s. There is a visitors centre, with a museum, and it is also possible to have a tour of the brewery. The brewing vat in front of the shop holds 100 barrels of beer.

When you reach the Theatre Royal on your left, take the road opposite, Crown Street, by the side of the Greene King Shop Beer Cafe Sign.

The Theatre is a regency theatre and is the third oldest working theatre in England, originating in 1819. The oldest is The Bristol Old Vic (1766), then The Georgian Theatre, Richmond. Yorkshire (1788).

Just after the green gates on the left in Crown Street and before the pub, note the plaque on the wall to the left to John Reve, the last abbot of Bury. He was removed from the abbey when it closed down, and lived in a house near where the plaque is. However, life outside the abbey did not suit him, and he died the following year.

Pass The Dog and Partridge on your left, then St Mary’s Church on the right.

Opposite the pub is a plaque to Rose Mead. Her work is now becoming more popular. Unfortunately, she fell down the stairs and broke her neck.

Mary Tudor, youngest sister of Henry VIII, and wife to Louis XII of France, is buried in St Mary’s Church. She was only 17 at the time of the marriage, and her new husband was on old man. He died a few months after the wedding. Mary Tudor said that she “danced” him to death!!  The Church is usually open for visitors.

Pass the Norman Tower on the right and Churchgate Street on the left.

Next to the Norman Tower is The Cathedral of St James and St Edmund. The tower was built between 2000 and 2005 and is made totally of limestone.  The mason who built the western half of the church was John Wastell, who also built King’s College Chapel, Cambridge. In the carving along the front are several scallop shells, the symbol of St James. The church is open between the hours of 10:00 and 4:00.

Continue ahead to car park on the left. Turn left in the square – by The Athenaeum, on left.

This is a Georgianised building; members had to pay to belong to the society. This was to make sure that the poor people were kept out.

To the right is a blue plaque on the Angel Hotel commemorating the fact that Charles Dickens was a regular visitor to the town.

Turn left into Athenaeum Lane. Reach Churchgate Street. Go right, then left into Bridewell Lane. Turn right into Church Walks (just after Tuns Lane on the left).

At the second corner, part way around Church Walks, there is a lovely view of the roofs of Bury, showing the haphazard way the buildings were erected.

At the main road, College Street, go left (sign at the end). Just before you turn left, look to the right.

The original college that gave its name to the street was The College of Sweet Jesus – sadly long gone.

 The school on the left is Guildhall Feoffment, named after a charity that helped set it up.

Turn right into Westgate Street. By the Rose & Crown, turn right into Whiting Street. (2.0k)

Look at house number 30. The front is made of the more expensive white bricks, but the side is made of the cheaper, red bricks.

At cross roads, go straight on over Churchgate Street – still Whiting Street. Pass The Mason’s Arms on the right.

This is one of a few local pubs that has weatherboarding on the front.

Arrive at the junction with Abbeygate Street.

There is a statue of St Edmund above the Boosh shop, diagonally opposite to the right.

In the window of Cotswold Outdoor, on the right hand corner, there is a ‘dragon post’ which was a support for the double jettied building.

Turn left.

On the other side of the road, next to the Yorkshire Building Society, you will find The Nutshell – the smallest pub in England.

Pass The Corn Exchange on the right.

Above the cafe rouge on the left is a frieze. The three crowns represent The Kingdom of East Anglia. Can you see the devil’s face – side view – in the right section above the brick section, not the glass?

Turn left into Guildhall Street.

Opposite The Constitution Club, there is a plaque in memory of James Oakes. He set up the first bank in Bury, which is now Lloyd’s Bank. He was a very wealthy man, employing many people. The area behind the section of wall with the windows blocked off was once a pub. It was built by James Oakes, because he felt that if his workers were going to spend money on alcohol, they might as well do it in a hostelry that he owned.

Ignore turn into Churchgate Street on left: go straight on.

Above number 17, on the left, look on the guttering. There are several animal’s heads. The building used to be a pub called The Three Goats’ Heads. Some people claim these are the heads of goats, other think that they look like lions.

Pass The Black Boy pub on right.

On the right is The Maltster, an old brewery – to the right of house number 63.

At number 57, is the old tap room – as there are grapes beside the front door.

At the main road, Westgate Street, go right.

At the roundabout go right and take the first right into St Andrews Street South (by traffic lights). There is no street name.

This area used to be called hellfire corner, because members of the Baptist Chapel – on the left after the cream house on the road to Haverhill, (the road to the left of the chip shop,) used to come out on Sundays and preach hell and damnation to the local sinners. Sadly the chapel has closed.

This was also the site of The West Gate of the town.

Pass Old Wool Warehouse on the right.

After The Old Wool Warehouse, behind a small car park, you can see part of the old city wall, complete with limestone blocks.

To the right is an old plaque referring to wool in 1792.

Pass Benedicts Catholic School on the left.

In approximately 100 metres, pass a new pub on the right called Oakes Barn. This was named after James Oakes. If you go inside it is possible to see a section of the old wall, which has been saved.

At double junction, by Flex night club, go straight on into pedestrian zone (but watch out for traffic, especially buses!!).

If you need a loo, turn left before Flex night club along Kings Road for about 50 metres. Then, on the right, is Hanchett Square. The loos are in Hanchett Square, to the right – signposted.

At junction with Brentgovel Street, by The Grapes on the corner, go right, then left down St John’s Street.

The word Brent meant “burnt” and the word govel meant “Piece of land”, so Brentgovel means a burnt piece of land. This is where The Risbygate was.

Along St John’s Street a majority of the shops are independently owned. There is a mixture of styles, and several jetties.

The building over Gourmet Goods and La Boutique is the old police station. This area was the most notorious in Bury, so the police station was relocated into the middle of it. The area before the police station was part of the medieval town, the area after it was an area that grew up in Victorian times.

Pass The Bushel on left and St John’s Church on right.

St John’s Church was also built in the worst area, and is made entirely of bricks. Just before the church was a church school, but it is now closed.

Note that the outside of the church is expensive, white brick, but inside the doorway is made of red brick.

Take the next left, immediately past the church, into St John’s Place, opposite The Old Vicarage. (there is no street sign until to you get to the end).

This was an area of small Victorian houses for workers.

Turn right into St Andrews Street North. Then turn immediately right again into Peckham Street.

More small Victorian houses.

At junction, turn right into Ipswich Street – sign at next junction.

At the end of the street, to the right is a Salvation Army Building, which was also established in the poor part of Bury. Note one of the foundation stones was laid by Miss (Evangeline) Booth, daughter of the founder of The Salvation Army, William Booth.

Turn left into Long Brackland. (4.1k)

Turn right at main road into Cannon Street.

This is where The North Gate was.

Turn left opposite Curry’s Service Centre (Cadney Lane – name at the end).

The building with Vulcan’s Cave on it, by the no entry sign, was once a blacksmith’s shop.

Arrive at Northgate Street and turn right.

Look at the windows in house number 23; the ones on the ground floor are big, the middle ones are smaller and the smallest ones are at the top, because it was at the top of the house that the servants lived. The front is made of white bricks, but the side is made of red bricks.

Pass the Old Grammar School for boys (1665 – 1883) in St Michael’s Close. Turn right into Schoolhall Lane.

Before you turn, look ahead across the road, to see a building with County School on it. This was the old girls Grammar school.

Reach Garland Street and turn right (the name is at the end of the street). At the junction with Cannon Street, turn right.

Terraces on the left are dated 1868.

Reach Pea Porridge/Old Cannon Brewery (small car park area).

This area was a green on the 1747 map. At the top of the corner building before the green is a plaque with the initials W.S. on it. This shows it was built by William Steggles.

Through the window of The Old Cannon Brewery, you can see on old vat.

Go left at Pea Porridge and left again into Church Row (sign at end).

The sign for Nestles is above what was once a shop.

On the right in about 100 metres is the Lathbury Plaque. Elizabeth Lathbury was a local benefactress in Victorian times, who gave a lot of help to the poor.

Turn left into Orchard Street, by red building with Plumber/Glazier and house decorator written on the side wall.

These houses on the left were all built by The Bury Building Society, to try and improve the area – white bricks were used.

At junction of two roads, go straight on into Well Street.

To the right was a ragged school, for all the local poor children.

Follow the road as it turns left, H Hair shop opposite, then turn right into Lower Baxter Street, by the Kings Arms.

On the left, behind a small car park, is a small hidden Baptist cemetery – the church itself has gone.

Reach junction with Abbeygate and turn left to the tower (Abbey Gate).

This was the second place that held the market. The entrance was to The Abbey’s Great Courtyard. The traffic sign is a listed item, and lights up at night.

Turn left, with car park on your right (Angel Hill).

In the corner is a building with the coat of Arms of East Anglia on it.

Follow the road round to the right.

The One Bull Pub on the other side of the road refers to a Papal Bull, not an animal. The pub sign shows cross keys of St. Peter.

Continue to the traffic lights.

On the opposite side of the road is a building with a double jetty.

Turn left into Northgate Street. Turn left into Looms Lane. Cross Lower Baxter Street (left) and Garland Street (right). Turn next left into High Baxter Street. At Abbeygate turn right – by Romark Jewellers. Turn next right into The Butter Market.

You pass Lloyds Bank on the left – the sign is unique. It has an oak tree and two acorns at the top – a reference to James Oakes, who established it. The beehive related to The Beven family.

The name Butter Market, along with Corn Hill and Skinner Street indicates the activities of the time.

Arrive at the Square by The Body Shop, on the left.

There is a Museum on the opposite corner, to the right – this was once an old Jewish merchant’s house – Moyes’s Hall. It was also the site of the first police station prior to the move to St John’s Street.

Turn left, then left again into Skinner Street.

This is the only remaining cobbled street in Bury.

At Abbeygate Street turn left – by Cotswold Outdoor shop – and enter the pedestrian zone. Turn right into Hatter Street – by Romark Jewellers.

Hatter is a corruption of Heathenman’s Street – it was the Jewish Quarter.

In about 100 metres on the right is Langton Place, where you can see the end of a wall, with stone in it – only the rich could afford this.

At the end,  turn left into Churchgate Street. Turn left into Angel Lane.

At Abbeygate Street, turn right, by Abbeygate Lighting. Go ahead through the gate in the tower, this is Abbey Gate into the Abbey Gardens. Follow the path directly ahead between the flower beds.

The Abbey was closed down on November 4th, 1539. The small sections of ruins on the right were once covered in limestone, which was taken after closure for use in constructing other buildings.

At the junction, by an ornate metal signpost, go right between an avenue of trees. At fork, bear left and cross a bridge over the river. Turn right and at the next junction, bear right with the school playing field on your left, the river on your right (ruins on right). At cross tracks with cycle track, go straight on (signposted circular walk). The river is always to the right.

At the main road, turn right (signposted circular walk) and just after the petrol station, turn right into The Rugby Club Car Park and end of the walk.

 

Well done!  We hope you have enjoyed the walk.

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts, and/or damage to property.

LAVENHAM

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LAVENHAM LOPE

DISTANCE: 11km

START VENUE: The Cock Horse Car Park, Lavenham CO10 9SA.  Map 155 grid reference TL914489

CAR PARKING: Free parking is available at the start.

TOILETS: These are available at the start.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: There are buses (number 753) between Bury St. Edmunds and Sudbury , one per hour during the week. There are no buses on Bank Holidays or Sundays.

TERRAIN: A mixture of footpaths and country lanes. It is not suitable for pushchairs.

REFRESHMENTS: There are pubs, restaurants and tea rooms in Lavenham.

Checked May 2021.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION

Leave the car park by the main entrance, with The Cock Horse Public House on your left. Cross the road and turn left along Church Street .
In approximately 40 metres,enter the churchyard on right. Take the right hand footpath through the churchyard, keeping the church on left.

(The church is well worth a visit; there is a large tourist information area inside).

Exit churchyard through gate in bottom right hand corner into a grass path going downhill between small trees, over a footbridge and up to a road.

Turn right on road (Hall Road) up to the main road (High Street), and turn left.
In about 100 metres, at brown finger post, turn right to cross the road into Market Lane.Continue along Market Lane into The Market Place and bear left on road.

(To the right in The Market Square are two of Lavenham’s most famous historical buildings, The Guildhall and The Little Hall – both well worth a visit.)

Pass through  the Market Place and exit on  road between The Angel on the left and The Great House  on the right. This is Prentice Street. [Street name at far end of street].

At the bottom of the hill, cross the road and go across the narrow brick bridge. Turn left, then right following the path through a field over the top of the hill.

At the end of the field, go straight on along grassy track, trees on left, field on right.
At the end of the path, there is a junction near an electricity pole. Turn left along a track (waymarked), then turn right before the concrete bridge over a stream, hedge on left, field on right. The path continues uphill, road on the left, for about 400 metres.
Just after the path turns right, go down some steps on the left, cross track and continue in the same direction with a hedge on your right, field on left (waymarked). 
In the corner of the field, cross a bridge and continue ahead, hedge then ditch  on right, field on left, until you reach a road. There are telegraph poles beside the path. At the road turn right, then left by the double electricity poles along path, hedge on left, field on right. (There is a good view of Lavenham Church Tower behind you).
In the corner of the field go through a gap in the hedge. Bear slightly  right, and follow way marked path ahead, hedge on the right, field on left. The track bears left then right, then left again and in about 30 metres goes  through a gap in the hedge, passing a pond on your left. Immediately after the pond, and the next hedge on the left, turn left, hedge on the left, field on the right along grassy track. In the corner of the field, turn right at the footpath junction, keeping hedge on your left, field on right. 
Continue along path, soon with hedges on both sides. When you leave this enclosed section, ignore a track off to the right, and continue ahead, hedge on right, field on left, along a grassy track.
About 100 metres  after the track turns left in the corner of the field, turn right through a narrow gap in the hedge.(If you go under the electric wires, you have missed the turn) In front of you, on the right,  is a building. Go past the building and continue ahead to the road.
Cross the road and follow the footpath the other side, hedge on right, field on left. In the corner of the field, go through a small gap in the hedge to the right, then bear left along a path through field, heading to the left of the church and footpath finger post.  (Path may not have been reinstated).

At the road, turn left, then, in 50 metres, turn right through a gap in the hedge, following footpath sign on the right, hedge and church on right field on left.
Ignore a first gate on the right, and continue about 20 metres further to a second gate. Cross the style next to the gate. Pass large mound to the left. Go through gate in hedge – there is an unofficial footpath sign put up by the owner –  then turn immediately left, hedge on left.
In the corner of the field, cross a style into second field, and continue ahead, hedge on left field on right. At the bottom of the field, go down the steps in hedge to the road, and turn right. 
At the road junction, turn left, into Whelp Street.

Follow the road round the sharp left bend, going uphill, ignoring a footpath sign to the right.
Pass Colliers farm on the right. (Second entrance, sign on a telegraph pole at the entrance).
Pass a house and outbuilding on the left.
Follow the lane uphill for about 700 metres, and at a sharp left-hand bend, by large trees, take the bridleway on the right (signposted). (7.2k)
Follow the track ahead for 2k, ignoring all tracks/paths off to the right and left.

[Be watchful on the first wide section of the bridleway, (approximately 400 metres) as a local farmer drives his vehicles along it].

After about 400 metres, the path narrows. Eventually, towards its end, pass a bridleway finger post on the right, pointing in the direction from which you have just walked. Keep straight on to arrive at Clayhill Farm. (9.2k)

Pass through the farm, and continue ahead down the track.
Pass Brett Farm on your left and a footpath sign on your right.
At road junction, turn left. (You will soon see Lavenham Church Tower ). Pass Salvation Army Building on the right.
At the next road  junction, turn right signposted Bury St Edmunds 11, Cockfield 4. This is Water Street. Cross the road and follow this street all the way to the main road, passing Shilling Street on the right, Lavenham Press on the left, Barn Street and Lady Street on the right.
At the main road, turn left. Go uphill, crossing Bears Lane,  to the car park and the end of the walk.

 

Well done!

We hope you have enjoyed the walk.

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.

NEWMARKET CIRCULAR WALK

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NEWMARKET CIRCULAR WALK

DISTANCE: 10k.

START VENUE: Birdcage Walk, Newmarket  CB8 0NE. OS map LR154 Grid Ref TL635629.

CAR PARKING: On the road at the start.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Bus and train service within 1km of start.

TERRAIN: Urban areas, roads.

REFRESHMENTS: Can be purchased at various outlets in the town.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION (Checked and revised May 2021)  

Walk along Birdcage Walk away from the town towards the heath and race course. At the road junction, turn left. Keep to the left on the grass, to the statue of The Queen, Mare and Foal.

Continue to main road and cross with care to cemetery opposite.Turn left and walk towards town. At the next junction, turn right along Dullingham Road,crossing to the other side when safe to do so.
Continue straight ahead, on left roadside path, into Woodditton Road, then straight on passing rear entrances to Tattersall’s complex.
At “weak bridge” sign, at bridge over railway, turn left into Paddocks Drive.
At next road junction, Station Approach, cross with care to continue straight ahead (do not bear left into Station Approach).
About 50 metres further on, turn right to cross road with care into the Railway Station entrance road.

Retrace footsteps back to road and turn right along Green Road.
Keep straight ahead, cross The Avenue, and go uphill, still on Green Road, which becomes Granary Road, with railway on the right. Continue to a mini round-about.
Turn left into All Saints Road and continue, over crossroad, still on All Saints Road, to reach All Saints Church on the left.
Keep ahead down narrow lane – Sun Lane -to The High Street, and turn right.
Keep right along The High Street, to reach The Clock Tower.
At the Clock Tower round-about cross the road with care into Bury Road opposite, and continue along the right-hand side footpath.
Just passed the garage on the right, at horse crossing and bollard in centre of the road, turn left to cross the road with care to green opposite.
Go through wooden posts into green and follow the well-used path diagonally left across grass to the opposite corner and road.
Cross road (Fordham Road) with care into Rayes Lane opposite and walk along the right-hand side footpath behind barrier.
At next road T junction (Exeter Road), turn right. In a few metres arrive at The Watercourse.
Turn right through an ornate silver coloured metal archway with Yellow Brick Road inscribed around the upper part of the arch.
Continue along this footpath with houses on left and stream on right, crossing Noel Murless Drive on the way.
At the end, turn right over a footbridge with metal rails and a finger post – cycle route 51. Keep left on path following  cycle route 51, grass bank on right, to reach road (Willie Snaith Road), and turn left.
Continue ahead on left roadside footpath for about 200 metres to bridleway finger post on left. Turn left on this bridleway between hedges and factory units to its end at Exning Road. Cross this road with care into Hamilton Road opposite.

Continue along this narrow road which bears left before reaching main road junction, passing numerous stables on the way. At junction, cross Edinburgh Road with care into a wide/busier stretch of Hamilton Road.
Continue straight up the left roadside footpath to its junction with Rowley Drive on left. Turn left and continue along Rowley Drive, crossing Valley Way to reach school on the left.
Just passed the school, turn right to cross road with care into Black Bear Lane (Use the zebra crossing). Continue along Black Bear Lane, cross Fitzroy Street, to reach junction with The High Street.
Turn right, uphill, back to Birdcage Walk and the end of the walk.

 

Well done!

We hope you have enjoyed the walk.

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.

HAVERHILL CIRCULAR COUNTRY WALK

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HAVERHILL CIRCULAR COUNTRY WALK 

DISTANCE: 11km

START VENUE: East Town Park car park, Coupals Road, Haverhill. CB9 7UW.  (Map 154 GR TL685448)

CAR PARKING: At start venue.

TOILETS: Free toilets can be found in The East Town Visitors Centre. Go through the barriers behind the handicapped parking area, and they are in the building in front of you, at the end nearest the road.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION (Checked June 2021)

Leave car park through small gate in corner and enter park by children’s play area.
Turn right on a tarmac footpath. Keep straight ahead at cross paths.
Cross footbridge and up steps to footpath (dismantled railway track) and turn left for approximately 800 metres.
Immediately after passing under a ‘supported’ bridge arch, turn left up steps into golf course, hedge on left.
At end of hedge turn left and right onto gravel track and continue between an avenue of popular trees towards house and buildings.
Cross a wooden footbridge and immediately turn left.
Follow path around garden boundary, river then ditch and golf course on left.
On meeting track (back entrance to house) turn left on track uphill and through kissing gate to road.
Cross road with care to track slightly to the left.
Pass round metal gate and straight on along track for about 1.2k,  between trees and then with  houses on left, to junction with metalled track. ignoring all paths to the right and left.
Turn right on track   for approximately half a kilometre to farm. The track goes uphill at the end.
Pass to right of farm buildings then bear right on grass track.
Continue ahead with hedge on left then between fields for approximately 1.3k to road in Kedington. Cross road with care.
Turn left and immediately right into Mill Road.
Continue down road to river bridges and old Mill. (5.0k)

Continue along pavement with care towards Kedington Church.
Opposite the main gate into the churchyard there is a sign on the right to Kedington Primary Academy.
Turn right on this path and continue between an avenue of trees passing school on right to road.
Turn right along road (Silver Street) with care to sharp right hand bend.
Cross road with care to the Barnardiston Arms public house and take lane (Arms Lane) to left of pub.

Continue along this tarmac lane which becomes a dirt track for approximately 50 metres and then grass path.
Keep straight on for approximately 2km with hedge/ditch on left, ignoring all paths off to the right and left.
When hedge on left ends ( it turns sharp left) continue straight ahead across an open field on an obvious path (path may not have been reinstated).
At trees, bushes and finger post turn right into a sunken path and follow to the end. The path emerges beside a field. Keep ahead on field edge path and track to the road.
At road turn left and in about 20m turn right though gate/barrier onto a footpath (dismantled railway track). 

Continue ahead along track. This narrows as you pass some houses on the left, then opens out again.
Pass under the ‘supported’ arch and ahead with golf course on right.
About 20m past end of golf course turn right down steps into park.
Cross footbridge on right.
Turn right on path and then left up between an avenue of mature trees towards a house. (Signposted The Avenue).
At top turn left on grass and head towards a children’s play area.
The car park is on right and end of walk.

 

Well done!

We hope you have enjoyed the walk.

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.

BURY ST EDMUNDS WALK

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BURY ST EDMUNDS WALK

 

DISTANCE: 17km

START VENUE: Abbey Gardens, Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1UZ (Map: 155 GR: TL855642)

CAR PARKING There are numerous pay & display car parks around the town, including pay & display street parking. An alternative start and finish point, if you come by motor vehicle, is Nowton Park. Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds IP29 5LU (Map: 155 GR: TL865621).

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Bury St Edmunds is served with both train and bus service.

TERRAIN: Urban areas, open countryside, parkland – road, tracks and field footpaths.

REFRESHMENTS: Can be purchased at numerous outlets in the town and at Nowton  Park.

Route description updated  February 2017

From Angel Hill a wide open area used for car parking,  enter the Abbey Gardens through the Abbey Gate. Walk straight down the main path between flower beds. At junction of paths bear right towards children’s play area and then bear left to exit gardens over metal footbridge.
Turn right on tarmac footpath and then bear right to keep river on right. Go through barriers, cross lane (cycle track) and continue on gravel path beside river on right to main road.
Cross road with extreme care, use pedestrian crossing, and turn left.
Bear right at the cycleway/pedestrian sign down the slope to and through barrier. Continue left on pavement to Rushbrooke Lane.
Cross Rushbrooke Lane with care and continue on road uphill (Rougham Hill). Pass recycling centre on left and lorry/coach park on right.

 After lorry/coach park, turn right at signposted footpath into OAK Community Woodland (large notice board). Continue through trees/bushes and  straight on along top edge of fields, hedge on left.
At overhead pylon wires turn right,( way marked), conifer hedge on left, to road .  At road turn left to ‘T’ junction.
At junction, cross road with care onto track opposite, bungalow on left. Continue ahead through gates uphill along a wide track.
When rounding left bend in track a farm house comes into view, continue to reach large tree in hedgerow on right, there is a waymarker post beside this tree. Turn right onto a grass path between wooden railed fences. Turn left at corner, keeping fence on left.
At end of fence join dirt farm track and turn right on track, hedge on left. At end of large field on right bear slightly right, leaving track, and cross grass area to pond on right and another track.
Turn right on this wide grass track between an avenue of young trees. When track bears right continue straight ahead  along grass path.
Cross farm track into an enclosed footpath between tall hedgerows and exit into an open field.
Continue straight ahead across field on obvious path to rear of Rushbrooke Arms public house in Sicklesmere. Go through pub garden, down steps and across car park in front of pub to main road.
Cross road with care and turn right. Almost immediately turn left into Hawstead Lane.
Keep straight ahead on road to footpath finger post on right beside metal gate. Turn right on grass track going uphill, trees on left.


At top (T junction of tracks) turn right, hedge on left. At corner of hedge by waymarker post, turn left up bank, ditch on right.
At hedge, coming up from right, continue straight on between wire fences towards tall trees with buildings beyond.
Continue down grass path/track to buildings. Pass between buildings to road.
At road turn right and just before speed de-restriction signs turn left through wooden gate into Nowton Park. On reaching open area (Panda statue ahead) turn right and follow yellow-banded marker posts anti-clockwise around perimeter of park to car park.

If using Nowton Park as base, start and finish walk here.

Walk through car park to Nowton Park Centre.
At Park Centre turn left, cross a humpback bridge and turn right between an avenue of lime trees towards large house. At end of avenue turn left on tarmac roadway for about 20  metres then turn right through fence onto a well defined footpath (sign posted to Arboretum and Maze) into wooded area and follow yellow-banded posts through trees, house now on right. Pass large pond on left then a font and ruined archway.
On exiting wood into an open grass area look for gate on right. Leave park through this gate to road (if you pass a Totem Pole on left you have gone too far).
Turn right on road to Nowton village sign on small green.. 

At village sign, turn sharp left into a narrow road marked Monks Vineyard PRIVATE and signposted footpath.
Tarmac road becomes a gravel track, passing houses on right, to farm buildings.
At farm entrance (junction of tracks), DO NOT ENTER FARM, but cross style on right into meadow and pass large barn on left to next style.
Cross this style and bear diagonally left across another meadow to opposite corner (left of  thatched cottage), to another style. Cross this style to a gravel track and turn right.
Keep straight on (High Green) along a small country road with care, ignoring first bridleway sign on right.
Keep ahead on road and at next bridleway sign on right, indicating Bury to Clare Walk and Nowton Park, turn right along field edge with hedge on left.
Pass a copse and a trig point on the left and immediately turn left and right over a plank bridge into adjacent field, and continue in same direction with ditch on right.
At junction with cross track and way marker post, turn left  into field for about 30 .metres (small copse in field over to the left)  then turn sharp right across field (can be muddy) aiming for waymarker post in gap of trees ahead behind electricity pole with glass insulators and wire restrainer.
Go through trees then along field edge towards left side of distant houses. Follow path across grass area to opposite corner and enter trees. After about 10metres, at dirt cross track, turn right and continue into large open area (Hardwick Heath).
Continue with enclosed sports area on left, open parkland on right. At gate (car park on right) turn left, boarded fence on right, sports area on left. Just before exiting park, at end of fence on right turn right downhill.
Pass through barrier and cross road with care. Go through barrier opposite and continue down footpath between houses.
Pass through another barrier. Cross estate road and through barrier to right of telephone box and bus stop.

Continue down path passing through more barriers to an area liable to flooding.
At footbridge over ditch (metal tubular barriers either side of path and waymarker post on right), turn right on another, narrower footpath. Continue on this path to road with ditch on left.

IF FOOTPATH TO THE RIGHT IS FLOODED AND WATER IS TOO DEEP TO SAFELY PASS THROUGH – continue straight ahead to major road and turn right to rejoin the route at the next footpath signposted on the left.

Cross road with great care to footpath opposite. Go left and right with tarmac path (ignore hand gate directly ahead).
Continue down path keeping left at intersection of paths.
Cross river and straight on between brick walls up lane (Friars Lane) to road junction.
At junction, turn right into Westgate.
Continue along right side of Westgate Street to zebra crossing and cross to other side of road.
Turn right and immediately left into Crown Street (Greene King Brewery buildings all around). Continue along Crown Street. Pass St Mary’s Church on right, then The Norman Tower, Cathedral and Tourist Information Office also on the right, into Angel Hill.
At Angel Hill, a wide open area, the Abbey Gardens Gate is directly ahead on the right and end of walk.

 

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.

MILDENHALL JUBILEEE JAUNT

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MILDENHALL JUBILEE JAUNT 

DISTANCE: 10km

CAR PARKING: free at the start venue.

TERRAIN: open countryside, minor roads, hard tracks, and predominately riverside footpaths.

REFRESHMENTS: can be purchased at various outlets in the town.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: bus service to within 100 metres of the start.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION (Checked January 2022). 

With your back to the Jubilee Centre entrance walk across the car park following the exit signs to the information boards. Turn right along footpath and at end cross road to Wilco stores. Walk up the right hand side of the stores.   Turn left to cross the store entrance and continue along the street (St Andrews Street) to junction with main road.
Cross road with care and turn right along pavement. Pass the Church and immediately turn left into Church Walk. Initially a footpath but becomes a narrow road with no pavement. Continue to its end and turn left following the bridleway sign.
When the road turns right continue straight ahead on a tarmac track, there is a bridleway sign on a lamppost on the right.
Bear right with track, ignore footpath on left. Pass through wooden posts, cricket ground on left and school sports field on right.
Keep ahead on tarmac track  and pass a cottage behind a boarded fence on the left. (1.5k)
Continue ahead between fields. At end of concrete section of track go straight ahead on a minor tarmac road to Wamil Hall on left. Pass the Hall gates, ignore road as it turns right, and continue straight ahead (bridleway sign to the right) along a tarmac track to reach a metal gate and wooden posts. Continue ahead through the posts for about 50 metres to the end of the brick wall on the left.
At way marker,  turn left down a grass path, with wall on the left,  towards river. At  field corner turn left through gate. Walk straight ahead  between fences,  house on left and old Staunch River on right to another gate in fence.

Go through gate and bear slightly right. Follow path along riverbank. Go through kissing gate into the next field (meadow), river still on right.
At the bridge ( DON’T CROSS) go through gate, cross a private road and through another kissing gate into next field(meadow). Continue on path along riverbank for approximately 700 metres. The path turns away from river and goes slightly uphill, with trees on the right, to tarmac track.
Turn right on track  and pass the cottage you passed earlier. Continue further along track, and take the wooden steps on right down to the river and turn left. 
Continue along this riverside footpath, passing along bottom edge of cricket ground. In corner of cricket ground continue straight ahead up ramp and across river footbridge.Bear left with footpath passing in front of bungalows and keep left up to road.
Cross road with careand turn right on roadside footpath.
 Immediately over river bridge turn left onto a gravel track.
Pass a sluice on left (Gas Pool Sluice) which controls water levels. Track becomes a path along the riverbank. Continue to a large metal  footbridge over river:do not cross but keep to the right path, initially between wooden railed fences then on a boardwalk with wire fence on left and stream on right, to reach a road.

Turn right and walk carefully along road, no pavement, for about 200 metres to corner. Cross road with care to footpath by lamp post.
Take this footpath, (hard track) wooden fence on left , hedge on right,  then  open field on left. Enter a few trees to the left of farm buildings and in about 50metres turn left onto a grass track between fields with line of trees on right. Go through a metal gate onto a tarmac minor road, pass recreation ground on left, and continue to road junction with church opposite.
This is Barton Mills.
Take road signposted to Tuddenham, church on left. Ignore all turn offs and at end of this road named The Street turn left into Old Mill Lane.
Pass the old mill and cross the bridge over the  lock. Immediately over bridge turn left down steps to the riverbank

Walk along the riverbank for about 1.7k to the large metal foot bridge:  (don’t cross), but keep right along footpath to car park on the right and the end of the walk.

 

Well done!

We hope you have enjoyed the walk.

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.

THE PLOUGH REDE RAMBLE

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THE PLOUGH REDE RAMBLE

DISTANCE: 11k

START VENUE: The Plough Rede, Bury St. Edmunds. IP29 4 BE (by kind permission of Joyce and Brian). Rede is a small village off the A143 between Haverhill and Bury St. Edmunds. [My satnav took me into Rede and at a very sharp turn to the left, told me to go left. Here you need to go straight on, along a narrow road. There is a sign for The Plough at this corner, on the right].

CAR PARKING: Free car parking is available at the start, providing Joyce or Brian are notified in advance. The car park is small, and has to be carefully monitored so that delivery vehicles can access the pub. Phone number is 01284 789208.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: None.

TERRAIN: A mixture of footpaths and country lanes. It is not suitable for pushchairs.

REFRESHMENTS: Should you want a coffee etc. before you start, let Joyce or Brian know and they will open the pub for you. The pub also serves excellent lunches and evening meals – booking in advance is recommended. If you are walking this route on a Monday, check in advance whether the pub will be open, as sometimes it is closed.

TOILETS: Available in the pub if you have coffee etc. Otherwise there are none.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION (updated January 2017)

With your back to the pub, follow hedge on the left to the end of the car park, and turn left up the track, then path.
At fork pass either side of a some bushes. (When the route was checked in January, the path to the right was blocked by a fallen tree)
Continue ahead, hedge on right, hedge/ field on left, along grassy track.
At junction with track, turn right (waymarker on post on right ). Pass through a gate and follow clear, grassy path between fields heading towards woods and distant tower.
After a while there is a hedge on the right and a few small trees on the left.
At cross tracks, go straight on (No right of way sign to left, track on right leads into a field), hedge on right, field on left.
Enter woods – go straight on along edge of wood, with field on right.
Exit woods. Go straight on (waymarker on right), wood on right, field on left, plus second wood.
In corner of field, ignore waymarker over planked bridge and swing round to the left, hedge on right, heading towards single tree and tower.
Follow path to left of single tree between hedges, heading towards the tower. Go ahead until you reach a concrete road. (1.90k).
Go right, and immediately left. Take small concrete road on the right between hedge/trees, heading towards tower. Pass tower (on your right).
At concrete road, turn left. (Footpath sign opposite).

Go ahead on road for about 300 metres. Turn left at Bridleway sign. Follow clear path across the field towards a small area of tall trees, to the left of the farm buildings. [Occasionally, the path is not clear, when the field has been ploughed, but it is usually reinstated. When the route was checked in January, the path was marked by white poles].
Go along grassy track through trees, farm on the right. There is a waymarker on a post to the right.
Out of trees – go diagonally,(½right), ahead across field on clear track.   
In corner of field, cross grass bridge and turn right ( way marker on  right).
Walk along grassy track, ditch on right, field on left, for about 400 metres.
Go through metal gate: bear slightly right, following direction of waymarker diagonally across field.
Go to the right of the copse and lake. Walk with barbed-wire fence on your left.
[At the end of the lake there is a barn – off to the left].
Go ahead through gate (waymarker on post on left) and bear right along farm track. (3.6k)
Go through second gate, or over cattle grid to the right.
In about 500 metres the path goes right then left – slightly uphill. There is a waymarker on the first corner, as you go right .[Hawkenden House can be seen on the left.] Go downhill to road, bungalows and houses on the right.
Go ahead to the main road (5.8k)

Turn left. In 100 metres, follow footpath sign to the right, along a track.
The track bears right, with a field to the left and hedge/trees/stream to the right. There is a small stream to cross before the field.
In the corner of the field, the track bears left going uphill, still with field on left and hedge on right.
In about 70 metres, as main track continues ahead uphill to the left, turn right, towards a gate. Turn  left at the gate –  there is a way marker on the post by the gate. The path goes between a barbed wire fence on the right and a hedge, then field on the left. The last part of this section is downhill. In the corner of the field, turn left, hedge then trees on right, field on left.
 In about 150 metres, ignore arrows indicating route over a bridge.
In about a further 200 metres, as track bears left, cross a planked bridge and a style in the hedge, with yellow arrow on post the other side. Go straight ahead across field (to the right of a small copse), through a gate,  to a post with a yellow arrow on it, beside metal gate, to the left of a band of trees.
[Sometimes the above section can be overgrown and/or very wet. Alternatives are indicated on the way markers – either turn left, go over the style, then turn right to follow the fence to rejoin route: or turn right before the style, and follow the fence, with it on your left, to go through a gate and rejoin the route].
Go through wooden gate  before metal  gate, and continue ahead on track, hedge/trees on right, field on left.
In the corner of the field go straight ahead, following yellow arrow.
Go through gate to minor road. (7.1k)
At minor road, turn left – there is a footpath sign beside sign saying Private Road No Through Traffic.

Go ahead to farm.
At farm, ahead on grassy track between hedge on left and dyke/trees on right.
Straight on at junction with cross tracks to the left and right, leading into fields, hedge on left, field on right. (Waymarker on left about 10 metres after the junction). The track goes slightly uphill.
At waymarker on left, go into the next field, hedge still on left, field on right.
At the end of the hedge on the left, follow path between fields heading towards farm.
 There is now an official diversion to the original footpath, because of the building of a new barn on your left.  As soon as you reach the trees, you need to go left along a path around the barn.
This then rejoins the grassy track in front of a hedge and a tree. Turn left along the grassy track to the road. (8.2k). 
Turn right – there is a waymarker. Follow road for about 500 metres. At footpath sign,  turn left, going between fields towards a copse. There is a dyke on your left.
At waymarker, just after a tree, turn left over planked bridge, and follow grassy track between fields. There are a few trees beside the track, on the right, and a ditch.
At abandoned farm, go straight on. There is an old barn/shed on your left.
In the corner of field by a copse, do not cross the grassy bridge over the dyke, but turn right just before it. The path has the dyke on the left and a field to the right. There are a few trees beside the path, on the left.
In the corner of the field go left between hedges over “grassy” bridge and bear right. Go ahead with hedge/trees on right, field on left.
[You are now essentially following this path ahead back to Rede. Farm buildings, a bungalow and a pinkish house will come into view] In corner of field go ahead, open grassy area, then field, on right, field on left. At the end of the grassy area on the right, there are trees/hedge/dyke on left.
Bear left and ahead across grassy bridge over dyke.The hedge is now on the right, field on the left.
Go to right of bungalow and a green tank to the road.
Cross road and go over style very slightly to the left. Go ahead with hedge and fence to the right, field on left.
Pass half pink house on the right and bear right into corner of field. Cross style and go through gap.  Turn left and return to pub and finish (10.7k)

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.

HAVERHILL WW1 ARMISTICE WALK (Two famous poems)

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HAVERHILL WW1 ARMISTICE WALK (Two famous poems)

DISTANCE: 11k
START VENUE: East Town park Car Park, Coupals Road, Haverhill. (Map 154 GR 685448). The post code is CB9 7UW.
From time to time, East Town Park is the venue for organised events, in which case the car park may be full. In this event, there is plenty of parking on the road outside The Park, or in neighbouring streets.
CAR PARKING: Free at start venue. Check closing times of the gates if you are walking in the afternoon.
TOILETS: There are toilets at the start.
FOOD: Available in Haverhill. The cafe at East Town Park is only open at peak periods. You pass The Red Lion Pub (Sturmer) en route, which, if open, serves food.

FOR THE FALLEN

Robert Binyon composed this poem while sitting on the cliff-top looking out to sea from the dramatic scenery of the north Cornish coastline. A plaque marks the location at Pentire Point, north of Polzeath. However, there is a small plaque on the East Cliff, north of Portreath, further south on the same north Cornish coast, which also claims to be the place where the poem was written.

The poem was written in mid-September 1914, a few weeks after the outbreak of The First World War. During these weeks, the British Expeditionary Force had suffered casualties at The Battle of Mons on 23rd August, its rearguard action during the retreat from Mons and the Battle of Le Cateau on 26th of August, and The First Battle of the Marne between September 5th and 9th.

Robert said in 1939 that the four lines of the fourth stanza came to him first. These words are on the memorial, and have become famous and familiar , having been adopted by the Royal British Legion as an Exhortation for ceremonies of Remembrance to commemorate fallen Servicemen and women.

Robert Binyon was too old to enlist in the military forces, but he went to work for The Red Cross as a medical orderly in 1916. He lost several close friends  and his brother-in-law in the war.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

During the early days of the Second Battle of Ypres, a young Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on May 2nd, 1915, in the gun positions near Ypres. An exploding German Artillery Shell landed near him.He was serving in the same Canadian unit as a friend of his, the Canadian military doctor and artillery commander, Major John McCrae.

As the brigade doctor, John Macrae was asked to conduct the burial service for Alexis because the chaplain had been called away somewhere else for duty that evening. It is believed that later that evening, after the burial, John began the draft for his now famous poem, “In Flanders Fields”

There are several accounts as to when the first draft was written.

  1. One account says he was sitting on the rear step of an ambulance the next day while looking at Helmer’s grave, and the vivid red poppies that were springing up amongst the graves in the burial ground.
  2. Another account says that McCrae was so upset after Helmer’s burial that he wrote the poem in twenty minutes in an attempt to compose himself.
  3. A third account, by his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Morrison, says that John told him he drafted the poem partly to pass the time between the arrival of two groups of wounded at the first aid post, and to experiment with different variations of the poem’s metre.

During 1915, John McCrae sent the poem to The Spectator magazine. It was not published and returned to him. It was, however, published in Punch magazine on December 8th, 1915.

John McCrae was killed on January 28th, 1918, at Bolougne-sur-mer, and is buried in the cemetery at Wimereux

ROUTE DESCRIPTION   (Route updated February 2018).

Leave the car park by the small gate in the corner. Turn right, and immediately right again along a path, picnic table on the left. At the cross paths, go straight on. Cross a bridge, and go up some steps to an old railway line. Turn left and follow the old railway track, passing the golf course on your left.  In about 600 metres, pass under a bridge and continue ahead. Pass houses on your right.

Immediately before a grey doggy bin on the right, turn right along a path between fences, to the car park of The Red Lion pub. There is a sign advertising the pub at the start of the path.  Continue ahead to the road, and cross WITH CARE. Follow the enclosed footpath (signposted) immediately to the left.

Leave the enclosed path, and continue ahead along path, field on the left, hedge on the right.

Pass through a copse, and turn right at a field.

In about 80 metres, ignore path to the left(across field) and right.

The path goes to the left as you pass around  large pond on the right.

Go between earthen banks, and ahead along a stony track.

Ignore grassy track to the left, by telegraph poles.

At a bridge on the right, turn left along a reinstated path, uphill, across a field – there is an arrow on a plank on the bridge.

(If the path has not been reinstated, go up the hill in the direction of the arrow on the bridge. Your path up the field should be at a right angle to the path you have just walked along. As you get to the top of the hill, two trees almost together will come into view directly in front of you.  The bridge you need to cross is immediately to the left of the smaller of the two trees.

Once over the bridge, bear right across the field, heading towards the corner of the field, where there is a hedge with several gaps in it. At the corner of one of these sections of hedge, bear left along a path, with the field  on your left. There is a way marker in the hedge at the corner, but it can be difficult to see.]

[When the route was checked in February, the path in the first field had not been reinstated. There were, however, vehicle tracks to the left and right of where the footpath should be, so you should walk between the tracks. The paths in the second field had been reinstated.]

Cross a planked bridge in a hedge, and cross second field on a reinstated path.

At the end of the field on the right by a corner/hedge, go straight on, field on left.There is a way marker in the hedge.

At the next corner by a way marker post, bear left across a field along a reinstated path.

[If the path has not been reinstated, at the way marker post, head across the field aiming for the corner of the copse to the right.]

PLEASE TAKE EXTRA CARE HERE. THE PATH YOU NEED TO TAKE IS EASILY MISSED.

 Immediately on your right at the end of the path is a copse.

In about 100 metres, at the far corner of this copse, turn right immediately along a grassy track. (way marked)  This path is easily missed –the way marker is two metres in, from the path you are on. The copse is to your right, along with a ditch. A field is on the left. When the copse ends, continue ahead, with the ditch on your right. In the corner of the field, bear right (way marked) keeping beside the ditch. Ignore a footpath to the right over a bridge (way marked), and continue ahead for about 25 metres, cross the ditch over an earthen bridge, and turn left (way marked), ditch now on your left, field on the right. Continue along path to the lane, and turn left.

Pass Lower House Farm on your left. Ignore a lane off to the right just after a pink bungalow (Barley Croft) and bear left along lane.

Pass Yew Tree Farm on the left. The sign is above the door.

Just after Upper House Farm on the right, at a junction, keep left.

In about 700 metres,ignore footpath across field on the left (sign posted).

Reach the main road. Cross WITH CARE , turn left then immediately right along road sign posted Kedington 3.

Cross a bridge, then turn left back onto the old railway line.

Pass the path to the Red Lion Pub, and under the bridge again.

Just after the end of the golf course on the right, turn right, go down some steps, and cross a bridge (set back from the track).

Turn right, then left along The Avenue.

At the end of The Avenue, turn left along a wide grassy track.

At a concrete path in front of a children’s play area, turn right. At the next junction, continue ahead towards a building. To the left is a World War 1 Memorial.

Return to the car park and the end of the walk.

When you have completed this trail, please use the Permanent Trail Entry Form.

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts, and/or damage to property. Every effort will be made to make this a safe, enjoyable and memorable event.

This walk is registered until 31st December, 2018.

 Well done!

 We hope you have enjoyed the walk.  

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.  

 

GLEMSFORD WW1 ARMISTICE WALK

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GLEMSFORD WW1 ARMISTICE WALK


DISTANCE: 10k
START VENUE: The Black Lion Pub, Lion Road, Glemsford. Sudbury. CO10 7RF. On my satnav, this took me to the school on the opposite side of the road to the pub.
CAR PARKING: The pub is not open during the week, so it is possible to park in the car park – please leave a note in the window. At week-ends, when the pub is open and busy, it may not be possible to park in the car park, but there is plenty of street parking near to the pub.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: None
TERRAIN: The route is along footpaths around the village.
REFRESHMENTS: There is a village shop and a pub.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION  Route updated January 2018.

Leave the pub and turn left. You are going to walk for about 900 metres through the village. There are times when the pavement is on one side of the road, then on the other, so BE CAREFUL. At first, keep to the left pavement, and wait until after you pass Hunts Hill Store to cross the road. Pass The Angel Inn on the right.

In 70 metres, opposite the end of The Cock Inn and Wongs Chinese Take Away (closed),on the left, turn right into a gravel yard and walk to the right of house number 24. There is a footpath sign in the hedge as you turn right. Go straight ahead along enclosed footpath.

At field, go ahead, hedge on right, field on left (yellow arrow). This is part of The Stour Valley Path.

Arrive at houses with blue doors.

 Turn left on lane and right on track. (Way marked) Pass a house called “The Studio”. Continue ahead along grass track.

At the end of the hedge on the right, go straight across two fields (yellow arrow) along reinstated paths, downhill in the first field, uphill in the second. Cross stile in hedge in front of you,  and bear left across the field along a faint path, to reach a hedge. Turn right, hedge/wire fence on left.

Go straight on across two stiles. Go straight ahead, fence on left, field on right (yellow arrow) across stile and footbridge, and up steps. Go straight across on mid-field footpaths for two fields.

At the end of the second field, turn right and, in about 50 metres, left through gap (yellow arrow), and continue ahead along a path between the fields. About 100 metres before house, turn right on footpath (signposted).  Cross track, to reach road, and turn right.

In 30 metres, cross road with care and turn left to enter farm. (Sign posted).     [ The next section is a footpath diversion around the farm].
 At iron gate/fence, turn left along grassy track.  In about 100 metres, when you come to a field, turn right (yellow arrow), trees on right, field on left.  At next way marker, bear right to wide gap, then go immediately left, then straight on along grassy track, slightly uphill, trees on left, field on right.

At end of trees, at the top of the hill, turn right – (yellow arrow) and near to the corner of the field, turn  left, and continue ahead on field edge, ditch on right. The path goes to the right, right again,then left, following a ditch.

Before you reach the pink house, cross earthen bridge on right, then  turn left on road.

Ignore footpath on the right, and continue along lane passing the pink House (Ducks Hall) on the right. After the second house on the right, (September Cottage), turn right along footpath between wooden fences. There is a footpath sign.

Continue along path between small fields to exit at a large field. Continue ahead across field along reinstated path, which has several bends in it. As you approach the top of the field, a row of trees comes into view, with a phone mast on the left hand corner.

[If the path has not been reinstated, continue straight ahead across the field. Aim for the tops of several trees that you can see just above the horizon, before you see the row of trees as you get towards the  of the hill].

After crossing the field, the path continues ahead by the trees on the right, where there is a marker post. Keep straight on, along the grassy path, with trees on the right, and a field on the left, passing a second way marker, then  a farm on the left hand side.

At the farm track, continue straight ahead on a narrow path (way marked), directly opposite, at first through waste ground, then, after a second way marker, along the field edge. When you reach the road, by Rose Cottage, keep going straight ahead, Ignoring footpaths to the left and right, and continue to a triangular junction, exiting by a sign for Plum Lane.

Bear right, then in about 300 metres, turn left on a footpath through a hedge (sign posted).

Follow field edge footpath, field edge footpath, later between houses, and turn right on road.( Ignore path to left and right at cross pathsDo not go off to the right through the new estate: follow the path to the end).

Immediately, turn left on lane.

Ignore Footpath Sign to the right at the end of the houses.

 Pass derelict factory on left, along restricted byway,

At way marker, on concrete area go straight on, along footpath, bearing right. At road, turn left round dangerous right bend with extreme care. At left bend, go up bank on right, and follow footpath sign uphill across the field along reinstated path towards the church. Go through a gap in the fence, and ahead, through the graveyard, to the church front.

Leave the church, and go ahead through the gates to go to a road.  Turn left. Follow this road round to the right along Bells Lane and through the village, passing  Stanway Close (right), Spar Super Market (right), Post office (left) , Chestnut Road (left), to arrive back at The Black Lion (left).

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.

OWEN WOLTON MEMORIAL WW1 ARMISTICE WALK

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OWEN WOLTON MEMORIAL WW1 ARMISTICE WALK


DISTANCE: 10k
START VENUE: Church car park, Lavenham, next to The Cock Public House (post code CO10 9SA will get you into the vicinity).
CAR PARKING: Free parking is available at the start.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: There are buses (number 753) between Bury St.Edmunds and Sudbury,     
 one per hour during the week. There are no buses on Bank Holidays or Sundays.
TERRAIN: A mixture of footpaths and country lanes. It is not suitable for pushchairs.
REFRESHMENTS: There are pubs, restaurants and tea rooms in Lavenham.
TOILETS: These are available at the start.

Owen Wolton enlisted in The Loyal Suffolk Hussars in 1910. He was mobilised at the outbreak of war. He was granted a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in 1/5 Suffolk Regiment in 1915.He took part in the landing at Sulva Bay, Gallippoli, on August 10th, 1915. He was reported “Missing” after the advance  on August 12th.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION

Turn right out of the car park and walk down the hill towards the town centre.
In 100 metres, take first road to the right, Bears Lane.
Continue along this lane for 400 metres, passing Meadow Close and Meadow Court on the right, and  ignoring a footpath sign to the right.
 At the last house on the right, by Long Meadow, go through a gap in the hedge/fence (yellow arrow), and follow reinstated path across field. (If the paths have not been reinstated or the field has been ploughed, then continue along the lane to a point marked ** on the route description).
At the corner of the field, by a road, the reinstated path bears right across the field. Both paths are sometimes marked by white poles.
Go through a gap in the hedge (yellow arrow), then go left along the field edge. (Ignore the yellow arrow indicating a path ahead, to the left of a hedge). Go through a second gap to arrive at a minor road. Turn right.
(There is a sign with a child and adult on – it has its back to you as you turn – , suggesting these may be on the road ahead for 400 yards) (** This is where you rejoin the route if you followed the lane).
Pass Weaner’s Farm on the right, and Peg Weasel Farm, also on the right.
At the end of the lane, turn left at a footpath sign just before a barn, and follow a narrow path between hedges/fences/fields as it takes you around Bears Lane Farm. (Way marked).
At the end of this path, turn left onto a path between a wire fence on the right and a hedge on the left , then go ahead onto a grassy path, hedge on the left, field on the right. Go straight ahead for approximately 500 metres, passing under telegraph wires.
At a junction in the corner of the field, , go through a wide gap,  turn right along track, hedge on right, field on left. (way marked).
The track bears left. (Yellow arrow).
Where the track bears right, go slightly left, then, in about 30 metres, go to the right on a grassy path, with dyke/trees on the left. (way marked).
The path goes into a wooded area.
Leave the wooded area, and arrive at a concrete drive . Turn right, and immediately left along a grassy track, hedge on the left, field on the right. (yellow arrow).
The path swings round to the right to reach a lane, Cock Lane. Turn left. The road goes uphill and downhill. (Ignore a footpath sign posted off to the right).
Arrive at the cross roads. Cross the A1141 road WITH CARE  and walk into Brent Eleigh.
Where the road goes to the right, signposted Village Hall, you go straight ahead, uphill,  signposted Brent Eleigh Church, Preston 2.
Pass Snapes Lane on the right, and the church on the left.

Ignore a road to the right, signposted Monks Eleigh 2, South Suffolk Route A1, and continue ahead, signposted Preston1 ½, Kettlebaston 3½, South Suffolk Route A1.
As the road bends to the right, take the bridleway on the left (waymarked) .
Follow the track ahead for 2k, ignoring all tracks/paths off to the right and left.

[Be watchful on the first wide section of the bridleway, (approximately 400 metres) as a local farmer drives his vehicles along it].

The path then narrows.
In about 1.5k, pass a bridleway sign on your right, pointing in the direction from which you have just walked.
Arrive at Clayhill Farm.

Pass through the farm, and continue ahead down the track.
Pass Brett Farm on your left and a footpath sign on your right.
At road junction, turn left. (You will soon see Lavenham Church Tower). Pass Salvation Army Building on the right.
At the next road  junction, turn right signposted Bury St Edmunds 11, Cockfield 4. This is Water Street. Cross the road and follow this street, passing Shilling Street on the right, Lavenham Press on the left, and Barn Street on the right.  
About 50 metres after De Vere House on the left, turn right up Lady Street, signposted “Market Place”, passing The Tourist Office to your right on the way to The Market Square. Turn left down a narrow road, Market Lane, ( the name is at the end of the lane), just after Stone Cottage, passing a no entry sign, to arrive at The High Street .
Cross the road, turn left, and then turn right along Hall Road.
Before the road bends right and just after house called Saffron Pane on the left, look for a footpath on the left in a gap in the wall, (signposted), then walk along a path, over a bridge, then along a wide grassy area  to go through a   gate into Lavenham Churchyard .
Turn left. In about 25 metres, just after the first bush on the left, is the grave of Owen Wolton, also on the left.

At junction of paths, turn left, to exit the church yard, and the car park is across the road.

Well Done!

We hope you have enjoyed the walk.
The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts, and/or damage to property

BURY ST EDMUNDS WW1 ARMISTICE CATHEDRAL WALK

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BURY ST EDMUNDS WW1 ARMISTICE CATHEDRAL WALK


DISTANCE: 12k
START VENUE: Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club, The Haberden, Rougham Road, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 2RN.
CAR PARKING: There is free parking at The Rugby Club. However, from Monday to Friday, the first section of the parking area is rented out to The NHS for workers at Bury Hospital. On the right, about two thirds of the way down the car park, is a notice saying: “Mon – Fri    No NHS parking beyond this point.”

Please park in the area beyond the sign. The rugby club keep a very strict watch on who parks there, so please put a note in your windscreen saying that you are walking Havac’s Bury Armistice Trail. There may be limited parking at the weekend during the rugby season.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Bury St Edmunds is served with both a train and a bus service.
TERRAIN: The route goes into Bury St. Edmunds, then goes along surrounding paths and lanes.
REFRESHMENTS: These can be purchased at numerous outlets in the town, early in the walk.
TOILETS: None available until you get into Bury St. Edmunds.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION  (Updated January 2018)

Leave the car park at the far end, to the right of the club house, along a track.
The track becomes a path between trees.
Ignore a path to the right going over a bridge.
Just before a gate, turn left along footpath (signposted), fence/rugby pitches to the left.
At next gate on right, turn right beside a gate onto a tarmac lane and turn left (St. Botolphs Lane; sign at the far end). Continue to main road, and turn right (Southgate Street).
Pass The Abbey Hotel on the right.
Ignore road to left (Maynewater Lane).
Continue straight ahead.
Arrive in St Mary’s Square.
Turn left along St Mary’s Square, signposted on the green to Greene King Brewery. 

[  There are several plaques in the brewery commemorating people who worked in the brewery, who lost their lives in The First World War. These can only be seen on the tour of the brewery. Should you want to complete the tour, you are advised to book it in advance on 01284 714297 or at GREENKINGSHOP.CO.UK]

Pass St Edmunds Hospital on the left. At junction, go straight ahead.
When you reach the Theatre Royal on your left, take the road opposite, Crown Street, by the side of the Greene King Shop and Tours Sign.
Pass The Dog and Partridge on your left, then St Mary’s Church on the right.
Pass the Norman Tower on the right and Churchgate Street on the left.
Continue ahead to enter the Cathedral of St James and St Edmund, and walk to The Font.

The font was designed by George Gilbert Scott in 1870, constructed on a medieval shaft. The covering is a memorial to those men of the parish of St. James’s Bury St. Edmunds, who died in The First World War. The decoration was added in 1960.

Leave the cathedral, turn right, and in about 100 metres, enter The Abbey Gardens through The Abbey Gate., on he right.

(There are toilets to the left as you enter the gardens).

Walk straight down the main path between flower beds. At junction of paths bear right towards children’s play area and then bear left to exit gardens over metal footbridge.
Turn right on tarmac footpath and then bear right to keep river on right. Go through barriers, cross lane (cycle track) and continue on gravel path beside river on right just under 1 kilometer, to main road.
Cross road with extreme care, use pedestrian crossing, and turn left.
Bear right at the cycleway/pedestrian sign down the slope to and through barrier. Continue left on pavement to Rushbrooke Lane.
Cross Rushbrooke Lane with care and continue on road uphill (Rougham Hill). Pass recycling centre on left and lorry/coach park/cafe on right.

 After lorry/coach park, turn right in about 100 meters, at signposted footpath into OAK Community Woodland (large notice board, and opposite concrete blocks in the road).  Continue ahead through trees/bushes and straight on following way markers along top edge of fields, hedge on left. At cross tracks, continue ahead.
After about 1 kilometer, at overhead pylon wires, turn right, conifer hedge on left, to road. (way marked).  At road turn left.
In about 500 meters ,at junction, cross with care onto track opposite, bungalow on left. Continue ahead through gap in fence, uphill along a wide track for about 1 km.
When rounding left bend in the track, a farm house comes into view. Continue to reach a way marker post on the right. Turn right onto a grass path with a wooden railed fence on the left. Turn left at corner, keeping fence on left.
At end of the fence, bear left to a concrete road. Turn right and pass between houses to lane.

Turn left, and follow the lane for approximately 1¾ kilometres, to arrive at a lane to the right .

 

Ignore the lane to the right, and continue ahead for another ¾ of a kilometre, to reach a junction. Turn right, sign posted Bury St Edmunds, and follow lane. (Rushbrooke Lane).
In about ¾ of a kilometer, reach Southgate Farm on the left (a pale yellow house with a red roof).

Continue along the lane for approximately 1 km. At the end of the lane, turn first left along River Lane. Cross the road, and go ahead, then bear right and go uphill to the main road. Cross this road at the traffic lights, and turn left. Pass in front of the garage, then turn right into the rugby club car park and the end of the walk. 

Well done. We hope you enjoyed the walk.

 

BURY WW1 ARMISTICE WALK

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BURY WW1 ARMISTICE WALK


DISTANCE: 10k
START VENUE: The Spread Eagle, Bury St. Edmunds. (Opposite B.P. Garage)The post code is IP33 2DE. If combining this walk with The Bury Cathedral Walk, you can start at The Rugby Club – details on other route description.
CAR PARKING: Free car parking is available at The Spread Eagle. Please put a note in the window of your car saying you are doing The Bury World War 1 Trail.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Bury St Edmunds is served with both a train and a bus service.
TERRAIN: The route is all around the streets of Bury St Edmunds.
REFRESHMENTS: These can be purchased at numerous outlets in the town.
TOILETS: There are some available after about 3k of the walk and at the Abbey Gardens.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION  (Updated January 2018)

Leave the car park and turn right. Using the traffic lights, cross the main road, to pass over a small bridge opposite. Turn left on cycle route 51, and follow path along side of meadow  for about 500 metres until you cross a bridge. Bear right along track, and continue to reach a main road.

Cross the road and turn right, along the cycle path next to the road. Continue for about 200 metres, then turn left on tarmac track. [Do NOT go through the gate into a field, which is where the footpath sign points]. After about 50 metres, then turn right.

Keep straight on for about 100 metres, cross over a road, and continue to the next cycle path, crossing  a metal bridge (York Bridge) on the way. Continue along footpath, with wooden fence/brick walls on the right hand side (way marked). Pass Copper Beech on the left, and continue ahead to exit onto a minor road, turn left by house number 20, and continue ahead  to main road.

Cross Southgate Street, and continue ahead along Southgate Green on a cycle path to a roundabout. On the roundabout is a carved wooden animal.

Pass the entrance to the rugby club on the left. [ As the route is circular, you can start the walk from here]. [You can also combine both Bury walks at this point, as the other walk starts from The Rugby Club].

Just after the garage and bridge, turn left along a gravel footpath with a river on the left, signposted Bridleway and Circular Walk, by the traffic lights. Continue along this path for about 800 metres, to a junction with a cycle track.

Turn right and go uphill for about 100 metres, then turn left along gravel track between playing fields on right and a school wall on left. (The track is about 10 metres before a sign to St. James Middle School).

Near the end of the wall, just before the track bears right, turn left through a gap in the wall, then opposite St James Court Residents only car park, turn right along the road.( The Vinefields. There is no road sign, but houses on the right have Vinefields on them)). As this road bears right, go straight ahead into Mindon Close. Take footpath ahead downhill to reach main road (Eastgate Street).

Turn left. Pass The Fox Inn on your right. Eastgate Street becomes Mustow Street.  After 200 metres, turn left into The Abbey Gardens. (Signposted, and opposite Halfords). Follow the tarmac path always bearing right, to reach the bird aviary and outdoor cafe.

(Toilets are 75 metres ahead, on the right).

Opposite The Legend Information Board,by the cafe, turn left, and head straight through the centre of the gardens. At a junction, just before steps to the right, turn right for about 30 metres, then turn left and keep left. Continue ahead, passing The Abbey Gardens Park Rangers Shop and Office on the right, to exit through a gate.

Turn right along the side of The Cathedral, and when you reach the road, turn right to pass the front entrance, then turn left across the road. At the corner of the building on the left, at a car park, turn left.  Pass the “Subscription Rooms” of The Athenaeum, then turn left on Athenaeum Lane. At the end of the lane, turn right, uphill, on Churchgate Street. At the top of the hill, cross the road, then turn right along Guildhall Street. Continue ahead to the next corner, and turn left into Woodhall Street.
Turn left at the next corner.
Cross the road, and turn left along St Andrews Street South, stopping at the plaque above Denny’s.

The first Zeppelin bomb attack on Bury St. Edmunds was on April 30th, 1915. Having bombed Ipswich, the airship made its way to Bury, and dropped a couple of incendiary bombs at the train station, then flew over the town centre, dropping more bombs. Four buildings in the Buttermarket were destroyed.
A second attack in 1916, again following an attack on Ipswich, targeted the headquarters of The Suffolk Regiment in Newmarket Road, and Boby Works, an engineering firm which made torpedoes and amongst other things for the war effort.
However, the main purpose of the raids was to instil terror into the people of England, while their loved ones were away fighting on The Continent.

After about 150 metres, turn right onto Robert Boby Way. Cross the road, and continue on this path to reach a set of traffic lights. Cross the road, turn right for a few metres, then turn left through a gap in the brick wall. Keep straight ahead along the road, ( Castle Road – sign at far end of road),  to a T Junction.
Turn right into Mill Road (sign at the end of the road), and cross junction onto Chalk Road South. Continue ahead on this restricted cycle route, passing car park and B & Q on the right.
Cross main road, Risbygate Street, using the traffic lights (to the left), then continue ahead along Spring Lane.

The lane now joins traffic free cycle route.  Bear left after a buses only turning area, and continue on footpath/cycleway for about 500 metres to the end.
Exit onto the road, and turn left. Continue ahead, passing a mini roundabout. Cross the road, and pass The Council offices. As the road bears left, continue ahead along footpath beside a tall, brick wall. Continue ahead to a main road.
Turn left. After about 100 metres ,on your left,  you will reach The Museum of The Suffolk Regiment, and a mini roundabout.

[ There is some very interesting information about The First World War in this Museum. It is open every Wednesday, and the first Sunday of every month, between 9:30 and 3:30. Entry is free].

At mini roundabout, cross road into Westley Road on right., and continue ahead along the left hand pavement.  Cross West Road. The road bears right. After bungalow 47 on the left, turn left along signposted footpath.

Continue ahead along the footpath between houses and over roads for about 500 metres, until you reach Boyne Road. (Signpost on the side of the house to the right and at the end of the road). Keep going straight ahead, then cross a road and go along Winthrop Road. Keep straight on, then cross a road to a footpath opposite, between houses. (Winthrop Road bears round to the right. Constable Road is to the left) . Turn left along concrete footpath, with a stream to your right. The footpath, then a cycle way, follows the stream crossing a minor road then a bridge, to reach a main road. The Spread Eagle is now on the left hand side.

Well Done!

 

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts, and/or damage to property.

LAVENHAM WW1 ARMISTICE WALK

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LAVENHAM WW1 ARMISTICE WALK

DISTANCE: 10K
START VENUE: Church car park, next to The Cock Public House, Lavenham. (post code CO10 9SA will get you into the vicinity).
CAR PARKING: Free parking is available at the start.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: There are buses (number 753) between Bury St.Edmunds and Sudbury,     
 one per hour during the week. There are no buses on Bank Holidays or Sundays.
TERRAIN: A mixture of footpaths and country lanes. It is not suitable for pushchairs.
REFRESHMENTS: There are pubs, restaurants and tea rooms in Lavenham.
TOILETS: These are available at the start.  

ROUTE DESCRIPTION.   Updated February 2018.

Please note: when the route was updated in February, every reinstated footpath referred to in the route description had been reinstated.

Leave the  car park by the main entrance, with The Cock Public House on your left. Cross the road and turn left onto Church Street .In approximately 40 metres, turn right along a path leading to the church.

Retrace your steps along the path back to the road. Turn left along Church Street. Cross the road whenever it is safe to do so. The road goes downhill and bears left.
Turn right into Water Street.
Turn left into Lady Street. The street goes uphill.
Near to the top of the road on the right hand side is The Tourist Information Office. Reach the Market Square.

The temporary memorial for the anniversary of the end of  World War 1, was the idea of Mark Consadine, Chair of The Local British Legion, as the main village memorial is in the parish church. He approached the Parish Council with the suggestion of a temporary memorial, and contacted Sir Clive Rose, GCMG, for permission to use extracts from his introduction in the book “Lavenham Remembers”, which was also Mark’s guide to names and dates. Permission was given by both parties. The memorial was erected at minimal cost. The crosses were supplied by The Royal British Legion, and the wooden batons by a builder friend of Mark’s, free of charge. All work to the memorial was carried out by Mark, adding crosses close to the anniversaries. It is currently planned that the memorial will be removed soon after Remembrance in 2018.

Cross the Market Square and follow the road between The Angel on the left and The Great House Restaurant on the right. This is Prentice Street. (name at the end of the street).
At the bottom of the hill, cross the road and go across the brick bridge. Turn left, then right following the path through a field over the top of the hill – follow direction of sign post.
At the end of the field, go straight on, trees on left, fields on right.
After the trees on the left, there is a split in the path at a junction near an electricity pole. Turn left along a track (way marked), then turn right before the stream (also way marked) hedge on left, field on right. The path continues adjacent to the road for about 400 metres.
Go down some steps on the left, cross track and continue in the same direction with a hedge on your right (way marked).
In the corner of the field, cross a bridge and continue ahead, hedge on right, field on left, until you reach a road. The path goes in the same direction as the telegraph poles.
At the road turn right, then left by the double electricity poles along path, hedge on left, field on right. (There is a good view of The Tower of Lavenham Church behind you).
In the corner of the field, go ahead through a gap in the hedge. Bear slightly right (almost straight ahead), and follow path, hedge on the right, field on left. (way marked).
The track bears left, then right, then left,  then goes right through a gap in the hedge, passing a pond on your left. In 30 metres,  after the next hedge, turn left, hedge on the left, field on the right along grassy track.
Turn right at the footpath junction, keeping hedge on your left, field on right.
Continue along path, with hedges on both sides. When you leave this enclosed section, ignore a track off to the right, and continue ahead, hedge on right, field on left, along a grassy track.
About 100 metres  after the track turns left, turn right through a narrow gap in the hedge.(If you go under the telegraph wires, you have missed the turn) In front of you, on the right,  is a building. Go past the building and continue ahead to the road.

Cross the road  WITH CARE and follow the footpath the other side hedge on right, field on left. In the corner of the field, go through a small gap in the hedge to the right, then bear left  along a reinstated path, heading to the left of the church. (If path not reinstated, head towards a point to the left of the church, where there is a sign post, pointing in the direction that you have come from. Sometimes the reinstated path is simply two tractor tracks.)

At the road, turn left, then, in 50 metres, turn right through a gap in the hedge, following footpath sign to the right, hedge on right field on left.
Ignore a first gate on the right, and continue a few metres further to a second gate. Cross a style by this gate. (Ignore large mound to the left). Go beyond second hedge through a gate, then turn immediately left, passing two  chicken pens. There is a notice from the farmer indicating the footpath.
Cross a style into second field, and continue ahead downhill, hedge on left, field on right.
At the bottom of the hill, go down the steps to the road, and turn right.
At the road junction, turn left. (Whelp Street)>

At the sharp left bend in the road, take the public footpath that goes to the right through the trees, then between bushes.(The path bears left, then right, then left again between two telegraph poles.
Continue ahead, bushes on the right, open land to the left.
Cross wooden bridge, and go ahead on grassy track, hedge on right, field on left.
Cross a second wooden bridge (yellow arrow [or go round the bridge], and continue ahead.  In the corner of the field on the right, go straight on, bushes on right, field on left.
Ignore a footpath sign of to the right. On this sign post is a finger post pointing in the direction you need to go.
Track bears left, then goes right through a gap in the hedge.
Go ahead, hedge on right, field on left, along a grassy track.

[At various times you can see the tower of Lavenham Church ahead of you].

In the corner of the field, go left, then immediately right, through a gap in the hedge over a planked bridge, and ahead, hedge on right, field on left.
At yellow arrow: go right, then left, hedge on right, field on left. Track bears left. (Ignore a path off to the right – way marked, over a wooded bridge).
With lone tree in front, at end of hedge on right, turn right, wire fence/trees   on right, field on left.
In corner of field follow path round to the left, with overgrown ground to your right. At the end of the path around the overgrown area, you will come to a new wooden post, with an arrow on it showing the path to be ahead through the waste ground. At this point, with your back to this post, follow reinstated path across the field, heading for a gap in the hedge. (The reinstated path is sometimes two track marks across the field). (If the path has not been reinstated, head across field as stated above, and you should see the large gap in the hedge, which you need to aim for) . When you reach the gap, do not go through it, but turn left along the path for about 50 metres. At a gap in the fence on the right, go through the gap, and immediately turn left, along a path, and follow it through the trees for about 100 metres. The path turns right,  then crosses a field along a reinstated path, heading towards church tower. (to the right of it). (If the path is not reinstated, go across the field heading to the right of the church, and once you have gone over the brow of the hill and are going down, you should see a gap in the hedge, and a post with a yellow arrow on it, which is where you want to aim for.)

Go through gap in the hedge (yellow arrow), and down steps. Turn left, and go downhill, hedge on left, field on right, walking along field edge.
In the corner of the field, the path turns right and goes downhill.
At lane, turn right opposite Brett Farm, and go ahead to a junction.
Turn left and go ahead to junction. Cross road with care. Turn right, and walk along Water Street into Lavenham.  Follow the road to the main road, turn left, and return to the car park.

Well Done!

We hope you have enjoyed the walk.

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts, and/or damage to property.

SUDBURY WW1 ARMISTICE WALK

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SUDBURY WW1 ARMISTICE WALK

START VENUE: Station Road Car Park, or Kingfisher Leisure Centre  Sudbury.
CAR PARKING: Free parking is available at the startsee below.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: There are local buses and a train station.
TERRAIN: the route begins around the streets of Sudbury, then follows paths through Sudbury Meadows, before returning along the old railway line.
REFRESHMENTS: there are many pubs and cafes in Sudbury (at the start), but once in the country there are none.
TOILETS: None.
DISTANCE: 10k

You can park at the Kingfisher Leisure Centre, or Station Road Car Park, opposite Waitrose. The first three hours are free. The address is Station Road, Sudbury, CO10 2SU. [This post code takes you to a car park where you have to pay. At the end of Station road, where you are told to go right, then left, do not turn left, but continue ahead to car park opposite Waitrose]. You will need to get a ticket from the ticket machine and display it in your car.
You will be following parts of The Gainsborough Trail and Talbot Trail. There are numbered posts around the town of Sudbury. You will not visit them all. Information about this walk can be obtained from The Tourist Office which you pass at the start of the walk. The Gainsborough Trail takes you into the countryside around Sudbury.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION  (Updated April 2018)


Leave the car park and turn right to reach a road junction at the corner of Waitrose’s car park. Turn left, along Station Road.
At the junction, turn right.

Bollard 6 is on the corner over the road to your left.

(When the route was checked in April, the bollard was surrounded by fencing, as some construction work was being carried out.)

In 1872, the world famous high wire artist, The Great Blondin, made a visit to Sudbury. On a rope suspended across the yard behind The Anchor in Friar’s Street, Blondin demonstrated his powers by pushing a member of the public across the abyss, in a wheel barrow.

Cross the road and head to The Black Boy Hotel. Turn right, go ahead to the corner and Goal Street on the left, to find The Museum, just into Goal Lane.

The Sudbury Heritage Centre and Museum is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 to 4:00. It is also closed on every third Wednesday from 9:30 to 11:00 for staff training.

One of the threats to Sudbury came from airships (Zeppelins). In one attack, about 30 Zeppelins took part in a raid over East Anglia, targeting munitions factories. Although there were no such factories in Sudbury, one Zeppelin strayed over Sudbury and dropped a string of bombs. Some of them hit a terrace of weaver’s cottages in East Street, killing five people.

(If you did the walk at a time when the Museum was shut, there is an alternative question later on the walk.)

Bollard 1 is to the left of The Heritage Centre door. The Tourist Information Office  and Heritage Centre was originally the gateway to Sudbury Court. Prisoners were locked up in the gaol below to await trial.

Retrace your steps to the junction.

Bollard 2 is under a tree beside a sign post (before you cross the road). Cross the road to finds the 101 Dalmations Monument on the church rails opposite.

This is the site where Pongo and Perdita stopped while searching for their lost puppies.

Turn left  and follow the road round to the right around the church, then cross the road and turn right.

Bollard 3 is on the pavement outside The Gainsborough.

(When the route was checked in January, the bollard was fenced off, because of repairs being carried out on the pavement.)

Queen Boudicea of The Iceni had the support of The Trinovante at Sudbury in AD 44 on her way to route the Roman Garrison at Colchester and burn it to the ground.

 Retrace your steps to the point where the road divides, then cross the road to  the traffic island and turn right, along the footpath beside the church.
 Bear right to pass the statue of Thomas Gainsborough. Then cross a second road to arrive on a pavement outside Boots. Turn left.

Bollard 4 is outside The Black Boy Hotel.

Charles Dickens wrote “Pickwick Papers” in 1836. The Eatanswill setting is thought to be modelled on Sudbury. In one Sudbury election, a wealthy parliamentary candidate is said to have spent £10,000 in bribing voters.

Continue ahead to the right of The HSBC Bank. Cross the road at the traffic lights, and turn right.

Bollard 5 is  outside The Hair Gallery.

In April 1879, a young apprentice named James Bigmore, ran alongside the Norwich coach, all the way from Sudbury to Norwich, a distance of 60 miles in 6 hours.

Cross the road, and immediately turn right into Weavers Lane, which leads into Church Walk, passing the entrance to Gainsborough House on the left. Turn left into Gregory St, then immediately right into Walnut Tree Lane.

Bollard 13 is outside St. Gregory’s  Church.

Simon Theobald achieved fame by becoming Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He used is wealth to establish a college for priests in Sudbury at the end of the 14th century. All that remains is the gate to the college standing in St Gregory’s churchyard.

Continue to the end of Walnut Tree Lane. Cross the road, and continue ahead towards a pink building and a church. You pass the fire station on your right. At the pink building, turn right, cross the road and turn next left into Plough Lane. At the end, you arrive in Friars Street.

Bollard Number 9 is in the lay by opposite, and to the right.

Bears were brought to Sudbury by Victorian showmen to entertain the local population. The muzzled animals were taken down the passage beside 54 Church Street, opposite, where the showmen lodged in cheap accommodation at the rear.

Turn left, along Friar Street, cross the road when it is safe to do so, then turn right into Quay Lane (just after the cricket ground on the right]. There is a signpost to River Stour Trust.

 At the end of the lane is Bollard 8.

Access to the North Sea and London by boat allowed Sudbury ‘s industries to thrive. Clay in this region produced bricks that were much sought after, especially in London.

Continue ahead, and cross a bridge to enter a wide track (old railway line). Turn right.
Cross a bridge over the river, and  after crossing second  old railway bridge over Ballingdon Street, turn right and take the ramp down to a junction.  [There is a sign for the Gainsborough trail on the way marker post]. Turn left, and continue ahead to pass the red-brick pumping station.
Go ahead, and pass through the gate into Kings Marsh and bear right across the meadows to a footbridge over river, and after crossing, bear slightly left towards The Mill Hotel (a large white building) and Mill Pool.
At The Mill, go through a gate and follow the way footpath sign, walking with the mill stream on your right.

Follow the path to the floodgates and beyond it to The Croft.
At this junction, ignore a bridge over the river, and continue along the path for about 100 metres, until you reach the old bathing pool, where you cross the river over a bridge on your right. { Fullingpit meadow is to the left].Turn left, go through a gate into North Meadow Common, and follow the path along the edge of the river, passing the Salmon Leap Weir, and a World War 2 Pillbox on the opposite bank.
When you reach a fence, bear right and continue ahead until you come to a wrought iron bridge across the stream. Cross the bridge, then bear diagonally left (10 o’clock)  across the meadows along a path,until you go through a gate and arrive at Brundon Mill Lane on the far side. There are Gainsborough Trail Way markers, indicating the direction you should go.

Turn left here, and walk to Brundon Mill, with its numerous swans. Go over the bridge, and just past the mill turn right, and then as the road bears left, go straight ahead into the Conservation Area. Follow the path, fence/field on the left, hedge on the right, until you come to the next information board.
At the notice board, turn left, where once again The Meadow Walk /Gainsborough Trail connects with The Valley Trail and the old railway track.  You are going to follow this track all the way to the car park and finish – about 2½k. On the way, you will pass under two Victorian brick built bridges, and pass the AFC Ground, the home of Sudbury’s Football Club. You will also pass the ramp to the pumping station on the left.

Well done. We hope you enjoyed the walk.

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts, and/or damage to property.

MOULTON THREE CHURCHES WALK

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MOULTON THREE CHURCHES WALK 

 

Start:  Village Hall, Bridge Street, Moulton, Suffolk. Post Code CB8 8SP
              OS Landranger Map 154 Grid Reference TL696644

 

Distance 11k

Car Parking: there is free parking at the start. Even though there is a sign saying private parking, permission to park here has been given by Richard Marshall, chairman. Please tear off slip at the end of the route description, and place in your windscreen

Public Transport: buses run from Bury St. Edmunds and Newmarket, with a bus-stop close to the start.

Terrain: the route uses minor roads, field footpaths and tracks. It passes through rural areas, woodland and open countryside. It is not suitable for pushchairs. Woods can be muddy in winter.

Refreshments: Moulton Post Office sells pastries, pies, sandwiches, coffee and tea. Take-away or eat on the patio.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION : (checked May 2021)

Exit the village hall car park and turn right down narrow road (Bridge Street).
Cross a small bridge (Packhorse Bridge) and turn right into a narrow road(Brookside).
Continue along road, river on right, to its end at Moulton church (St Peter’s Church).

Turn left through kissing gate into churchyard, pass church on right, to stile behind church.
Cross stile and walk uphill through trees to another stile.
Over stile and bear right across meadow to another stile at top of hill in hedge.
Cross this stile and bear diagonally left across field to hedge (if path not reinstated aim about 40 metres down from tall trees ahead on right).

At hedge go through gap, down steps and over stile onto road, be careful.
Turn right and continue along this narrow road with care.
When road bends sharp left, at footpath finger post on right(may be hidden behind bushes) turn right onto footpath and go ahead with hedge on left then between hedges to Gazeley Church (All Saints Church).

Continue left of church, down steps to main road (The Street).
Turn right on roadside footpath for about 60 metres to road junction on left.

Cross road with care into Higham Road opposite, keep to right-hand side.
At road junction (Tithe Close) cross to a signposted tarmac footpath going diagonally right through a grass area.
At end of footpath turn right to pass in front of houses and into footpath between houses numbered 25 and 26 (25 is on the right)
Go through kissing gate and turn left, hedge/trees on left, to next kissing gate.
Go through gate and straight ahead between fields, then with hedge and electricity poles on right.

At trees, cross a wooden footbridge and bear right into wood (Bluebutton Wood).
Keep to well-worn path just inside wood and follow the Icknield Way markers.
Exit this wood and continue with trees on left, open area on right.

Enter next wood (Blocksey Wood), keep following the Icknield Way markers.
At a multi arrowed waymarker post on left, ignore, keep to right in wood.
Exit the wood, open area on right and trees on left.

Continue ahead into third wood (Brick Kiln Wood),follow the Icknield Way markers and out of wood.
Turn right downhill with trees on right, open field on left and up to field corner.
Infield corner turn right back into trees, still following the Icknield Way markers to finally emerge onto a narrow tarmac country lane.
Turn right in lane, downhill then up to Dalham church (St Mary’s Church) and into churchyard.

Leave churchyard and bear slightly right across grass to a signposted metal kissing gate.
Through gate and down between an avenue of chestnut trees into Dalham village.
Pass through kissing gate onto road and turn left along road (Gazeley Road) then into The Street with care.
At first white footbridge on right and footpath finger posts cross the bridge and immediately turn right, wooden fence on left.

Continue on footpath along edge of three fields to reach trees. Footpath bears slightly right through trees to a narrow road.
Turn right on road with  careand cross a white railed river-bridge (Catford Bridge).
A few metres further along road, at bridleway finger post on left, opposite the large brick walled entrance gate, turn left onto a wide dirt track through trees.

Track narrows and becomes a grass field edge path with hedge on left.
This field edge path later bears slightly left into bushes/trees and becomes enclosed. Continue to reach road and kissing gate into Moulton church yard on right.
Keep ahead on road (Brookside) and at the Old Flint Stone Footbridge on left, cross the bridge and immediately turn right on riverbank to reach the road at the Packhorse Bridge.
Turn left on road (Bridge Street) back to the village hall on left and end of walk.

 

Well done!

We hope you have enjoyed the walk.

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.