Sizewell to Thorpeness 010710

A revisit of this lovely coastal walk. Park at Sizewell car park, £1 for 2+ hours.
There is an excellent Beach Cafe where you can enjoy homemade cake or Sausage and Chips. Its been run for some time by an excellent chap, always smiling with friendly, helpful staff. There are also public loos here too.
Turn south up to the black coastguard cottages where the path starts. This takes you along the top of the cliffs with good views in places. Look back to see Southwold and it's gleaming white lighthouse. Part of the path has been lost to erosion and we all hope that access to this wonderful coastline will remain open.
By a Christian activity centre the path dips down to the shoreline which hosts a rather amazing display of beach growing plants.
Further along there is a steep gully back up to the top of the cliffs. If you miss it you can still carry on along the shore to Thorpeness.
Taking the gully back to the top  of the cliffs takes you onto a piece of grassy common. Continue southwards to Thorpeness and you look to your right. You will see the "House in the Clouds" appear. I think this is such a great and wacky local landmark.
As you walk into Thorpeness you can enjoy all the different architecture which I love. Very English and very quirky!
By the Mere there are tearooms. Coffee and cake are just so important to walkers. They can enhance a very good walk into a walk of utter delight, to be relished in our memories as we relive the experience in our minds.

There is a route that takes you back over the common to Sizewell whose huge building structure means you will never be lost around here. Some of the tracks on this route past the golf course are dry, hard gravel and you may prefer to return to Sizewell back the way you came along the seashore and cliffs.. After all the views are great.
Stuart

Barsham 200610 Map231 395895

Can you spot Mr Fox on the 6th picture down?
My walk today started at Barsham village hall on the Beccles to Bungay road, well marked by the red telephone box. Parking in lay by.
My first error  was misreading the church on the map to be the one at Shipmeadow. Footpaths went in a similar direction but crossing a road that did not exist on the map showed something was wrong! He Ho!Unfortunatley it did not take long to walk myself off the map, but fortunately my compass helped me get back to the direction I needed. thank you Sylva!
Walking south for the B1062 took me uphill along Sandy lane which was like Rabbit Hilton. Much jumping down holes.
Then south still, through a cornfield with a path well marked by the farmer, thank you so  much! Through City Farm where I missed the path to, my right but got through without challenge along  a wide farm track to Ringsfield Church and Old Hall Farm.
Turning to my right to travel South West along a bridleway is where I encountered Mr and Mrs Fox who poked their noses up, had a look at me and wandered off. Obviously not impressed with me!
After about 3/4 of a mile the bridleway took me to a lane where a turn northwards, although not on my map would I knew take me back in the right direction. Electric Pylons some say are a blight but to a walker they are a great map referencing point and today helped to guide me back onto the southern edge of my map!
Walking North to a bend took me to a footpath on my left, West, which I duly followed. At the pylon the map shows the path as straight on, that's the map I didn't have! But a full field of peas and no sign of  a path made me doubt so a turn right following the field edge and then through a hedge across a ditch took me to a track past a bungalow to the road again. Phew but then such a challenge in a walk does give you a lot of satisfaction when you can find a way through.
Northwards along a lane to Boundary farm and a footpath to my left, West, took me North with some good views and back to the Beccles - Bungay road. I crossed and trekked along the verge eastwards until another footpath took me away from the road and through fields of corn. Again a well marked path, thank you Mr Farmer. This then takes you after 800 metres to a track running south to take you back to the lay-by.
This walk took me 2 & 1/2 hours and although I got a bit lost I really enjoyed myself.
Stuart

Dunwich Beach Cafe, Dunwich, Suffolk

This is one of my favourite eating establishments. It sits just next to the beach, large inside and a good few seats outside. Functional not fancy.
You sit outside in sight of Southwold along the coast and on a sunny day the white lighthouse stands gleaming in  a shimmering haze. A classic view.
This cafe is seriously organised. No matter how busy you always get served and speedily.
I enjoy a pot of tea with cake or go for fresh fish and chips.
Saturday 22 May 2010 I had Fresh lemon sole and Chips. £8.95. Fish was just so delicious, white, succulent, tasty, fresh, heavenly! I sat outside in the sun overlooking the sea on my right and marshes with cows on my left.
Happy people enjoying the day around me. This is a top place.
Stuart

Great Glenham Suffolk Circular Walk 15 03 10 Ref 339612

5.8 Miles
Kindly dropped off by the church at Great Glenham by my wife, walked past the pub and followed the road out of the village until a footpath sign on my right. Along a track with some pruned trees in hedging covered in a green mould??
Past a semi derelict barn, looked like someone had started a project and given up. Wonderful views of open countryside.Pigs in pens, bridges across streams, large country houses, a path hacked through dead sweetcorn plants. Paths across bare earth fields with the path marked with small white pegs, what an understanding farmer to help keep us on the right path. Snowdrops lots!

Fairly easy going, level with mostly dry ground.

Framlingham November 2009

The first week of November 2009 had a fabulous week staying in a converted barn just outside Framlingham. Pictures show the view form the kitchen window of dramatic sky and open fields.

Rain downpours on some days and wonderfully crisp sunshine days as well. Completed a circular walk to Framlingham and return. Footpaths over ploughed fields were a bit boggy but glorious open countryside.

Crettingham 04 11 0

TM 602229 Approx 4.4 Miles

This walk is courtesy of the Jarrold "Walks in Suffolk.

Starting at the village of Crettington, 2 miles south of Earl Soham the walk takes you over an upper tributary of the River Deben, through the local golf course on to Brandeston. You cross a ford, (there is a little bridge so no wet feet) and then return via Friday Street to Cretingham. Great views across rolling open fields. The countryside seems to be full of berries and pictured is a bush full of Sloes and even some pink berries which I am still trying to identify.

Dunwich beach and forest-Circular Walk-1.5 hours- 9/10

Approx 4 Miles

Park on car park on Dunwich Beach, not Dunwich Heath

Walk back through Dunwich to the church.

At this junction there is a signposted bridle path, follow this.

Pass cottages on your left and you will then come to a house on your right. At a signposted footpath by the house turn right. This takes you around the garden of the house then across boggy ground over railway sleepers. I like this part.

After the railway sleepers you cross a little bridge and are in the forest. Walk on for 100 yards and turn left onto a path through the trees. Not up the hill ahead.

Follow the path through the trees and enjoy the forest.

You will come to a stone bridleway /path at right angles to your forest path. Turn right going uphill. Continue along this path and eventually it will turn around to your left around a group of trees or just beforehand you can turn left through a well defined tree tunnel. As you come out of the trees turn left along the path.

Follow path, down and up and eventually you will come to a wooden seat with a path signposted left across a small valley. Take this left turn path.

Follow path down track and across side of a field until you come through a small wooden gate with a map signpost.

Path then is either turn left or straight on. Go straight on and continue until you come to another broad stone path at right angles. Turn left here.

Follow path for 100 yards until you come to another map board and take the path to the right through trees.

You will pass by a cottage in the woods and eventually come to the other end of the bridal path where you started your walk by the church.The path is signposted. Take this path to return down the bridleway to Dunwich church.

If by the church you turn left you can walk 200 yds to a little plant nursery with a wonderful tea broom with homemade cake. You will not be disappointed!

Hope Im not telling you to suck eggs but whenever I go near a forest I always take a compass. Otherwise the terrain can be very confusing.

If you do this walk I hope my instructions are ok and don’t get you lost!!

Afterwards you can always pop over to Southwold and sample a few pints of Adnams brewed in the town.

Stuart