Route details, maps, pubs, features, local history and folklore for a wide variety of walks focusing primarily on Norfolk and Suffolk

Walks
Showing posts sorted by date for query Sizewell. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Friday, 6 June 2025

Building a Tree Almanac

View from the path access coming in from Valley Road

Building a Tree Almanac

Diary of a Suffolk Common 2025-06-06

Another wander to add data to a Tree Almanac

Saturday, 5 March 2022

Sizewell Circular Walk 1 of 5 - BLOCKED UP

WARNING

THIS WALK USES BLOCKED UP PATHS AND IS CURRENTLY INACCESSIBLE.

PLEASE CHOOSE ANOTHER WALK.

Sizewell Circular Walk 1 of 5

Sizewell, Goose Hill, Kenton Hills and Sizewell Belts

Walk 1 of a series of five Walks created for the Vulcan Arms pub at Sizewell. This follows the beach to woodland of Goose Hill and Kenton Hills with return across Sisewell Belts. A glorious walk encapsulating the differing landscapes of this special area of Suffolk

Tuesday, 8 February 2022

Suffolk Coast Path Challenge Walk Part 2

Suffolk Coast Path Challenge Walk Part 2

A 2 day challenge walk to complete the Suffolk Coast Path

The second day of a 2 day challenge walk to walk the Suffolk Coast from Languard Fort to the county boundary at Hopton. This second starts at Sizewell and continues through to Hopton

Suffolk Coast Path Challenge Walk Part 1

Suffolk Coast Path Challenge Walk Part 1

A 2 day challenge walk to complete the Suffolk Coast Path

The first day of a 2 day challenge walk to walk the Suffolk Coast from Languard Fort to the county boundary at Hopton. This first day terminates at approximately the half way point of Sizewell

Sunday, 12 December 2021

In Search of Leiston's Ancient Pagan Sites, the Procession Rayles and Gallows

Harrow Lane

A 7 mile walk following the western parish boundary of Leiston in Suffolk, as described in a document from the middle-ages

This walk attempts to follow the instructions of a perambulation around the western side of the Leiston Parish boundary that was undertaken in the year AD1620. Leiston's history is renowned for its Abbey and the Garret's works, but this walk also discovers the site of a possible ancient pre-Christian shrine or temple, the location of the Leiston gallows and the procession route taken by those attending this gruesome public spectacle.

Sunday, 9 February 2020

Suffolk Coast Path

Martello Tower at Bawdsey

An overview of the Suffolk Coast Path, a 60 mile long distance path following the coast of Suffolk

A 60 mile long distance footpath from Felixstowe to Lowestoft in easy stages through some of the characteristic landscapes of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The path also includes the Orford Loop which provides access through to Orford and the Butley Ferry. Alternative beach walks, providing the tide is right, can be undertaken throughout.

Tuesday, 7 January 2020

In Search of the Lost City of Dunwich

A circular walk between Leiston and Dunwich

This walk uses the beach and the Sandlings Path to provide a days walk to Dunwich from Leiston via Sizewell. One should time this walk such that the beach is walked a couple of hours either side of low tide when there is a little sand to walk along. At other times the beach is predominantly shingle and the walker may find it easier to follow the Suffolk Coast Path which is waymarked from the north side of Minsmere where it continues up onto the cliffs.

Kenton Hills and Broom Covert Circular Walk - BLOCKED UP

WARNING

THIS WALK USES BLOCKED UP PATHS AND IS CURRENTLY INACCESSIBLE.

PLEASE CHOOSE ANOTHER WALK.

Broom Covert

A circular walk around the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at Sizewell

This walk uses blocked up paths and is currently inaccessible. There is no access through Goose Hill and down to the beach. Some parts of Kenton hills are accessible. The path across Broom Covert is lined with metal fencing and the path across the meadow to Reckham Pits has been directed. This is due to construction works linked to Sizewell C.

This walk has a diverse landscape that has something for everyone. Woodland, coast and beach, freshwater marsh and Sandlings Heath which is a delight to any visitor and worthy of its status as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The walk heads out of Leiston alongside the man-made Aldhurst Farm nature reserve, an area of wetland, heath and grassland created in 2015 as a sweetener for the local folk should the proposed Sizewell C Power Station get approval. It isn't presently accessible to the public other than the established footpath that runs along the valley and a new path running adjacent to Valley Road. The north side of the reserve was once known as Winters Heath, common land that was enclosed in the early 19th century. Therefore this is not so much as giving something to the community as returning the access rights to the people that such common land once afforded.

Monday, 23 December 2019

Suffolk Coast Path - Sizewell to Aldeburgh Circular Walk

Fishing shacks at Aldeburgh

A circular walk from Sizewell to Aldeburgh along the Suffolk Coast Path

The Suffolk Coast Path does not go into Aldeburgh but it is a simple excursion to continue along the beach all the way down to the unique clover leafed Martello Tower at the vanished village of Slaughden using the old railway track to make a circular walk.

Friday, 6 December 2019

A Country Amble between Leiston and Saxmundham

Broad footpath marked out across the fields to Saxmundham

A 5 mile walk across the Coastal Suffolk landscape between Leiston and Saxmundham

This walk searches out footpaths to connect the neighbouring towns of Leiston and Suffolk. Although there is no direct route, the paths chosen are certainly more conducive to the walker than the busy road route. With the churches of Leiston and Knodishall on the route, plus the mysterious Harris's Pit in the parish of Sternfield there is enough to interest the avid rambler. Sternfield also has the notoriety of being the village from which the last woman to be burnt at the stake in England came.

Thursday, 28 November 2019

A Walk through the Woods on Kenton and Goose Hills - BLOCKED UP

WARNING

THIS WALK USES BLOCKED UP PATHS AND IS CURRENTLY INACCESSIBLE.

PLEASE CHOOSE ANOTHER WALK.

Goose Hill

An easy 7 mile circular walk through the woodland around Sizewell on the Suffolk Coast

Suffolk is not best known for its hills and Kenton Hill and Goose Hill probably would not be regarded as hills but for their name. However this wooded area offers an ever changing scenery throughout the year with the mixture of conifer and broad leafed trees, flora and fauna and a variety of wildlife. There is also a viewing platform overlooking the Minsmere marshes

Sunday, 22 September 2019

In Search of Sizewell Chapel

Broom Covert

A 10 mile walk following the southern side of the parish boundary of Leiston in Suffolk

This walk follows the route of a 17th century perambulation around the southern side of the Leiston Parish boundary. The walk uses the ancient track down to Sizewell and continues down to Thorpe before turning inland to follow the River Hundred through to Cold Fair Green. The details are contained in two articles, this being the first, focusing on the medieval history of Sizewell.

Friday, 18 January 2019

A Walk through the Garden of Suffolk

A 14 mile walk between Saxmundham and Darsham along the East Suffolk Line Walk.

It is Yoxford that gives us the name of this walk which is part of the East Suffolk Line Walks and this specific ramble extends the line walk to return to Leiston where a regular bus service connects the two ends. Yoxford sits on the banks of the River Yox surrounded by three country house parks; Sibton Park that contains large well stocked fishing lake; Grove Park situated in the village; and Rookery Park on the Leiston road. This has earned Yoxford the name of the 'Garden of Suffolk'. The whole route of this walk is a pleasant amble through the rural fields of Suffolk with a return journey through the pretty country lanes following the Minsmere river through to Middleton, Theberton and finally Leiston.

Saturday, 12 January 2019

Down the Blyth Valley in Pursuit of Black Shuck

River Blyth near Halesworth

An 18 mile walk down the Blyth Valley in Suffolk from Halesworth to Blythburgh, then across the heaths and commons to Leiston.

It was the legendary hell hound that supposedly came this way in 1577 and terrified parishioners of Blythbrugh church after doing a similar job at Bungay. This walk is in two sections, the first section follows the River Blyth along the Waveney Way to Blythburgh with the option to continue on to Southwold. The Waveney Way is a Ramblers Association walk and does not have waymarkers along the route. An optional second section cuts across to Westleton and onto Leiston. Both Southwold and Leiston have public transport links to Halesworth making the walk achievable as a linear route without the requirement of assistance of a taxi.

Monday, 7 January 2019

A Walk to the Dunwich Leper Chapel

Leper Chapel

A 14.25 mile circular walk between Leiston to Dunwich

A simple walk using the Suffolk Coast Path from Sizewell to Dunwich with a visit to the ruins of the 12th century Leper Chapel. The return uses the the footpath via Mount Pleasant to get onto the Sandlings Path across Dunwich Heath to return back to Leiston.

Friday, 4 January 2019

A Walk Around the Churches of Knodishall and Friston

An 8.4 mile circular walk around the Suffolk villages of Knodishall and Friston

An easy ramble across the Suffolk countryside, with the highlight being the hidden ruins of St Peters Church in the old parish of Buxlow, now a part of Knodishall. There's some fascinating history on this walk along paths that are off the beaten track but nonetheless well maintained.

Wednesday, 2 January 2019

A Walk around Suffolk's Minsmere Bird Reserve

Minsmere sluice

A 10 mile circular walk through the Suffolk Coastal Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty taking in Sizewell and the Minsmere Bird Reserve

One does not have to have an enthusiasm for ornithology to enjoy this walk. The natural surroundings of marshland and heathland are enough to inspire everyone and there is a lot of associated history along this route which dates back to the 12th century when Leiston Abbey once occupied an island in the marshes. Note that charges apply to the Minsmere section.

A Trek Around Sole Bay

Sole Bay

A 24 mile circular walk between Sizewell and Southwold along the Suffolk Coast Path and Sandlings Walk.

Back in the 17th Century, Southwold was England's main fleet anchorage. Sole Bay (Sawolde Bay) was a bay centred on Southwold with Easton Ness to the North and Dunwich to the South. In May 1672 this bay was the scene of a fierce sea battle when a fleet of 75 Dutch ships took an Anglo-French fleet by surprise. There were heavy losses on both sides in this, the first naval battle of the third Anglo Dutch War, but luckily for the English fleet the wind turned to their favour resulting in their success in the battle. Today coastal erosion has straightened the coastline of the former bay and all that remains of the battle are the stories and the cannons pointing out to sea on Gun Hill.

Tuesday, 1 January 2019

Leiston to Walberswick Circular Walk

Sole Bay

A 22 mile circular walk between Leiston and Walberswick incorporating sections of the Suffolk Coast Path and Sandlings Walk.

This walk uses the beach at low tide to get from Sizewell to Walberswick, returning through Dunwich forest. Walberswick is said to be the most haunted place in Britain though one would not think it from its relaxed and laid back character, famous for its crabbing pastimes.

Leiston to Westwood Marsh

The old Westwood Marsh Pumping Mill

A walk encompassing the Westwood Marshes footpath into a circular route from Leiston

The Westwood Marshes footpath is little gem of a path that links the Newdelight Walks with the Suffolk Coast Path through the Westwood marshes. The route for this walk uses this path as the ultimate destination from Leiston but shorter alternatives to include this path are also detailed.

Walk Summaries

Latest walk summaries are basic information sheets for walks that have yet to be fully documented. These provide links to maps, public transport and walks stats, although detailed notes and features are not included.

Latest Walk Summaries

Featured Walk

In Search of Sizewell Chapel

A 10 mile walk following the southern side of the parish boundary of Leiston in Suffolk This walk follows the route of a 17th century peramb...

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All you need to know about GPX, electronic mapping and how to use modern apps and mobile devices as navigation devices

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Diary of a Suffolk Common

The ramblings and musing of the Griffmonster