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.

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The Sandlings Walk - Knodishall to Snape

A 13 mile circular walk along the Sandlings Walk between Knodishall and Snape

With limited public transport this walk offers a circular route to incorporate the Sandlings path from Knodishall to Snape. Starting and ending at nearby Leiston it incorporates The Sailors Path and the Suffolk Coast Path to make a worthwhile day walk. The route passes Friston mill and Hall and the burial grounds where a Saxon burial ship was discovered. With pubs at Friston and Snape it provides for a great days ramble.

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In Search of Polsborough Gate

A 9.5 mile walk following the old Snape Road to the Sailors Path

This walk links Leiston with the Sailors Path following the old traditional road that used to link the town with Snape. There is then an outstanding ramble across Black heath and Hazlewood marshes through to Aldeburgh where a regular bus service links back with the start. Along this route was what in the 1700s was known as Polsborough Gate, a landmark whose position and derivation is unknown but with a little research some information about it can be determined

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Tracks and lanes to Glemham

A 22 mile route that can be either walked or cycled through the Suffolk countryside around Snape, Blaxhall and Glenham

A glorious route through the Suffolk countryside using a mixture of lanes, tracks, bridleways and little used country roads. This can be either walked or cycled and provides a full days outing taking in the picturesque villages of Snape, Blaxhall, Little Glemham, Great Glemham and Benhall which these days is split into two with the A12 separating Benhall Low Street from Benhall Green. Along the route is the Parham Airfield Museum, although this is only open on Sundays between April to October.

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The Alde Valley Walk - Leiston to Wickham Market

A 16 mile walk along the East Suffolk Line Path between Leiston and Wickham Market

Although the official route for the East Suffolk Line Path links the stations at Saxmundham and Campsea Ashe, this provides an alternative route using the local bus service to link the two ends. Highlights along the route include the picturesque Beversham Mill and the legendary Blaxhall Stone which is said to progressively grow in size.

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Leiston to Hazlewood Circular Walk Summary

A somewhat challenging circular walk to Suffolks ancient parish of Hazlewood

Hazlewood was an ancient parish that bordered the River Alde in the Plomsgate Hundred of Suffolk. In 1934 it was annexed with the neighbouring parishes of Friston and Aldeburgh although names in the landscape still bear testament to its existence, including Hazlewood Common, the ultimate destination of this walk.

This is a challenging walk in respect of 20 yards of jungle to navigate through in order to get to The Grange farmhouse. Navigation of this neglected footpath does involve crawling on all fours as well as climbing across fallen trees. Not a walk for the feint hearted.

This challenge borders a field which was part of a WWI airfield that was in operation between October 1915 and September 1919. Known locally as Hazlewood Aerodrome, this grass airstrip was one of several support sites for RNAS Great Yarmouth and served as a night landing ground. It was also used by aircraft responding to Zeppelin raids. Little remains of the site as all support buildings have now either been demolished or collapsed although there is reputedly some concrete footings that can still be seen.

Other features on this route are the ancient Great Wood and some post medieval quarries. Return is across Aldringham Common where the former Aldringham Providence Baptist Chapel can be seen. Built in 1812, this chapel hidden away on the common was replaced in 1915 with a design by the Suffolk architect, poet and artist, Cecil Howard Lay. It has since been converted into a private residence.

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The Sandlings Walk

An overview of the Sandlings Walk, a 55 mile long distance path through the forests and heaths of East Suffolk

The Sandlings is a 55 mile walk starting at Rushmere Heath on the eastern side of Ipswich with Southwold, passing through the remaining fragments of East Suffolks Sandling Heaths. The trail leads through Rendlesham, Tunstall and Dunwich forests and also includes riverside walks at Woodbridge and heathland walks across Rushmere Heath, Sutton Heath, Thorpeness Common and Dunwich Heath..

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Kenton Hills and Broom Covert Circular Walk - BLOCKED UP

WARNING

THIS WALK USES BLOCKED UP PATHS AND IS CURRENTLY INACCESSIBLE.

PLEASE CHOOSE ANOTHER WALK.

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.

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In Search of Leiston Gibbet, Friday Market Heath and St Andrews Green

A 6 mile walk around the heaths and commons of Coldfair Green

This walk follows an investigation to seek out the location of the Leiston Gibbet and an area of heathland that was known in the 1600's as Friday Market Heath. The only reference to these places comes from an old book from 1910 entitled 'The Chronicles of Theberton' which details the route past the gibbet. This walk attempts to retrace this route by navigating along the heathland and footpaths around the River Hundred which marks the boundary between the hundreds of Blything and Plomestead. Extensive research which has been undertaken and documented in the feature of this walk with some revealing insights to long forgotten places.

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Leiston to Buxlow Church Ruins - Walk Summary

A country ramble to the lost parish of Buxlow

This walk provides a days ramble to view the ruins of Buxlow church. Many may have never heard of the parish of Buxlow, even those local to the area, and they can be forgiven for their ignorance since the parish was consolidated with Knodishall on 22nd February 1721.

Little is left of Buxlow church, which was dedicated to St Peter. There is merely a remnant of a wall from the old round tower that now rests in the garden of a domestic house which is viewable from the track that runs between the two houses. There are suggestions that the church was one of those recorded for Knodishall in the Domesday book and records certainly show there was a rector of the parish from 1301 onwards. By the middle of the 17th century it was reported to be 'decayed and ruinated tyme out of mind' although a rectors of the parish were still being recorded up to 1716 when Robert Witchingham held the honour.

Whilst admiring this piece of history the lady from the adjacent house engaged us in conversation stating that there have been many archaeological finds in the fields to front of the ruins. She even remarked of the many Roman coins that were constantly being unearthed. This is certainly not recorded on the Suffolk Heritage website so this is merely word of mouth. This does spark the imagination as the nearby hamlet of East Green is one of the suggestions of the long lost Roman station of Sitomagus. Maybe there was a connection from East Green to Aldringham which local folklore states was was a Roman port, the river Hundred in those days said to be navigable to sea going ships.

Note that a similar walk is described on this site with an alterntive route. This can be found on the page titled A Walk Around the Churches of Knodishall and Friston.

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A Country Amble between Leiston and 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.

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