Been members of the Ramblers for years and never gone on a ramblers organised walk – until yesterday. Finally sauntered along to an Ipswich Ramblers led walk around Newbourne, Waldringfield and the Deben. Had the advantages of being one of the local areas we’ve never covered ourselves and we didn’t have to worry about maps etc, just let someone else take the strain. Oh, and it started and finished about 400 yards from the Fox pub, so an excellent lunch and beer followed the hike. About seventeen on the ramble in total, sunny day and very pleasant walk. Sort of trek you could easily return to and do again, if you could remember the way, which of course we can’t. Now we’ve broken the ice, we’ll make the effort to get along to a few more.
Ramblers walk number two yesterday. Kersey area 6.5 miler, starting and finishing at Kersey Mill. Calculated that it’s a mere 18 years since we last went to Kersey which, given it’s only 16 miles away, is a mite pathetic.
Walk number three and the first Friday evening ramble last night. Only a four miler but a very pleasant stroll around the Melton area, including both the Deben estuary and surrounding countryside.
Second Friday evening walk today but Denise on her own for this one as my back not quite up to it. Walk based around the Moon & Mushroom pub and Swilland area.
Walk 5 but just for Denise as I waited excitedly for the gasman to arrive for the annual check. He actually arrived in time for me to just about make it, but the thrill of the yearly maintenance visit proved too much for one day. This walk was based in Peasenhall and apparently the heavens opened around 5 minutes before the finish, drenching everyone before they’d even donned their waterproofs. Consequently, Denise arrived back in a state unbecoming of a woman of her standing (enough said)!
Walk 6 and this time both of us got there. A very pleasant walk around the countryside at Bildeston and Hitcham, another area of Suffolk we hadn’t visited before (and only 20 miles from home). Sunny day, wool town / village churches and a microbrewery pub to finish (beers that you could only get at this Bildeston pub, excellent flavour and very refreshing). Thumbs up for the Kings Head.
Walk 7 since we started and another for Denise only, as back playing up quite badly again. This time a six miler around Henley in lovely autumn weather. Proposed pub lunch afterwards fell through though.
Walk 8 yesterday, both in attendance, very pleasant 7 miler around Stoke By Nayland and Polstead. Made all the more appealing with a stopover at the pub in Polstead (The Cock Inn) for some Nutty Slack (look it up 🙂 )
Walk 9, a seven miler around the Lavenham and Monks Eleigh countryside. Another reasonable morning weather wise, Sunday Roast in the Lavenham Cock (behave, it’s a pub) afterwards and then a stroll round the very lovely wool town of Lavenham with its magnificent Tudor architecture and superb Guildhall. Great way to spend a Sunday.
Walk 10 yesterday, another seven miler, this time around Hollesley. Forest, meadow and track and another morning of great weather – even maybe a little too hot! No pub lunch to follow though!
Walk 11 (just Denise) was another 6 miler around Needham Market and the Gipping Valley. Enjoyable apparently but parking on a Car Boot day proved to be tricky 🙂
Walk 12 was a seven and a half miler around Framlingham and Brandeston. Included an enlightening overview of the hanging motif on the Brandeston village sign from the walk leader. The 17thC was an intolerant, fractious and very political environment (oh, hang on….). Finished off with a lovely Sunday lunch at the Crown in Fram.
Walk 13 (yesterday) was a pleasant six miler around Kirton. Classed as the souperwalk, we finished off in the Church Hall with homemade soup (three types on offer) and an apple pie or crumble dessert. Apparently this is a sort of yearly tradition and a very nice touch, all laid on by the walk leaders. Over forty walkers (and a few non walkers) turned out for it and all were extremely appreciative.
Today we hit Walk 14 with the Ramblers (not too bad in around four months) was a seven and a half miler around Walberswick. Good mixed walk, open countryside, wetlands and marshes and a brief sojourn next to the North Sea. Would have finished off with a Sunday lunch in the Anchor but, apparently, if you hadn’t booked, you couldn’t eat, despite tables being free. Appreciate the need to manage a service but this is a pub, not a Michelin starred restaurant – London critic reviews must have got themselves believing the hype. Pity.
Walk 15 today after missing a couple. Only around five miles starting at Shotley. Excellent walk taking in farmland, river estuary and some interesting and fairly isolated properties along the way. Finished off with lunch at the Suffolk Food Hall. Went to the café, ended up with a snack and only found the Cookhouse restaurant after we’d eaten! One for next time.
Walk 16 yesterday was a slightly damp six miler, starting out at Capel St. Mary and passing through the villages of Great Wenham and Little Wenham. The latter, surprisingly, has a 13th century castle / hall hidden amidst the countryside (actually, it is in effect in someone’s back garden). Hard to see from virtually anywhere except from above, it turns out to be a Grade 1 listed building with an interesting backstory. Finished off with a Sunday lunch at the Harvest Moon Café at the Bypass Nurseries, which was much better than it might sound.
Walk 17 today after an inclement weather enforced break, a seven miler around Dedham, Manningtree and Flatford. Reasonable weather for a ramble and the walk itself took you through some lovely Essex and Suffolk countryside. It was, however, very wet and muddy underfoot. Apparently, Flatford to Dedham had been completely flooded 48 hours earlier. Managed to catch sight of both a cormorant and a very large grey heron on our travails. Only disappointment, we were a little bit too muddy to inflict ourselves on a Dedham pub for a late Sunday lunch afterwards – did I mention it was quite a muddy walk?
First one for a while yesterday (Walk 18) – missed a few through a combination of both suffering with seasonably bad colds and other activities. This one was a six miler around Grundisburgh, taking in the Fynn Valley and Playford. Nice touch from the walk leader and colleague who generously plied us with mulled wine and mince pies at the halfway mark. Suffering after the walk, which shows that at our age, we can’t afford to miss too many before we start seizing up!