Moulton Walk

"We will be walking on Tuesday April 9th. The start point will be Moulton Village Hall. The address is 5 Bridge St, Moulton, Newmarket CB8 8SP and we will start the walk at 10.30am. I hope to include a coffee/lunch stop at The Old Cowshed, Barrow around 1pm. The walk will be 12-13 miles with plenty of ascent and descent and a few stiles. It includes the famous 3 churches walk and Denham Castle ruins.", said the invite to Joyce's Walking Group.

Yes, I was just back from the Mallorca walking event, but I couldn't resist. It was a variation on a great walk from the Suffolk Walking Festival last year - the 3 Churches walk... which I when I met Joyce and got onto her mailing list.

This was our route today.

I managed to forget my camera today, so had to use my phone's camera instead. Here are a few photos.

Joyce briefing us before we go.

We had some daffodils for company as we walked through Moulton.

The Rectory School, which is for sale - more details here.

The Malting kiln in Dalham. "Once a common sight across Suffolk, malting kilns such as Dalham’s are now only to be found at two locations in this county. Not surprisingly therefore this kiln at Malt Kiln House now appears in the Register of Historic Buildings."

Dalham Hall a Grade 2 listed country house, built in the early 1700s, with 3,300-acre (13 km²) estate, now belogning to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. Guess how much he paid? Click the link to see how good your guess was.

Joyce needed her snippers to clear a gap in the hedge.

We stopped at The Old Cowshed in Barrow for refreshments.

It adjoins the amazing Forelock and Load saddlery and gun room.

We headed onwards, not forgetting to look backwards at the view...

...before reaching the site of the 12th cnetury Norman Denham Castle. Only earthworks now remain.

WSe came to the village of Gazeley.

As we passed through the churchyard, Roland kindly shared the last of his chocolate from his holday in Spain a few weeks ago,

We liked this leafy lane.

My phone camera wasn't good enough for this... I wish I'd brought my proper one. In the distance we could just make out Ely cathedral.

We descended back to Moulton through the churchyard there....

.and stopped for 2 photographs...

..including one with me in for a change.

Just before the end we crossed old packhorse bridge, dating from the 14th or 15th century.

Thanks, Joyce for a lovely walk.

Here is a slide show of my photos (Flash required).

You can also see them here on Flickr and see more details of our route  here on MapMyWalk.