Joyce is a bit busy this week, so she asked me if I could lead a walk for the group. She had seen my write-up of my recent Ixworth walk and suggested that could be the basis. I decided to extend it by adding in Walk 3 from the same book to make a figure of 8 walk.
"Our next walk will be Friday 7th February. John is leading a circular country ramble of about 9 miles in the rolling landscape around Ixworth. The route is mostly along bridleways and quiet country lanes, but we could get a couple of muddy bits. On the way we will take in Pakenham Windmill, Stowlangtoft Church and Pakenham Watermill. Meet at Ixworth Village Hall free car park High Street, Ixworth IP31 2HH to start walking at 10am. Bring a drink and snacks/sarnies with you for a brief stop at Stowlangtoft Church half way round. Refreshments afterwards, for those who wish, at The Pykkerell."
I never got to recce the second loop, but it looked quite straightforward... as long as there wasn't any flooding. This was our route.
In all there were just 5 of us and we set off on time. Here are a few of my photos.
The bells ere ringing out from St. Mary's church as we got going. I was tempted to say I had arranged it for us, but I knew no-one would believe me.
We were very quickly in the country. Over to our left through the lingering mist we could see the Grade I listed Ixworth Abbey house, which incorporates ruins of the 12th century Augustinian Ixworth Priory.
We crossed and recrossed The Black Bourn a couple of times. It was pretty full but not overflowing.
In front of us we saw the herd of fallow deer Dawn and I had seen previously. They ran off away from us before we got anywhere near close.
It is a lovely path down from the top of the hill heading towards the Pakenham Windmill.
We crossed the main road and carried on to the mill.
Here there was a sign with information about the village of Pakenham... the only place remaining with a working windmill and watermill.
We passed a garden full of snowdrops.
And now we were in unknown territory. The path along the Black Bourn turned out to be fine.
Before we got to Stowlangtoft, we came across this poster in a bus shelter.
We watched out for them but didn't see any toads today.
Our lunch stop was at St. George, Stowlangtoft church. By now, as you can see, we had beautiful blue skies.
The church was locked so we couldn't visit, but we could sit in the sun for our snacks and drinks.
Nice though it was, sitting in the sun, we had a walk to finish. We headed on through the churchyard, across some of Stowlangtoft Park and onto the minor road heading north.
Damn! Missed! As we walked along the road, there was a hare sat under a tree. "Look, John, there's a hare", said Glen. By the time I got my camera ready it was haring away.
We passed Stowlangtoft Hall, now a residential nursing home. One to put on my list for 20 year's time, perhaps?
Lovely though the weather was, it is still winter. I love the bare trees against the blue sky.
We were heading for Kiln Farm and an instruction to turn left on the footpath and pass the barn. Oh. That looks like the barn might have been converted.
And indeed it had been, about 2 years ago. We followed the footpath sign and met the owners of the conversion. "They are taking so long over diverting the footpath.", they said resignedly and invited us to walk through their property on the footpath route.
Now we were on our way back to Ixworth. We say this nice display of winter aconites as we passed.
We could see Ixworth Church....
...and Pakenham windmill.
Soon we we reached Pakenham Watermill and the lovely topiary by the mill pond.
We headed back, pausing to do a bit of bird-spotting at Micklemere and passing loads of snowdrops...
...and who is that waving from the window of an old car in a garage we passed?
Back in Ixworth, we admired the village sign and the informative panels next to it. A village sign Glen hadn't bagged before today!
The others had to go but Glen and I enjoyed a drink at The Pykkerell, as planned, before heading home. Well. What a lovely day for a lovely walk! Thanks to Glen, Jane, Roland and Teresa who joined me to share it.
You can see more details of our route here on MapMyWalk and more of my photos here on Flickr.
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