Glen is again our host for this week's Weekly Walk. It was originally going to be the "Pettistree Pedestrians" walk... this was the invite from Glen...
"Thanks for your interest in the above Wickham Market and Pettistree walk. This email confirms your place on it.
The meeting place is The Hill Long Term car park in central Wickham Market (48 High Street, opposite the Market Square, postcode IP13 0QS) at 10.15 hours for prompt 10.30 start please. Toilets are available here. Packed lunch needed, and to be consumed before a visit to The Greyhound pub in Pettistree towards the end of the walk.
Please note that we have to walk through a nursery at one point. On the two occasions I have done this previously, I have been momentarily showered by some sprinklers. While this was actually quite welcome during summer’s hot weather, on one occasion the water seemed a little dirty. You may therefore choose not to wear your smartest coat even though any sprinkler encounter will be brief! (Of course, if recent damp weather is anything to go by, the sprinklers are unlikely to be necessary!)
See you then, if not sooner. Glen "
Well it was all the usual suspects in the group and we were there in good time. "Does anyone have a burning desire to visit Pettistree?", asked Glen. No-one said "Yes"... I guess if any of us had had such a desire we would have visited it ourselves already. Glen explained the paths of his walk as originally planned were horribly muddy, but he had a different route, which had the added bonus of a spot for lunch under cover. That sounded good as the weather forecast was for there to be a few showers around. We agreed. "In that case", said Glen, we are now the "Rendlesham Revisionists". I think that's what he called the walk - I'm sure he will correct me if I misremembered. But on doing this blog I decided I had a better name, the "Rendlesham Recidivists".... I did say we were the usual suspects!
So this was our route today.
Here are some of my photos, taken on my phone today as I forgot to bring my proper camera.
Glen giving us our pre-walk briefing. The church clock said it was 12 noon, but no, we were on time to start before 10:30.
In the marketplace there was a Cheese and Pie van. Unfortunately it had gone before we got back from our walk.
All Saints, Wickham Market Church has an impressive tower and spire, which can be seen from miles around... as indeed we saw on our walk.
We admired the Glebe allotments as we walk past.
The Orchard Campsite sign says it is in the top 40 of England's Cool Campsites. We wondered what that meant. I'm not sure I'm much the wiser after visiting this site. It doesn't get a mention there.
As we crossed the River Deben, there was a dog swimming.
We would visit this nearby crossroads again on our way back.
We were not far from Sizewell, and the electricity pylons marched across the landscape.
We took a little detour in Campsea Ashe past The Duck, previously known as The Dog and Duck (as described here)...
...and this sign...
...to Wickham Market Station, which is a good 2 miles East of the town, for a refreshment break.
I was tempted by the tomato and butternut squash soup with a bacon roll on the side.
Getting back on track we followed a path that seemed to disappear, but it was just a bit constricted. Even I had to duck under some of the branches.
The official path goes across this field. Glen sensibly led us round the edge, where everyone else walks too.
Passing through the Loudham Estate, Peter told us his son's father-in-law worked for the estate as livestock manager. The estate is owned by Mike Lynch, who controversially made a lot of money selling his firm Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard, as described here.
We passed the impressive Ashe Abbey, which has a long history - founded shortly before 1195 on behalf of two of his sisters by Theobald de Valoines
We waited for a car to pass before going past this puddle.
Glen pointed out this footpath sign, buried in a hedge with no discernible route through the hedge.
Group photo time. In front of the pampas grass. "The most pampered walkers", suggested Glen as the caption for his message with the photo to Joyce.
Steve told us the story, which I had heard too, as described here, "Once a common plant outside suburban houses, pampas grass became known as a sign that the residents were swingers."
I'd better say no more.
We came to a geometrically symmetrical plantation of trees. Straight lines in each direction
We arrived at our lunch stop, St. Gregory's, Rendlesham Church.
As we had our lunch in the porch it started to rain outside.
We liked the notice on the door. I'll leave you, dear reader, to decide which category we fall into.
Inside, the church was quite spartan.
The rain had eased when we carried on. Glen directed us to this tree of nicely ripe bullace plums for our dessert. Very tasty.
Under the lowering skies we could see the spire Wickham Market church in the distance. Can you spot it? I wish I had my zoom lens for that one!
And now we were back at the bridge over the Deben where the dog was swimming before.
As we headed back along the A12 to the underpass, we got another sprinkle of rain and some big puddles to dodge.
Then it was back past the church...
...to the car park. And, oh look, someone has wound up the church clock and it is now telling the right time.
Thanks Glen for a great walk in new territory for us and to the usual suspects for the company.
You can see more details of our route here on MapMyWalk and more of my photos here on Flickr.
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