Great Finborough Walk

It was snowing first thing, but the day brightened and warmed up a bit so we went for a walk this afternoon. Dawn hadn't walked from Great Finborough before, so I decided to do this one which I had led a couple of times (see here and here). I'd done it in wintertime without it being too muddy so hoped the dry weather recently meant it would be OK... and indeed it was. No mud at all.

This was our route, starting at the car park by the playground in Great Finborough, a figure of eight but we went clockwise all the way.

Here are a few of my photos. Right from the start we came across some cowslips... and we would see plenty more.

We got a great view of Buxhall Church and Mill (visited on this walk).

 We crossed the River Rat via this bridge twice at the crossing point of the figure of eight..

 Climbing up towards the high point of the walk we got more great views.

 

In the distance we could see King Charles the Martyr Church, Shelland, visited on a walk last June (see here)

  

Heading back towards Brooks Farm we walked alongside a ditch full of cowslips.

 We liked this figure on the farm gate.

 

After recrossing the River Rat we walked on the footpath through Stowmarket golf course.

 

We passed through Finborough wood, crossed Lower Road and ascended again past OneHouse Hall, a Grade II listed building dating from the 16th Century. In the lakes in the grounds is a duck house.

 

We tried to get into  St. John the Baptist, Onehouse church.  As described by Simon Knott in his Suffolk Churches write-up linked to above, "[The tower] used to be taller, but by the 1990s, it had become unsafe, and somewhat barbarically it was reduced by two thirds in height, and then partly built up again with modern battlements."

 

 

 We noticed a lot of mistletoe in the trees nearby.

Descending again to the river we passed the Shepherd and Dog pub, alas still not open... but maybe next week it will be.

After a pleasant stretch along the river, with the scent of ramsons starting to come into bloom,  we ascended again via the golf course, passing Finborough School and St. Andrews Church, with its magnificent spire of nearly 300ft that we had seen for most of our walk.

That was lovely! Some great views and lots of cowslips.

You can find more of my photos here on Flickr and more details of our route here on MapMyWalk.