Hawkedon Walk

Today we joined Joyce on a risk assessment walk for one of her walks in the Suffolk Walking Festival. This one, called "Hawkedon  Horizons"on Friday the 20th May and is already sold out.

This was the invite....

"Friday April 22nd Hawkedon Horizions ..this will be my Risk Assessment walk for the Suffolk Walking Festival so please join me for the 11 mile route. Please bring lunch with you. The cake caravan may be open at Assington Green so bring some cash just in case. We will meet at Hawkedon Church (park on the green) for a 10am start. The nearest postcode is IP29 4NH. Pub is open afterwards too, Queens Head. "

It was the last weekday of the school Easter Holidays so I persuaded Dawn and Sarah to come with me. We had a good turnout with 13 of us in total.

This was our route, going anti-clockwise from Hawkedon. It is based on this walk we did as a group for the first time in July 2020 and is a favourite. It is, in turn, based on one published by Suffolk Magazine - Suffolk's Rolling Hills, by Lindsay Want, published in April 2019.

Here area  few of my photos.

There are lost of buttercups on the green in Hawkedon.

We stopped to admire the pond by Crosslands Farm and Nick told us all about it.

earing the northernmost point of our walk, we found a path had been obliterated.

We didn't fancy walking across that, so most of the group went round the field edge this way...

...while I went the other way. My way was shorter but I had to climb over a gate to get out of the field.

We came to a series of lakes. A memorial stone says they were built by Jo Slater between 1968 and 1972 "for the enjoyment of his family and friends".... and walkers like us!

What was this? There was tape across our path. Some people were laying out the course for a motorcycle event at the weekend.  It was to be the Bury St. Edmunds and District MCC Enduro event. can see the listing here.

We passed the pretty  Cordell Hall.

Continuing southwards, we passed through some oilseed rape, provoking a reminiscence from another Suffolk Walking Festival walk.

We doubled back uphill around a hedgerow to get to Purton Green Farmhouse. It is Grade I listed, possible dating from 1250. "A mediaeval timber-framed aisled hall house which could be dated as early as the late C13. The 2 storey bay at the north end, with service area on the ground storey and solar above, is a replacement of the C15. The 2 storey bay at the south end was added in the C16 and had a fireplace which was demolished when the building was restored by the Landmark Trust in 1971 Only the fine carved lintel remains. The exterior has exposed studding with plaster infill. At the north and south ends the upper storey is jettied on exposed joists. The heavy boarded and ledged doors are restored and the windows are partly original and partly restored, with diamond mullions. The hall has scissor-brace roof trusses, the original timbers are smoke blackened. At the north end the staircase is restored in its original form with solid steps of quartered oak. Roof thatched, hipped. This house is of outstanding importance as one of the earliest framed houses in Britain."

It is now available as a holiday let - "sleeps 4 from £264 for 4 nights". There is no road access, but a wheelbarrow is provided to help you with your luggage.

Time for a drinks break.

We only got a glimpse of the 15th/16th century Giffords Hall as we passed.

We got some lovely views throughout our walk.

We descended to Denston crossing the river Glam by bridge cottage.

We stopped at  St. Nicholas, Denston Church for lunch. "Begun 1474" says the sign. 

We liked the wood carvings on the pew ends....

...and the houses around the green.

Some lovely white horses in the grounds of Denston Hall.

Looking back towards Denson church.

Passing through Laurel Bank we saw this sign.

A little further on we did indeed come across a lot of lambs.

WSe met some friendly horses too.

Our final drinks stop was at All Saints, Stansfield Church. Alas it was locked, so we couldn't go in, but could still sit in the porch.

The churchyard was full of flowers...

...and interesting gravestones.

Not far to go now as we passed the 5-story 1840 Stansfield tower mill, now bereft of its topknot.  It is no longer a brewery.

Shortly afterwards, we got some lovely views of Hawkedon.

and we glimpsed Somerton Church, but we weren't visiting it today.

Then it was down the hill to cross the River Glem again...

..before returning to the church and the buttercups where we started.

What a lovely walk, with so much to see! Thank-you Joyce for leading us round and also to the others for the company. I look forward to helping out on it as a back-marker in the festival.

You can see more details of our route here on MapMyWalk (but don't believe the distance - it was only 11.2 miles) and more of my photos here on Flickr.