Needham Market Walk

Today we had another walk from Needham Market. We just did one a couple of weeks ago (see here) but today's was a completely different route.

This was the invite from Joyce.

"Tuesday 14th June Back to Needham Market Lakes for a circular walk of 10.5 miles and many new footpaths. You can start with takeaway drinks/toilets at the new Coffee Spot at Needham Lakes (IP6 8NU) called 'The Duck and Tea-Pot before we start walking at 10.10am. We will walk to Creeting St Mary, Creeting St Peter and then after 6.5 miles, drinks/cake at Roots and Shoots garden centre  before Badley Church (lunch stop) and return to Needham Lakes. Expect some long grass/nettles/uneven ground and up and downs on this walk." 

This was our route.

We were joined today by two new members of the group, recruited during the recent Suffolk Walking Festival. Welcome Tania and Laura!

Here are a few of my photos.

We were among the first customers at the Duck and Teapot.

We started by walking along the River Gipping.

As well as fish in the water we saw pretty damselflies above it.

At the village sign in Creeting St. Mary, I was reminded of this Ramblers walk in September 2019 which had followed an identical route so far, but in pouring rain. Carole. the walk leader, at this point asked if wanted to cut it short and just head back to Needham Market, but we were so wet we thought we might as well just keep going. No rain for us today, though!

Although we never stopped to visit it, we saw plenty of views of  St. Mary's church.

 

We were amused by these Platinum Jubilee scarecrows at the primary school.

Off through the countryside, crossing a fenny bit near Fen Farm on some boardwalks....

...and passing some healthy looking crops.

Peas!

Creeting St. Peter village had some pretty gardens...

...and we saw plenty of these pyramidal orchids by the wayside.

Hmm. Maybe what we saw last week (here) was a different form of orchid.

St.Peter's Church is some distance from the village and separated from it by the busy A14. It is very secluded. We came through some trees to get to the churchyard and our fist sight of it.

Our next stop was at the Roots and Shoots. Garden Centre café.

Now we followed the route of this walk up Badley Walk to St. Mary's Badley Church. There are lovely swathes of buttercups in the meadow.

The church, alas, was closed due to vandalism, but were able to use the porch for our lunch stop.

Now we embarked on more paths that were new to me.

And here we had a view again of Creeting St. Mary church.

As we passed along the Causeway, Laura left us..

...while we continued via the Cattle tunnel...

...back to lake and our starting point.

Another lovely walk with pretty villages and pleasant paths... although maybe a touch too much pollen for my eyes and nose at times. Thank-you Joyce and also our fellow walkers for the company.

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