Wickhambrook Walks

Today it was my turn to lead a walk for Joyce's Weekly Walks. I decided to do a two-parter based on this leaflet from the Discover Suffolk website. I'd done the walks back in March and April 2021 (see here, here and here) and thought it was about time we visited Wickhambrook again.

This was the invite:

"Wednesday 21st Sept. Wickhambrook Walks. John will lead a two-part walk from Wickhambrook Memorial Social Centre car park on Cemetery Rd (CB8 8XP) starting at 10:15am. In the morning we will do a 5 1/2 mile loop (with an optional walk through a ford) stopping at Wickhambrook Church. Please bring a packed lunch, which we will have back at the memorial social centre. In the afternoon we will do another 5 1/2 mile loop northwards to Genesis Green and Spring Wood. Wickhambrook boasts three 16th century timber-framed manor houses and ten village greens. We will visit a few of these with some pleasant rural paths and quiet country roads in between. If anyone would like a lift from Dobbies, Bury St. Edmunds at 9:30am, please let John know.  Also, if you would like to do just the afternoon walk, please aim to be the Memorial Social Centre for 12:45pm."

I was joined by Glen and Roland for both walks. These were our routes - in the morning (a combination of the green and blue walks from the leaflet):

...and in the afternoon (the red walk from the leaflet):

Here are a few of my photos.

The Memorial Social Centre is just along the road from the village sign.

Commercial House, a former shop, is apparently the tallest thatched building in Suffolk.

We saw plenty of horses today. These ones rushed across the field to greet us.

We admired this thatched cottage at Attleton Green

We got lovely views as we emerged from the trees after Matlings end. We were now heading for the church.

But first we passed the back of the old rectory...

...and took the bridge over the river by the ford even though it wasn't very deep. "What river is it?", asked Glen. It's not named on the map, but we decided it was a tributary of the River Glem. Maybe it is the eponymous brook from the village name.

We stopped at All Saints, Wickhambrook Church. for our drinks break, but found it locked. The vicar arrived as we were about to get going again saying "Don't come near me. I've just tested positive for Covid".... so we didn't follow him into the church.

The white house opposite was once an inn and between 1940 an 1980 housed the local doctor's surgery.

Towards the end of our monring walk we passed some pretty cyclamen flowers.

Our afternoon walk took us north via Coltsfoot Green... another of the 10 greens of Wickhambrook.

We had a couple of stiles to climb over but otherwise no difficulties. 

Unlikely when I did it before (see here) there was no mud; nor was there much water in the brook. This is what it looked like then...

I varied a route a little from the leaflet to go past the sculptures at Busses Farm.

As we neared Genesis Green we came across a herd of deer in one of the fields with horses.

Genesis Green was our halfway point and drinks stop for the afternoon.

Genesis Green stud is very impressive. This is the house.

We also liked this house near the BT Tower that was the north-western corner of our walk.

Then it was through Spring Wood, which had signs reminding us to keep our eyes peeled for the deer that live in it.

And here is a small group of them.

Then it was back via Colstfoot Green again..

...to the Memorial Social Centre car park.

Well that was a pleasant day's gentle walking with nice rural paths and some interesting sights. Thanks to Glen and Roland for joining me.

You can see more of my photos here on Flickr and more details of our routes here (am) and here (pm) on MapMyWalk.