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† Norwich The Roman town of Shrubland Times and distances Park Combretovium is not The trail is approximately 7km, or just under 4.5 miles long. Allow around 2 hours N visible, but is marked to I A140 to walk the whole route. If you want to walk a shorter section, the following times I provide a greater should give you an idea... understanding of the Needham Lake to Gallows Hill 30mins Norwich Mill area and its importance Road Gallows Hill to Sharmford 45mins in the past. is roughly Sharmford to Barham Pits 30mins half way. Barham Pits to Picnic Site 5 mins H H Creeting A14 Hills

Riverside Norwich Farm Road

G G A14 Pipps Ford Sharmford Mere Combretovium Site of Roman Causeway 8 † 07 Settlement Lake Pesthouse B1 Lane ad Creeting St Old on Ro Mary rd Broomfield Sand Pit Flo Pit F F A14 Pipps Ford Barham Lock Baylham Sharmford Visitor Lock Bosmere This board can be Lock Centre Old found just off the Lafarge Chalk Pit Gallows Hill Barham ‘B’ Extraction Site main path, on the R Processing iv Site Pit adjoining footpath er Picnic site Gi ppi E E Wild Wood ng Mill Alderson Meadow Lake G IPP Baylham ING Mill Railhead RIVER PATH Hawks & Hills Barham ‘A’ Pit Gallows D D Railway Industrial Area Ipswich Needham Hill Railway Lake H T PA R 113 E B1 IV R G IN IPP t G rke ma Stow Industrial Area C C Gt Blakenham Railway Active Baylham Station Needham Chalk Quarry Market Fish Pond

Baylham St Mary’s Church Darmsden B B Needham B Chalks 1 Gt Blakenham 07 8 Barking

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© Mid District Council 2008 Safety! Safety! Safety! Safety! Safety! Safety! Safety! Safety! Key to the map The map is representative and although set at a scale, you will OTHER FOOTPATHS IN THE AREA ? SUFFOLK MAMMOTH TRAIL PARKING TOILETS GRAVEL TERRACE need to use an Ordnance Survey map for detail, including built Stick to marked footpaths. Take care if you cross the railway line. Look out for lorries and up areas. The map that covers this area is 211 Explorer Map, other traffic. The river path may be flooded or slippery during periods of high rainfall. OLD WEIGHBRIDGE AGGREGATES TRAIL FOOTPATH AGGREGATES TRAIL TAKE CARE CROSSING + PARKING INCLUDING GLACIAL ERRATIC Bury St Edmunds & . Always let someone know where you are going. Don’t forget the Countryside Code! INTERPRETATION PANEL COACHES Below: used with permissionives of the Kindred family arch You can see an active quarry at Gallows Hill, a number of different pits and their uses Find out more Welcome after extraction, as well as walking through agricultural land that looks untouched but There are many sources of information about Welcome to the Aggregates Trail, a was once quarried. Planned restoration is essential now but natural regeneration has aggregates and the local area, past and present. walking trail of discovery through the shaped some of the landscape you see today. This is a small selection: Gipping Valley between AGGREGATES Quarry Products Association - The trade association and Barham. We hope you enjoy Follow in the footsteps of many people through history, who have travelled through for the aggregates and quarry products industry exploring this fascinating area. this valley. The more you explore, the bigger and better the story becomes. TRAIL www.qpa.org The Aggregates Trail is a section of the Gipping The Trail Ipswich Museum - www.ipswich.gov.uk River Path approximately 4.5 miles or 7 km long. The terrain is fairly flat but there can be narrower and boggy parts, particularly during GeoSuffolk - www.geosuffolk.co.uk You can begin at either end of the trail or join part way through, it’s up to you. The river path wet periods, when the river can also flood. There are stiles and gates along the route. Suffolk Wildlife Trust - www.suffolkwildlife.co.uk Gravel Unravelled follows the old navigation from Stowmarket to Please follow the Countryside Code: Suffolk County Council - For information about Rights of Way, Mineral Planning, Ipswich, which is 17 miles long in total. A walking trail through the Gipping Valley Archaeology and more www.suffolk.gov.uk/environment Plan where you are going and follow any signs. The Aggregates Trail reveals a story that began District Council is not responsible for the content of other sites listed. millions of years ago. The landscape is ever Leave gates and property as you find them. changing and today provides evidence of use Protect plants and animals and take your litter home. What we do through many periods of history. Aggregate extraction has revealed a lot about the past, Keep dogs under close control. The Discovery Project is an environmental education has created new landscapes and provides Consider other people. project working with local schools and communities to Thanks to Colchester and Ipswich Museum materials for the future. encourage interest in, enjoyment and an understanding Service for access to specimens in their care and permission to photograph and reproduce of the local natural and built heritage. The Aggregates What are aggregates? Visit www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/things_to_know/countryside_code to find out more. image of this Atlas vertebra (neck bone) from Trail has been developed by the Discovery Project. Aggregates is a word used to describe collections a Woolly Mammoth, discovered in Barham. Highlighted on the map is the Aggregates Trail plus numerous of rock that have been broken down by natural interconnecting local footpaths. Please stick to marked footpaths Numerous individuals and organisations force or by humans. In the Gipping Valley we are talking mainly about sands and and do not enter private land. Local landowners have kindly shared have contributed to this trail and our Contact us gravels, brought to Suffolk during cold phases of the Ice Age. Aggregates have been their knowledge and allowed us to place information on their land. thanks go to all of you. quarried, or extracted, in the Gipping Valley for many years. It is even thought that the Please contact us if you have any questions Romans built their roads in the valley with gravel extracted from small pits. Chalk, clay and There are seats at Needham Lake, Barham Picnic Site and or comments about the Aggregates Trail or flint are also found locally. along the trail. If you would like this document in another Discovery Project. Quarry sites can be restored to provide recreational language or format, of if you require the Discovery Project Officer facilities for people and habitats for wildlife, which Great Blakenham, Barham, Claydon and Needham Market services of an interpreter, please contact Mid Suffolk District Council are positive for the local area. They can also create provide facilities for refreshments. 0845 606 6067. 131 High Street negative feelings, increase traffic during extraction Needham Market and industrial use of the landscape, which can To find out about local public transport please contact To report a problem with a Right of Way Suffolk IP6 8DL degrade the countryside. Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 or visit please contact 0845 606 6067. 01449 724632 http://www.travelineeastanglia.co.uk/. email: [email protected] There are five information boards along the ? Bicycle racks are available at Needham Lake trail for you to discover, together with existing Visit our website www.midsuffolk.gov.uk and Barham Picnic Site. and select ‘Tourism and Countryside’. information at Barham and Needham Lake. As well as the aggregates themselves we take a look at wildlife, archaeology, at terrace recreation, geology and history. Exposure of sand and gravel © Suffolk County Council Barham 30.10.67 © RAD Markham Distance: Approx 7km Time: Approx 2 hours Printed on Revive matt 50% recycled paper 150gsm, with vegetable based inks Designed by Drab Ltd. www.wearedrab.net