Blythburgh Southwold Reeds and rushes, wild marshes There are three iconic landmarks and the cry of the oyster catcher. in Southwold: the lighthouse, the This is the setting for the lofty church pier and St Edmund’s church. of Holy Trinity in Blythburgh that It is obvious that no expense was spared towers above the Blyth estuary. when the church was built in the mid One of the earliest Christian sites in 15th century and it remains one of East Anglia and now known as the Suffolk’s most magnificent buildings. Cathedral of the Marshes, Holy Trinity The lavish interior is resplendent with is also a venue for world class music saints and angels as well as the curious and a glorious landmark for travellers. Jack of the Clock that children adore. Westleton Walberswick Set back behind the vicarage with You’ll see the soaring flint tower of St its abundant foliage, the first you Andrew’s long before you reach this lovely will see of this church is the vast fishing village. Even so, nothing will prepare east window. A rambling churchyard you for the drama of the vast ruin that where wildlife is allowed to flourish surrounds the church, evidence of a far is the perfect place to linger for grander building that fell into decline with the a picnic. The summer festival fall in trade of this once busy trading post. when St Peter’s is bedecked with At St Andrew’s you can truly experience wildflowers is justly famous but this the tranquility of an earlier age. is a church to visit any time of year. Other trails in the series: Framlingham Woolpit Eye Clare Mildenhall Southwold A Step Further Blythburgh St Andrew's Walberswick to t S Peter’s Westleton B1387 Walberswick 6.5 miles / 10.5km each way Westleton St Peter is the fourth church B1125 A12 in the Southwold cluster and you can discover this beautiful church on a Church Heritage Trails cycle ride through some of the loveliest heathland in the county. No.1 in the series: Southwold cluster From St Andrew’s, Walberswick, turn left out of the church gate and take the first sharp right (turning back on yourself) into Lodge Road. After about a mile, you will see Map based on Ordnance Survey Westleton Copyright mapping. All rights Westwood Lodge, former manor house and right reserved. Unauthorised reproduction home of John Hopton whose wealth helped infringes Crown Copyright. Suffolk into County Council Licence No. to rebuild Blythburgh church in the 15th 1000233952012 Devil’s century and whose elaborate tomb is in the Lane, a name chancel there. that mothers used Continue down the track on the Sandlings to conjure up the supposed ghost of the Walk, taking you through Newdelight highwayman Blue-nosed Fisk to stop them Covert where many hundreds of sheep straying too far into the wilds of Darsham! would have grazed in the 17th and 18th At the end of Devil’s Lane, turn left following centuries. Many of the old sheep walks of signs to Westleton. Approaching the village the Suffolk Sandlings still retain their names Green you will see the White Horse Inn on such as East Sheep Walk, Tinker’s Walks your right. Take the Darsham Road down and Newdelight Walks. A few flocks help beside it, turn right and you will see the conserve the open heath although today village hall on your left. The track to the you are just as likely to see church is just past the vicarage on your right. Dartmoor ponies. Take time to explore the church and Reaching the five ways junction at the the wildflowers in the large churchyard B1125 Dunwich road, go straight across before heading back by the same route. towards Hinton. After about a mile (just past The Angels & Pinnacles project covers Poplar Farm), turn sharp left into Bowman’s six clusters of churches across Suffolk. Lane. Follow the road for just over a mile to the T-junction. Turn left, then immediately Walk or cycle between the four churches in each cluster to combine the best of the countryside with Suffolk’s magnificent medieval heritage. www.angelsandpinnacles.org.uk St Edmund’s Southwold – St Andrew’s Walberswick Holy Trinity Blythburgh – St Peter’s Westleton – Church Heritage Trails 1 2 5 5 3 1 4 4 2 3 0 km 1 km 1.5 km Map based on Ordnance Survey Copyright mapping. All rights 0.5m 1m reserved. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright. Suffolk County Council Licence No. 1000233952012 Route — 3 miles / 4.5 km each way Route 2 — 4 miles / 7 km St Andrew's Walberswick to Holy Trinity Blythburgh St Edmund’s Southwold to St Andrew’s Walberswick Turn right outside the B1387, and at the third dry ditch, take Leaving St Edmunds’s church, cross its abundance of wild flowers that turn Walberswick church the diagonal path 3 across open heath Bartholomew Green diagonally towards to heathland gorse and bracken as you and take the first to the gate that is visible in a line of trees. the 17th century Southwold Museum. approach Walberswick Common. right beside the Cross the High Street and take the You will emerge on the B1387 opposite Pause 3 and look to your left to see churchyard. first left towards the common and the the car park at Tinkers Walks; cross with Southwold lighthouse and the tower of At the end water tower, 1 built in 1937 and said care and follow the clearly marked path. St Edmund’s church in the distance. of the road, to hold 150,000 gallons of water. Admire the view through the trees across keep left Keep straight on, following the signpost to the beautiful Blyth estuary to your right. 4 Follow the road across Southwold Common and pick up the main street and church until you are in towards the harbour. Look to your left to the footpath Continue alongside the Angel Marshes Palmers Lane. Near the speed restriction see the tower of St Andrew’s, Walberswick to skirt the where you will discover a bird hide sign is a disposal bin for walkers with dogs. and, with a pair of binoculars, the tower common. 5 out on the boardwalk, great for of Holy Trinity Blythburgh to your right. Reaching the T-junction, turn right Cross the spotting avocet in winter. It is tempting on to the main street. Ahead of you, open heath land to think the marshes were named after Passing the sign to the tennis courts and on the left is the village sign with St on the Sandlings the famous angels in the roof of the Pitstop Café to your right, look ahead to Andrew’s church on the right. Walk 1 to emerge church as Angel Lane in the village is. see the blue and cream harbour cottages on the B1387 about 50 in front of you. When you reach them, On your return journey, you could take an If you look carefully underfoot you might yards east of Eastwoodlodge Farm. turn right on to the cycle path behind the alternative route across the River Blyth by spot an old timber sleeper and in one place cottages, running parallel to the footpath foot ferry 4 instead of crossing the Bailey Opposite the farm is a waymarked path a section of the rails, three feet apart. and continue alongside the River Blyth Bridge. Bikes and dogs are that crosses the field diagonally. Looking You are on the route of the old Southwold until you see the Bailey Bridge 2 ahead. welcome on the ferry. back, you can still clearly see the 90-ft Railway that carried 10,000 passengers Continue back to tower of St Andrew’s. It is easy to imagine in 1900 but closed just 29 years later. The bridge is based on the footings St Edmund’s why it would once have been a landmark of the original railway bridge for the The path passes the garden of the 16th Church via for sailors. Reaching the gate, continue narrow gauge line linking Southwold and century White Hart Public House, said the Suffolk ahead on the Sandlings Walk for about Halesworth. It used to contain a swinging to have once served as a courthouse. Coast Path, 30 yards to a grassy triangle. 2 section to allow wherries to pass and was Continue on the path until it emerges 5 or by demolished just before World War II Fork right keeping the woodland to your on to a track near the A12. Holy Trinity road if you left, then, in about 50 yards, fork right Blythburgh is located to the west of Over the bridge you enter Walberswick are cycling. again (effectively keeping straight ahead). the A12 and can be reached via Priory National Nature Reserve. Continue Continue on this track, roughly parallel with Road, almost opposite the White Hart. straight ahead across the marsh with Toilets are available next to The Anchor www.anchoratwalberswick. Walberswick Village Hall. com and The Bell www.bellinnwalberswick. Toilets are opposite the harbour car Southwold has numerous pubs and cafes, co.uk are both pubs serving food. The Tuck Shop, Walberswick, does park at Southwold and adjacent including Southwold Pier. See opposite take-away coffee and picnic supplies. The White Hart, Blythburgh is a pub serving to Walberswick Village Hall. for places to eat in Walberswick. food www.blythburgh-whitehart.co.uk Light refreshments are available The Pit Stop Cafe on Southwold Common More walks and great days out at: at The Parish Lantern and the is child-friendly and does lunches and www.discoversuffolk.org.uk Potters Wheel in Walberswick.