The Sandlings Walk

The Sandlings Walk

An overview of the The Sandlings Walk, a 60 mile long distance path through the forests and heaths of East Suffolk

The Sandlings is a 60 mile walk linkng the eastern fringes of Ipswich with Southwold, linking the remaining fragments of beautiful Sandlings Heath. The trail leads through Rendlesham, Tunstall and Dunwich forests and also includes riverside walks at Woodbridge and heathland walks across Rushmere Heath, Sutton Heath, Thorpeness Common and Dunwich Heath.

• Notes
• Directions
• Links
• Maps

Essential Information

Walk Statistics:

Start point: Ipswich View in OS Map | View in Google Map

End Point: Southwold View in OS Map | View in Google Map

Total Walk distance: 65 miles

Walk difficulty: Easy

Maps:

OS Map: OS Explorer Map Sheet 231 Southwold & Bungay
OS Map: OS Explorer Map Sheet 212 Woodbridge & Saxmundham
OS Map: OS Explorer Map Sheet 197 Ipswich, Felixstowe & Harwich

OS Route Map: Full screen plot of route on an OS map

Google Route Map: Full screen plot of route on a Google map

GPX file for walk: Downloadable GPX coordinates of walk

Walk Notes ToC  

There are several starting points for this path on the eastern side of Ipswich. These are at Broke Hall by the junction of Heath Road, on the Woodbridge Road and on Heath Road opposite the hospital. The routes join on Rushmere Heath to head out to Martlesham.

The path is across mainly sandy soil and through forests which make the ground very well drained resulting in little disruption from advesrse weather. There can be diversions set up in the forests due to logging and clearing operations and it is worth checking out up-to-date diversions and information on the suffolk Coast and Heaths website

The Sandlings Walk can be broken down into the following sections:

• Ipswich to Melton: A walk across Rushmere Heath and down to Martlesham Creek where it follows the riverside path through to Woodbridge and Melton.
• Melton to Snape: This section encompasses Sutton Heath and Rendlesham and Tunstall Forests as it winds its way around the now defunct Woodbridge and Bentwaters airbases, renowned for their 1980 UFO encounter that was dubbed the British Roswell.
• Snape to Sizewell: The path leads over open fields through to Friston and Knodishall before it heads to the coast at Sizewell via Thropeness Common
• Sizewell to Dunwich: The original route for the Sandlings went along the beach in front of the Sizewell Power Station and then up through Kenton Hills. This is now been re-routed up across Leiston Common and Sizewell Belts to join the original route at the Kenton Hill car-park. There are some outstanding views as the route leads up and across Dunwich Heath.
• Dunwich to Southwold: The trail leads through Dunwich Forest and around the edge of Westwood marshes before crossing the river Blyth and ending at Southwold.

Being based in Suffolk and living within easy reach The Sandlings Walk, I regularly walk much of the route many times each year. In 2010 I walked the complete path over a period of several days during the Spring, using public transport to link each end of a days walk and making circular routes from many of the central sections. The Suffolk Coast Path, which runs parallel to The Sandlings Walk, makes a convenient route to create a circular walk along a lot of the sections between Southwold and Snape.

Public Transport and Getting Around

At the end of June 2013 Anglian Bus announced that it was withdrawing its service which basically followed the Sandlings route between Knodishall, Leiston and Ipswich. This was a very good hourly service with obliging drivers who would pick up and drop off passengers at any requested point. This was a good method of getting around sections of the Sandlings and has been sorely missed.

With the withdrawal of the Anglian Bus service, First Group have subsequently updated their services to include most of the route that Anglian serviced. The new service is a combination of three services, 64, 64A and 65. The 65 service runs between Aldeburgh to Ipswich via Rendlesham and Woodbridge. The 64A service connects Saxmundham and Aldeburgh via Leiston and is the continuation of the 64 service running between Ipswich and Saxmundham. Through tickets are supposed to be available on all these services but in practice it does take a lot of persuasion to encourage the driver to issue a through ticket when travelling between Saxmundham and the villages from Aldeburgh to Rendlesham, Eyke and Woodbridge. If a driver insists that it requires two separate fares then I have been told by First Group to ask for a 'through ticket to Woodbridge' and ask the driver to look under the star button on his ticket machine. It doesn't fill one with confidence when the passenger knows more about the services and ticket machine operation than the drivers but this is the reality of the situation. In all journeys thus far I have been able to obtain tickets from Leiston to a variety of villages beyond Aldeburgh but it has taken a lot of persistence, sometimes bordering on arguing with the driver.

There are campsites along the route including Waldringfield Moon and Sizpence (just off route), Tangham Forest Camping in Rendlesham Forest, Sizewell Beach View Camping and Caravn Site, Eastbridge Farm Campsite and Southwold Harbour Campsite, plus a youth hostel at Blaxhall which breaks the distance into manageable day-walks.

Kenton Hill woods

Directions ToC  

The path is marked out with the distinct Sandlings design based upon a nightjar. The design is branded onto wooden posts although during 2011 there has been an effort to overmark these with a plastic marker.

From Rushmere Heath the path navigates out to Martlesham and down to the creek where it follows the riverside past Woodbridge and through to Melton. After passing through Bromeswell the path heads out across Sutton Heath and thn enters Rendlesham Forest emrging at Butley. Next is Tunstall forest and a short trek into Snape. The path now enters open coutry side to take in the villages of Friston and Knodishall before heading to the coast at Sizewell. Leiston Common and Sizewell Belts and crossed before heading through Eastbridge and across Dunwich Heath to Dunwich village. The final section leads back inland through Dunwich forest and around Westwood marshes before eventually crossing the River Blyth and ending in Southwold.

Links and Bibliography ToC  

External Information:

• PDF leaflet: The Sandlings Walks, A Step into History
• PDF leaflet: Enjoying Heathland in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths

Walks around The Sandlings

An index of the walks around the long distance path of The Sandlings that are contained on this site. Each walk details pubs en route, transport linking start and end and features to look out for.

A Trek Around Sole Bay

Publlished: 2011-06-11 | Updated: 2013-09-10

A 24 mile circular walk between Sizewell and Southwold along the Suffolk Coast Path and Sandlings Walk.
Read more...

Labels: Circular Walk, Coast Walk, Distance:Hike, Features:Local History, Sandlings, Suffolk, Suffolk Coast Path

 

A Walk around Suffolk's Minsmere Bird Reserve

Publlished: 2013-03-10 | Updated: 2013-10-02

A 10 mile circular walk through the Suffolk Coastal Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty taking in Sizewell and the Minsmere Bird Reserve
Read more...

Labels: Circular Walk, Coast Walk, Distance:Medium, Features:Local History, Features:Nature Reserve, Sandlings, Suffolk, Suffolk Coast Path

 

A Walk through the Woods on Kenton and Goose Hills

Publlished: 2012-10-20 | Updated: 2013-10-02

An 7 mile circular walk through the woodland around Sizewell on the Suffolk Coast
Read more...

Labels: Coast Walk, Distance:Medium, Features:Local History, Forest Walk, Sandlings, Suffolk

 

A Walk to Walberswick

Publlished: 2012-05-30 | Updated: 2013-09-28

A 22 mile circular walk between Leiston and Walberswick incorporating sections of the Suffolk Coast Path and Sandlings Walk.
Read more...

Labels: Circular Walk, Coast Walk, Distance:Hike, Features:Ferries, Features:Local History, Forest Walk, Sandlings, Suffolk, Suffolk Coast Path

 

A Walk to the Dunwich Leper Chapel

Publlished: 2012-03-18 | Updated: 2013-09-28

A 15 mile circular walk from Leiston to Dunwich along the Suffolk Coast Path
Read more...

Labels: Circular Walk, Coast Walk, Distance:Hike, Features:Ruins, Sandlings, Suffolk, Suffolk Coast Path

 

Bromeswell Village Walk

Publlished: 2013-05-12 | Updated: 2013-10-02

A very easy 2 mile walk around the Suffolk Village of Bromeswell
Read more...

Labels: Distance:Short, Features:Castles and Forts, Sandlings, Suffolk

 

In Search of the Lost City of Dunwich

Publlished: 2011-02-28 | Updated: 2013-09-10

Once upon a time Dunwich was the largest city in East Anglia.
Read more...

Labels: Circular Walk, Coast Walk, Distance:long, Features:Local History, Features:Museums, Sandlings, Suffolk, Suffolk Coast Path

 

The Sandlings Walk - Bromeswell to Snape

Publlished: 2010-04-03 | Updated: 2013-09-10

A 16 mile walk along the Suffolk Sandlings Path between Bromeswell and Snape taking in Rendlesham and Tunstall forests
Read more...

Labels: Distance:Hike, Features:Churches and abbeys, Features:Flora and Fauna, Forest Walk, Sandlings, Suffolk, UFO Trails

 

The Sandlings Walk - Dunwich to Southwold

Publlished: 2010-08-29 | Updated: 2013-09-10

A 15 mile circular walk along the Sandlings footpath between Dunwich and Southwold, with an option of returning either via the beach or the Suffolk Coast Path through Dingle Marshes
Read more...

Labels: Circular Walk, Distance:long, Sandlings, Suffolk, Suffolk Coast Path

 

The Sandlings Walk - Ipswich to Melton

Publlished: 2010-04-25 | Updated: 2013-09-10

The Sandlings Walk - Ipswich to Melton
Read more...

Labels: Distance:long, Features:Mills, Features:Waterways, Sandlings, Suffolk

 

The Sandlings Walk - Knodishall to Sizewell Belts

Publlished: 2010-04-02 | Updated: 2013-09-10

A 9 mile circular walk that links Knodishall and Sizewell Belts along Suffolks Sandlings Trail
Read more...

Labels: Circular Walk, Distance:Medium, Features:Flora and Fauna, Features:Local History, Sandlings, Suffolk

 

The Sandlings Walk - Martlesham to Rushmere Heath

Publlished: 2013-06-05 | Updated: 2013-10-02

A 4.5 mile walk across heathland from Martlesham to Rushmere Heath on the eastern fringes of Ipswich
Read more...

Labels: Distance:Short, Features:Commons, Features:Folklore, Features:Local History, Features:Museums, Sandlings, Suffolk

 

The Sandlings Walk - Snape to Knodishall

Publlished: 2012-01-19 | Updated: 2013-09-24

A 14 mile circular walk along the Sandlings Trail between Snape and Knodishall with return along the Sailors Path
Read more...

Labels: Circular Walk, Distance:long, Features:Churches and abbeys, Features:Mills, Sandlings, Suffolk

 

Maps ToC  

OS Map of Route

View map in full window

Google Map of Route

View map in full window

Summary of Document Changes

Last Updated: 2013-10-16+01:00

2012-03-31 : add in Eastbridge Farm campsite and change name of Sizewell Cliff House campsite to Beach View

2013-04-13 : changes to the Suffolk Coast and Heaths website links. Sandloings leaflets no longer available

2013-05-12 : add announcement of the discontinuation of the 165 bus service which serves the southern half of the Sandlings - add in links to PDF leaflets

2013-10-16 : update linkks and add in transport information about new First Group services

Related Walks

• Walks around Woodbridge
• Walks around Melton
• Walks around Rendlesham Forest
• Walks around Tunstall Forest
• Walks around Snape
• Walks around Eastbridge
• Walks around Dunwich
• Walks around Soutwold