Tracks and lanes to Glemham
Suffolk Tracks and Lanes to Glemham
A 22 mile route that can be either walked or cycled through the Suffolk countryside around Snape, Blaxhall and Glenham
A glorious route through the Suffolk countryside using a mixture of lanes, tracks, bridleways and little used country roads. This can be either walked or cycled and provides a full days outing taking in the picturesque villages of Snape, Blaxhall, Little Glemham, Great Glemham and Benhall which these days is split into two with the A12 separating Benhall Low Street from Benhall Green. Along the route is the Parham Airfield Museum, although this is only open on Sundays between April to October.
Essential Information
Walk Statistics:
Total Walk distance: 22 miles
Walk difficulty: Easy
Maps:
OS Map: OS Explorer Map Sheet 212 Woodbridge & Saxmundham
OS Route Map: Available here
Google Route Map: Available here
Walk Data
Date of Walk: 2011-07-18
Start Time: 10:30:00.0Z
End time: 16:30:00.0Z
Walkers: Griffmonster, Kat
Weather Conditions: Sunny day that ended in a heavy rain shower
Equipment: Small backpack
Start Time: 10:30:00.0Z
End time: 16:30:00.0Z
Walkers: Griffmonster, Kat
Weather Conditions: Sunny day that ended in a heavy rain shower
Equipment: Small backpack
Walk Notes ToC
I know this is a walks blog, but on this occasion we cycled this route. Maybe if we start some more extensive cycle rides I will start a sister blog dedicated to such! The previous year we had undertaken a similar route which we walked so it is possible to do this by either method within a day. The bridleway between the Aldeburgh road (A1094) and Snape does mean having to walk whether or not one has a cycle as this is a very rough track. This was originally the road from Leiston to Snape, the road that is now the A1094 only used to lead through to Friston. This can be seen on John Kirby's map of Suffolk from 1736. This track also passes over the old avenue that led up to Friston Hall. Although the avenue is now only a field boundary, it still exists beyond the present A1094 as a lime avenue.
The intention of the day out was to pick up a few more 'stamps' on the Woodfordes Ale Trail. Therefore this meant a little pub crawl incorporating the Plough and Sail at Snape, The Ship at Blaxhall, The Lion at Little Glemham and the Crown at Great Glemham. Unfortunately the Crown appeared to have been recently closed down with a notice on the door reading 'Closed until further notice'. I guess this is the fate of many village pubs in this day and age faced with extortionate taxation on their beer and decreasing customers due to these tight times.
Nonetheless this was an excellent day out although the sadly being a Saturday the Parham Museum was closed - maybe another time. We made it home as the skies darkened and a heavy rain started to wet the ground. Good timing!
Glenham Church
Directions ToC
The route mainly uses country lanes and quiet roads.
Head out of Leiston on the Knodishall road and continue to the junction with the Aldeburgh road. Cross over and follow the bridleway through to Snape. The track eventually joins a country lane which leads into Snape village. At the main road turn left and head down to Snape Maltings. Just beyond the maltings a turn on the right will lead through to Blaxhall. Take the first left into the village and the Blaxhall Ship pub is at the end of the road as it junctions with the road around the village. Turn right then take the first left onto Station Road. As the road bends to the left continue straight on up Church Road and follow the lane to on the right before it meets the cottages. Keep to this lane until the second left lane which will lead into Little Glemham. Keep to the A12 trunk road through the village and take the lane on the right as the road heads up the hill out of the village. Continue to the end of the lane and turn right. Keep to the road until Great Glemham is reached and take the first road on the right. Turn the first left and keep to this lane until the firsts buildings of Sweffling. Turn a sharp right almost back on yourself, then the next two lefts followed by a right which ends on on the A12 Saxmundham bypass. There is a pavement alongside the road until the junction into Saxmundham. Take this road and turn right down towards Benhall. Continue through the village and then turn right onto red Lane. Go straight over at the end junction and then turn right on the next junction and follow the road through to Friston. Head for Friston church then follow the farm track back through to Knodishall. Take the road back into Leiston.
On the left glemham phone box - this was being used as an art gallary for postcard sized water colours - excellent!; On the right Blaxhall village sign
Pubs ToC
Plough and Sail, Snape Maltings View in OS Map | View in Google Map
Website: theploughandsailsnape.com/
There has been a pub here since the 16th century, when it was a smugglers inn at the head of navigation on the River Alde. Throughout this period and right up until 1965 the pub was also the focus for the sailors who traded barley on the Thames Barges that berthed on the quayside. Today, the pub is owned by Deben Inns and provides food and drink for the visitors of the Snape Maltings complex and associated farmer markets, fairs, proms and festivals.
Review
We got talking to an old Lady from Orford as we supped our beer on the wooden benches outside this pub. She told us that it was here that she had her first ever had a pint of beer. 'In those days', she commented, 'the Plough brewed there own beer'. These days the offerings were from Woodfordes and Adnams and very expensive at over £3.60 for a pint of Wherry.
The Ship Inn, Blaxhall View in OS Map | View in Google Map
According to local legend, the pub was supposed to be called the Sheep, but a travelling sign-writer misunderstood the landlord's accent. As is the custom of many pubs in the area, this also gained notoriety for its connections with the smuggling trade that flourished in the 18th century. Today the pub is a quiet country getaway offering fine homemade food and Real Ales as well as chalet accommodation.
Review
Excellent little pub. Excellent beer but we did not sample the food.
The Lion Inn, Little Glemham View in OS Map | View in Google Map
Website: www.lioninnlittleglemham.co.uk/
A traditional pub located on the main A12 through the village offering home cooked food and local ales in a spacious dining area and conservatory.
Review
Two main courses for £11 on offer here. A good lunchtime chilli washed down with some fine Wherry!
Parham airfield museum
Features ToC
Blaxhall Stone View in OS Map | View in Google Map
The Blaxhall Stone is a circular sandstone boulder some 1.52m across and 0.6m high, presently in the yard of Stone Farm, between outhouses and orchard. A legend asserts that it was ploughed up from a nearby field called 'Wrong Land' at the end of the 19th century by the foreman of that farm. When he found it and later dropped it in the yard, it was 'only the size of two fists', having since grown to its present size and weight of about 5 tons. Once, said George Ewart Evans, a cat was unable to pass beneath the lip of the stone, whereas now a dog could go under with ease.
Parham Airfield Museum View in OS Map | View in Google Map
Wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parham_Airfield_Museum
The airfield was constructed in 1942 and handed over to the United States 8th Army Air Force in early summer 1943 before being replaced by the 390th Bombardment Group later that year. After the war the runways were broken up and buildings neglected or used for farm storage. In 1976 a group of enthusiasts started to restore the remaining buildings in order to create a museum dedicated to the endeavours of the Allied Forces that operated out of East Anglia.
The museum comprises the 390th Bombardment Group Memorial Air Museum which is housed in the original World War II control tower and the Museum of the British Resistance Organisation which is located in a Quonset hut adjacent to the control tower. Displays include recovered Second World War aircraft engines, parts of Allied and German aircraft, uniforms, photographs, documents, combat records, paintings and memorabilia.
Benhall Lodge View in OS Map | View in Google Map
Wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benhall
A manor house had existed on the Benhall estate since at least 1538, when it was leased by Charles Brandon. The property known as Benhall Lodge was originally created in 1638 for the then Lord of the Manor Sir Edward Duke, and was rebuilt in 1790 by William Beaumaris Rush, and then by Edward Hollond esq, in 1810. The mansion house has suffered serious fires in 1885 and in 1967, and was slightly restored and remodelled after each. The walled kitchen garden of the country house is now a separate business concern, but the house itself and the surrounding parkland remains private residential property.
A Curious Ghost Story View in OS Map | View in Google Map
Wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benhall
There is an unrban legend which tells a story along the lines of a motorist on a lonely stretch of road late at night who looks in their rear mirror to confront somebody in the rear seat but when they stop they find noone there. Sometimes the story is reversed and its a hitchhier who is innocently picked up only to disappear when the driver glances in the rear view mirror. These urban legends are passed down through conversation and story telling and dont have a specific time or location and the people incvolved are acquaintences of a friend whose identity is unknown.
What I want to relate here is a first hand account of just such a story, although I shall withold their identity as they do wish to withtain their anonynimity, I can vouch that the person involved is a close friend and not subject to such wild story telling. The event happened on a stretch of road where the Leiston to Snape road junctions with the Aldeburgh road. The Aldeburgh road continues on to Snape around a sharp corner with another junction off to Friston. It is on this tight bend that the story occurs. This road is a more modern route, the original route being the track this walk takes through to Snape. The friend involved was driving home alone late one evening. As she came to the Friston junction bend, she let the car slow down ready to turn onto the Leiston road for the final few miles home. It was here that she glanced into her rear view mirror. She was startled to see soemone sitting in the rear seat. The figure was of a man and she caught his face in the mirror. The sight set her heart beating fast and she braved a second look. There was noone there! She didnt hang about for the last couple of miles home and refused to look back in the mirror in case the figure returned. This shook her up somewhat.
The story emerged during casual conversation one evening which had drited onto the subject of urban legends. So, here is a tangible occurence of this urban legend invloving someone I have known for well over 10 years implicitly trust. Of course, we could argue that it was dark, she was tired and the shadows had conjured her mind to see what appeared to be a person. This could well be the explanation, but, soon after the event she had confided to her long-standing friend, only to be told that she too had encountered the same spooky event on that same stretch of road, late one night and that it was something that many local people have experienced. This gives more weight to the story.
Thus far I have found no other individual accounts of such sightings on this road other than the two witnesses in the story. I have found no record of such a history concerning this road but maybe there are many others out there who just confide their stories with friends as this would have if she had not told me.
River Alde at Snape Maltings
Images ToC
Below are a selection of images taken from from the photo album for this walk. There are links to the entire photo album plus a slideshow of all the images. Feel free to browse through these or click on any image to view a larger version in the Gallery.
View complete photo album
Click on an image below to view the Image Gallery
Summary of Document Changes
Last Updated: 2013-04-11+01:00
1 comments:
Griff, you're so modest, maintaining anonymity on this quite beautify blog. As we discussed over lunch, I'm now waiting to see your report on the Glamorgan Coastal path, which begins where I used to live, at St. Athan in South Wales. When I get time I'll post an album (publicly) on my Facebook page to tempt you!!
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