A 25 mile walk along the Icknield Way between Herringswell and Knetishall Heath
This section of the Icknield Way reveals just how remote some areas of Suffolk can be. Apart from a couple of isolated hamlets there is nothing but forest trails and fields for the full 25 miles through to Knettishall Heath. This is perfect for those who like the solitude but one does need to make sure ample food and water supplies are taken for this lengthy hike.
A 26 mile walk along the Icknield Way between Linton and Herringswell
This section of the Icknield Way passes through some idyllic and typical English landscapes where village greens, thatched cottages and traditional country pubs nestle in with babbling brooks and the gently swaying fields of barley that cover the rolling hills. It is a sheer pleasure to wander through. The only issue with this walk is the lack of accommodation unless one makes diversions away from the trail.
A 25 mile walk along the Icknield Way between Herringswell and Knetishall Heath
I never realised just how remote some areas of Suffolk are until I walked this final section of the Icknield Way. Apart from a couple of isolated hamlets there is nothing but forest trails and fields for the full 25 miles through to Knettishall Heath. Starting the walk early in the coolness of the morning is a most wonderful experience, the solitude of such a time is something to really treasure and there is nothing like a good hike before breakfast!
I started the day early, decamping from my wild camp in the woods at 5am in order to not be detected by any early passers by. This time of the day in summer is great for walking, the coolness and solitude is such a pleasure. By the time I had reached Icklingham it was clear the day was going to be a scorcher and as a sat on the dewy grass on the track up to Kings Forest to eat breakfast I was a little concerned with the lack of water, I had just over half a litre left and there was going to be nowhere to purchase more until Knetishall Heath. Luckily, I got talking to an american couple walking their dog who generously donated their bottle of tap water to me. This got me through to Euston, where I was running dry again. Once again, I got talking to a couple who asked directions into Euston Hall and they too gave me a bottle of water.
This was a lengthy and hard walk along sunbaked trails. I never appreciated just how remote some areas of Suffolk are until I walked this section. Apart from passing through Tuddenham and Icklingham in early morning, I encountered no real civilisation throguhout the day. Miles of woodland, fields and not much else.
The woods at Knetishall Heath were all cordoned off for forestry work which necissitated a rather labourious walk along the road in order to get to the Dower House campsite.
This walk completed a route from Avebury to Hunstanton along the Ridgeway, Icknield Way and Peddars Way. The Icknield Way is the only section that is not a desginated National Trail, but I would not hessitate in recommending this to other walkers. Over six days I had covered seven counties - Bucks, Beds, Herts, Cambs, Essex, Suffolk and ended up in Norfolk and completed 120 miles even though the waymarker at Knetishall Heath indicated that Ivinghoe Beacon was only 105 miles distant. I had encountered very few people along the trail and all of these were just local walkers.
Follow the waymarked tracks through to Tuddenham village - continue straight through the village and on to Icklingham. You will find that the bridge crossing The River Lark, just before the Icklingham has been demolished (which on first sight is very disheartening) - but there is another footbridge a few yards to the left. From Icklingham head into the Kings Forest and a straight track leads all the way through to the B1106. The track continues 100 yards up the road. Here there is a branch, to the left the track leads into Thetford, to the right it takes you across to Knetishall Heath where it meets up with the Peddars Way. This track cuts across the fields to the hamlet of Euston and then onto Knetishall Heath
Pub Details
Plain and simple bar on the campsite offering pub food and keg beer.
Icklingham is a village in Suffolk, England.It takes its name from an Iron Age tribe, the Iceni, who lived in the area and has the remains of a Roman settlement to the South. It was also one of the largest Anglo-Saxon settlements in the area.
Euston Hall is a country house, with park by William Kent and Capability Brown and is the family home of the Dukes of Grafton. Euston first appears in the Domesday Book in 1087 as a manor belonging to Bury St. Edmunds Abbey. The estate, in near ruin, was purchased in 1666 by Henry Bennet, Earl of Arlington and Secretary of State to King Charles II. He constructed a grand house in the French style, built around a central court with large pavilions on each corner. In 1672 Charles II arranged a marriage between nine-year-old Henry FitzRoy, his illegitimate son by Barbara Villiers, and Isabella Bennet, the Earl of Arlington's five-year-old heiress. FitzRoy was created 1st Duke of Grafton in 1675, and the young couple went through a second wedding ceremony in 1679 when Isabella had reached the age of twelve, then the minimum legal ago to marry with consent. The Duke and Duchess inherited Euston Hall in 1685. In about 1750 their son, the Second Duke, decided to re-model the house and employed Matthew Brettingham. The domes at Euston were replaced by the low pyramid roofs seen today, and part of the house was refaced. In 1902, a disastrous fire destroyed the south and west wings and the fine Verrio ceilings. The house was soon rebuilt on the same plan, but later the south wing, and most of the west wing, were pulled down by the Tenth Duke in 1952.
The old park was designed by the diarist John Evelyn, a noted landscape gardener and an expert on trees, with a canal, straight rides and avenues. His designs for Euston included the walk through the pleasure grounds which can still be enjoyed today. The whole park and river layout was designed by William Kent in 1738, and is considered one of his great works. His temple and entrance archway survive. Capability Brown worked at Euston intermittently from 1776 to 1784. Euston's watermill was built in the 1670s by Sir Samuel Morland for irrigation and grinding corn. In 1731, it was redesigned by William Kent to resemble a church, and in 1859 an iron waterwheel was added by Charles Burrell. The Temple (not open to the public) is an unusual octagonal folly designed by William Kent in 1746. It was his last work. It has a magnificent octagonal banqueting hall rising to a dome.
Below are a selection of images taken from from the photo album for this walk. Feel free to browse through these or click on any image to view a larger version in the Gallery.
Below is the route depicted on the OpenStreetMap, Ordnance Survey Map and Google Map. Links to full page versions are found in the Essential Information
Last Updated: ... 2014-12-14
A 27 mile walk along the Icknield Way between Linton and Herringswell
This section has some idyllic scenes that would fit a picture postcard of typical England. Fields of gently waving barley sweeping gently across rolling hills under deep blue skies, old pubs by the side of village greens, babblng brooks and streams and villages full of thatched cottages.
From the research done in the weeks prior to setting out on the Icknield Way I had come to the conclusion that I would need to wild camp on this section. Therefore, I started out the day in leisurely mood without any clear destination and with the idea of just getting as far as I got! After a good mornings walk I stopped off at the Bull at Burrough Green and it was such a pleasant experience sitting there in the sun that I spent a full hour lazing there. This set the trend for the day, stopping off at The Marquis of Granby in Stetchworth to sit and watch the world go by, then lazing on the green at Cheveley before continuing with pub stops at Ashley, Dulham and Gazeley. The most dissappointing part of the pub crawl was the fact that all the inns apart from the Affleck Arms at Dulham were Greene King houses. This brewery appears to have a virtual monopoly in the area. The Affleck Arms was a real treat though, this is just off route but well worth searching out and I thoroughly recommend it. Excellent ale, excellent company and excellent old pub.
This was the day of the kissing gate - the previous day had been all styles and now it was all kissing gates. There was some excellent scenes to view, scenes which portrayed typical English countryside, fields of gently waving barley sweeping gently across rolling hills under deep blue skies, old pubs by the side of village greens, babblng brooks and streams and villages full of thatched cottages. This truely was the heart of England. A lot of these villages, I would assume, are full of folk connected to the racing industry in Newmarket. In parts, there were field upon field sectioned into neat paddocks. There was a lot of money in these parts.
Maybe it was the fact that I was having constant stops and refreshment but by the end of the day I had covered well over 25 miles and was still feeling as fresh as a daisey. The only reason I stopped was due to the failing evening light. I had started looking for suitable places to pitch from Dulham onwards. As I walked through the woods near Herringswell it seemed a quite appropriate place, out of the way and with enough cover to disguise my stopover. I waited for a dog walker to get out of sight before nipping into the woodland and springing up the tent. Once cleared of the fallen twigs and bracnhes I found the ground to be very soft and comfortable, in fact I would say you could not have got a better bedding to sleep upon. No sooner had I pitched than the light was gone and it was pitch black. I couldnt see a thing in the tent, I have never known such complete darkness. I attempted to get to sleep but there is always the nagging feeling that I may get disturbed from some angry land owner. An animal came and sniffed at the tent then went away. Then I heard distant barking and then another bark that was closer called back. This continued every few seconds. At first I thought it was dogs from the nearby village but it was soon quite apparant that the noises were emanating from the forest. I convinced myself that this country does not have wolves or any other nasty creatures that eat humans and tried to ignore the noise. It carried on until I eventually drifted into sleep. Later, on my expeditions, I was informed that the barking was muntjac deer - they sound the same as a dogs bark and it is quite common to hear them calling to each other in woodland.
From Linton High Street turn down Meadow Lane on the left as the High Street bears to the right. After 150 yards there will be a waymarker on the right, follow this through the built up area and finally the path will lead up the hill to the water tower from where a good view of Linton is to be had. The trail now leads via a roman road through to Balsham where there is an Icknield Way milestone declaring 'Peddars Way 43 miles' and 'Ridgeway 63 miles'. A broad farm track now leads to Willingham Green and down into Brinkley from where a path across the fields takes you to Burrough Green. The path continues down by the side of the Bull public house, this leads across a series of paddocked fields through to Stetchworth. Walk along the road into the village and the path is located opposite the Marquis of Granby public house and leads across a housing estate road and down the back of a series of houses before going downhill to Devils Dyke. Continue following the paths through some very typical english contryside and paddocks, past Woodditton, through Cheveley and onto Ashley. Follow the Gazeley road out of Ashley downhill to where it meets the river Kennet, turn right and walk through the meadows to Dalham. At Dalham village turn left and head for the church. A path turns right and leads through woodland and across fields to Gazeley where it follows road out of the village towards the A14. There is a path through the fields just prior to reaching the A14 but this rejoins the road to go under the dual carriageway. There is an industrial area on the left, walk through this and a track then leads up through woodland towards Herringswell.
Pub Details
Lovely little village pub set back from the road just off from the village green serving Greene King ales. There is a garden in front of the pub. Food served.
Sitting on the benches in front of the pub watching the world go by was most excellent waste of an hour. Had a pint of Greene Kings Delgardos Heros, a one-off brew to mark the occasion of the rugby world cup.
Pub Details
Greene King pub on the junction of the main roads through Stetchworth. Home cooked food.
I arrived as the pub was about to close. The A-board outside advertised Belly Pork with Potatoes and Veg plus a beer for £6 - had I been earlier I would have certainly gone for this excellent deal.
Pub Details
This pub dates from at least the 1700's when records show that it was owned by a James Langley. In 1866 it was put to auction with the details recorded as a newly erected brick, stone and tile built carriage house, a loose box, stabling for six horses, a small barn, a cart lodge and a range of piggeries plus a small yard. The property finally passed to Greene King ownership in 1890 to which it has remained ever since.
When I entered the pub I appeared to be the only person over 5ft tall. It then dawned upon me that the this was close to Newmarket and was probably a popular haunt for jockeys. Standard Greene King ales.
Pub Details
Charming thatched village pub dating from the 16th century. The pub's name is derived from the Affleck family whom owned the estate that it was built upon. Formerly a Greene King house, the pub is now free of tie and regularly has four guest ales on offer. Accommodation and food available. Reputedly haunted by a Grey Lady.
Very friendly and popular and both the choice of ale and the ale itself was most excellent. IT wasnt long before conversatio sparked up and it soon became apparant that I had missed out on an available room by a mere hour. Well worth searching out and highly recommended.
Pub Details
Village pub said to date from the 16th century with an interesting pub sign. Green King ales. Food available.
On entering the pub I felt distinctly out of place. That moment when all eyes focus on the stranger walking through the door. I was served with minimal conversation. All eyes kept a cautious focus on me, the stranger. I supped up quickly and made my way.
Between Hinton and Balsham the Icknield Way joins a short section of Via Devana, an old Roman Road linking Colchester with Chester. The name Via Devana was coined in 1750 by Charles Mason, a Cambridge geology professor. The name reflects the Roman name for Chester, Deva. An information board details the natural flora and fauna along this section.
Originally settled during Saxon times, the village of Balsham was totally destroyed by Viking raiders in 1010. A sign on the village green commemorates the sole survivor of the attack who escaped by hiding in the parish church. The church of The Holy Trinity is an impressive building, the bell tower dates from the 13th century, whilst the chancel dates from the early 14th century.
Devil's Dyke is generally assumed to be an Anglo-Saxon earthwork which starts on flat farmland and then passes to the west of Newmarket and runs along the edge of the July Course at Newmarket Racecourse before rising gently to an altitude of 100m as it reaches the wooded hills around Woodditton. It crosses the Icknield Way just to the northeast of Stetchworth. In places it is 20 feet wide and 30 feet deep and is thought to have been used to demarcate the boundary of a tribe's influence as well as a barrier to the British tribes to the west.
Dalham is a pretty liitle village full of thatched cottages that sits on the River Kennet. Dalham Malting Kiln is a curious feature sitting on the roadside in Dalham. The former malting kiln is listed in the Register of Historic Buildings and was built in the early Victorian era. There is an inscription on one of the hand-made bricks which reads 'J.D 1846', though it may have been constructed significantly earlier than this as the Enclosure Map of 1820 indicates it was then owned by William Ruffell, who also built and owned the windmill on Stores Hill. Dalham Hall is a Grade 2 listed country house and 33000-acre estate. There is no recorded date as to when the Hall was first constructed though there are records dating back to 1313. Thomas Stuteville bought the estate in 1417, when it is presumed that he rebuilt the house and his family occupied the residence until it was bought by Gilbert Dolben in 1697. There have been numerous other owneres including Cecil Rhodes, although he passed away before taking residence. The hall and its associated stud are currently owned by the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Below are a selection of images taken from from the photo album for this walk. Feel free to browse through these or click on any image to view a larger version in the Gallery.
Below is the route depicted on the OpenStreetMap, Ordnance Survey Map and Google Map. Links to full page versions are found in the Essential Information
Last Updated: ... 2014-12-14
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