Suffolk Walks--- Bures & Bluebells walks

7/May/ 2016

Cute bluebells

Lovely and warm days, I really miss the weather. It's now started cold here in U.K (now it's November 2016...), winter is coming. Lovely to see some fab colours the nature creates in different seasons. 

Dragon on the hill, we sat on the bench here and had some snacks....

Well, we visited outside of this St. Stephen's Barn before. But we did not get in, usually locked. You need to ring the number on the door at the barn, then, pick up the key or the key holder would bring the key to you. He lives on the farm, where you park the car to get to the barn. From the car park at the furniture shop, walk along the foot path, straight on. After 15-20 mins or so, the foot path divide into two. Carry on walking right footpath. then, the barn/ chapel is there. 

St. Stephen's chapel

St Frances!

The barn looks very impressive, this chapel was, legend says, St. Edmund was crowned there in 855. I live in Bury St Edmund's, where he was once king for East Anglia. This has lot of history in it, it was once barn, then chapel then, hospital etc, it was restored in 1930's. 

This must be lay lines going through there, energy is lovely and ancient people did not build significant churches , abbey or monuments without no reasons (my observations..). They knew places like this was sacred. Just like any other places we visited in the past. 

I do not know what other mean, but Bures must have been one of the sacred places back in days. Also, Bures has a mound too. (I wrote a blog about it before)

Mount Bures

Apparently nothing inside, but who knows, may not just discovered yet?

After we visited the chapel, we drove off to see the cute bluebells in the Hillhouse woods. Field near by still had rapeseed flowers, contrast on lilac and yellow were amazing. 

Here's some photos from this year's bluebell woods in May. 

In the Bluebell woods

Wild garlic flowers by the stream

Looks pretty but this is rapeseed, and stinks!

Lovely wild orchid

Norfolk Walks---Knettishall Heath

Our first time visit to the Heath

24/May/2015

Knettishall Heath...

We never visited there before, saw the sign and drove near by... So it was time for us to pay a visit. It's just out side Bury St Edmunds, we don't do enough walks around Bury. We almost not to go for walks either. Why? Because it was raining.

Well, if we use "raining" as an excuse for not to go for walks, i feel NEVER able to go out sometimes. Why? Because English weather is very changeable AND always seem to rain (and cloudy). I said this many times before, that is one of reasons why English people wear vest top, shorts and sandals even in cold weather as soon as the sun comes out. otherwise miss the opportunity don't you.

Anyway, for me, as long as I'm kitted out with waterproofs etc, I don't mind walking in rain (as you can see previous blog, We walked in heavy rain in France...)

I might refuse walks using excuse like; "I'm tired". When I use this excuse, I'm usually already grumpy with something or hungry. And chances are, once I have my food and drink, I will be fine for walks...

Anyway, Knettishall Heath was lovely. Well managed and maintained by Suffolk Wild Trust. Beautiful footpath and friendly walkers, and lovely trees... We loved it. I would like to go there again for picnic. There were some picnic benches. There are two car parks. One with small charge, one is free (with time limit). Very peaceful. Ideal for family too.  

Lovely coconutty smell

Knettishall Heath: "The open landscape of Knettishall Heath was created about four thousand years ago when our bronze age ancestors cleared the forest for cultivation and grazing livestock. Since then the land has been used for sheep and rabbit grazing."

Knettishall, Diss, Norfolk

• Tel:  01953 688265

Suffolk Walks--- Ickworth House & Park

26/May

Since we discovered more footpath and how pretty Ickworth park was, we go there quite often now. I had been there before a half dozen times, but I didn't know there were more walks.

I always walked inside park or footpath where lead to the side of church or go up to pyramid (that's what I call the tall monument Obelisk in the park)..... I never knew Albana footpath lead to big circular walks. When we discovered, I fell in love with the park, it's beautiful place. I love walk both ways from Albana footpath, either go right to see sheep (also cycling path), or walk left to the bottom. This park has lots of old trees, our favo ones are old hazelnut trees by the field and little stream, where you come out from Albana footpath into the farmer's field. Really wild and those trees are huge, I love sitting on one of branches. 

Beautifully maintained yet some parts are wild. Clean and I haven't seen dog poo bag.... Ooops, I tell a lie, I saw one yesterday. Really pisses me off, why can't they take it home, dog walkers pleeeease! 

One thursday, we cycled to Ickworth park from mine. I thought it would take long time, but it only took just over 30mins or so, so, it wasn't too bad. We did big circular, and cycled back to mine, I was tired and hungry. Following day when I went to my yoga class (cor, blimey, feeling it was even harder than usual), I couldn't work out why my legs were tight...till after. 

One of our favo trees

Dragon!

Pretty country side

I love walking here, every time notice how beautiful it is. At moment, I just don't get enough of it. And I love going for a cuppa after our walks to near by Spa.

Flower from Italian Garden

By the way, this park has a huge house & hotel. Also, lovely restaurant and lots of activities. Used to have more houses in the land. We once went and had a good look into the house, it was huge and beautiful. Anyway, I prefer walking and chill out by the trees though...


Ickworth House

• Address:
  The Rotunda, Horringer, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP29 5QE
• Telephone: 01284 735270
• Email:ickworth@nationaltrust.org.uk

Suffolk Walks---Sudbury Meadow

19/May

Carried on from yesterday, we wanted to do more walks, so , decided to go to our local meadow, in Sudbury. I do like it there, every season, it has different views, and it is very pretty especially summer time. Again, it was lovely sunny day, so, as usual, we pottered round the meadow.

 Those brown cows were a little bit timid and tame. Still, cute cows, very curious animals aren't they! 

We found those black cows, they were really friendly, when we stood by the fence, came to us and say hello! Let me touch and liked my hand! They were really cute! A lady walked past with her dog, did say to me those cows were friendly. She was a local, walked the meadow everyday...

Since then, we have been to the meadow every now again for our little walks. It's a ideal place when you want to a bit peace and rest, or don't have a lot of time to drive to country side. Because this meadow id just behind the Waitrose, we buy our snacks, and eat in the meadow. Love picnic there!

Oh, by the way, on our way back home yesterday, we also stopped off to visit a cute church. It's one of our favo church, really cute. every time we go there, it's quiet.... lovely energy! Sorry, I forgot where it is, I'll add the name later.

Suffolk Walks---Bradfield wood

21/April/2014

This wood is situated not far from where I live in Bury St Edmunds. I know a quite few of my friends like to go for walks. I think my friend Sylvia goes there with her dogs(she has two dogs, one is chilled out one, one is cheeky collie who flirts with women).

It's lovely place I do like it. I don't think it's a big woods, somehow, even the car park(quite small) is full, don't really bumped into lots of people. We went there, I think someone told me (sorry, it's been while now since we visited this wood) there were lots of bluebells, so we went. We did see bluebells but not as much as Hill House Wood though. We told a couple we spoke, about the hill house woods to visit for bluebells, but I didn't think they believed us there was more bluebells than the Bradfield Woods.

Anyway, we went in from the front gate and just pottered round. We found a foot path didn't see it before last time we went there. Always find something new! How exciting.

Of course, it was before summer, woods started getting really green and smell really fresh with young leaves. Mmmmm, yum yum.

Found some really funky trees too. They are our favo trees. Amazing that how trees grow, nature is very clever isn't it!

I'm not sure what this butterfly called, very pretty isn't it. Just stopping on the dandelion, chilling out, and didn't seemed to mind me taking a photo... Usually, when I try to take any photos like this, they fly off! So, I felt I was lucky that day.

Yes, yes, we saw some bluebells. Aaaarrrr, soooo calming...........

1. 
   

   1. Suffolk Wild life Trust
2. Address: Bradfield Woods/Felsham Rd, Bury St Edmunds IP30 0AQ

   Phone:01449 737996