Suffolk walk: Captain's wood Bluebells walk 1

 

23/04/22

Bluebells season! Spring time. We thought we wanted to walk through bluebells, so popped down to Captain's wood ( https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/captainswood ) in Sudbourne, near Woodbridge. Lovely wood, sometimes encounter with herd of deer in the field or a little muntjac in woods. Feel really old, yes, often find old oak trees still standing. Feels like ancient people were watching us walking or maybe watching deer to hunt...that kind of feeling. 

Beautiful little woods, sea of bluebells under trees. Every year, we visit here for our spring walk. 

As we walked in to the gate, an old lady with a young lad walked by, she told us bluebells were not fully out yet...But it's always good to check it out. And need a fresh air anyway, walking in woods is the best for this.

A couple walked by, we had chat. Enjoy chatting with fellow walkers. Exchanging some tips, places to visit etc. They came from Cambridge, we chatted about wandlebury ring and Magog Hills, another anscient, hill, and roman road in Wandlebury ring. Both are magic place, I definitely recommend for walks if you are near by. I do like the view from the Magog hill, good view of Cambridge and Addenbrooke's! Anyway, back to Captain's wood. 

Like the old lady earlier told us, bluebells were not fully out yet, need maybe another week or so. So, next weekend will be definitely back here in Captain's wood. Also, need to visit Raydon wood. Cute woodland with bluebells patch.  Both woods, we can pop down to near by beach afterwards for a dip. Love Suffolk,  now I live in East Suffolk, coast is never too far😍

Can't wait for more bluebells walks, might as well, make the most of what we have now. My friend Ani said to me, we are so lucky to have beautiful woodland to visit. 

 I can hear woodpeckers, and birds singing in woods, creating beautiful bird songs and  birds of prey floating in the sky....so calming, and feel so grateful for being here. 

More bluebells.....next weekend...

Suffolk Walk: Carlton Marshes near Lowestoft😊

 

I read on twitter, there was mashes and new footpath was opened in Carlton Marshes, we thought it was near Beccles. We googled how to get there and thought it was close by. So, one afternoon this week, we drove to Carlton Marshes. Never been there before, and always exciting to visit places never been. 

Sat nav took us on funny country roads into big roads towards Lowestoft, it was very closed to Lowestoft from where we were going from. Marcus was a bit suspicious that we drove really close to Lowestoft, which we wasn't expected, it was this way. Anyway, we managed find the reserve and parked our car. 

It was lovely and well looked after, I saw kids and family having picnic in playground, considering the weather. It was quite cloudy and as if it was going to rain, that kind of typical English weather. But it didn't stop us going for a little walk. Marcus read black footpath was just opened, it was supposed to be board walk on marshes, so, we were excited about that. 

Started walking....

I was pretty sure we were following signs.  We even had a map too, somehow we were walking orange footpath 😂 (my favorite colour footpath, in my experience, when I follow orange footpath, I am always lost somewhere. ) However, although ended up following this orange footpath, we walked along river, marsh lands, seeing cows grazing, friendly people/walkers and enjoyed it. Lovely footpath. 

We saw many swans,  geese, white little eaglets ( quite a few and never seen so many in one place), Marsh Harrier, and  a little chinese water deer in further by water. I had my binoculars with me, so I could see what was going on a bit further. Never seen a little chinese water deer before, it looked like a bit muntjac, are they the same especies? 🤓

Many footpaths to try, we defo go back to explore the reserve. It was really flat so, easy to walk. I could hear train went by in the background, I would assume railway was nearby. Next time explore the area by getting on train from our local train station, get off Oulton Broad South (on East coast line by Greater Anglia from Ipswich). Apparently only 20-30 mins walk from the station, hopefully we can get there without getting lost 😆

There were hides too so I recommend to take your binoculars with you if you have one. I purchased mine a while ago from RSPB Mindsmere, and love them.  These days, everywhere I walk, I take them with me, so I can nosy round on wildlife. A staff  there helped me to choose mine, and she was very helpful. 

At the Carlton marshes, there is a cafe and a little shop, you can sit outside on the balcony overlooking the marshes. Very peaceful. 

Later, Marcus's mum confirmed him this place was his uncle's favorite place ( one of) who passed away last year. I can see why he loved it and worked there too, such peaceful, beautiful and amazing wildlife reserve. I saw a few people walking in the field, must've taken different footpath, which I felt I would like to try next time. 

On our way back home, we detoured to Halesworth to purchase more niknaks😆

Carlton Marshes, 

Burnt Hill Lane, 

Carlton Colville 

NR33 8HU

Lowestoft

Suffolk

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---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...........

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

   Phone:01449 737996