Halesworth - Wenhaston - River Blyth - Halesworth

Malcolm Watts

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This walk is essentially defined by the River Blyth, once a canal, but now rather overgrown and reclaimed by nature. The route takes us from Halesworth, a small Suffolk market town, into the village of Holton, where there is a post windmill, occasionally open to the public and on across farmland to Wenhaston (pronounced Wenaston). The church here contains a fascinating artefact, the Wenhaston Doom, which is well worth a visit. Descending to the river, the walk follows the River Blyth all the way back into Halesworth, taking in a recently created signed trail near the town.

Caution! There are two aspects of this walk, which must be considered beforehand:

(a) The fields between Wenhaston and the river can flood with the combination of spring tides and very wet weather, rendering a few hundred metres impassable. In dry weather, picking one's way across this low-lying land is not a problem, although something more than light trainers might be appreciated.

(b) Around half of the return journey along the river passes through fields populated by very inquisitive cattle. Dog-owners should consider carefully the dangers, as there are no escape routes if the presence of calves raises tensions in the herd.

England - East England - Suffolk - Countryside

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Church, Flowers, Great Views, Industrial Archaeology, Mostly Flat, Pub, Public Transport, River, Wildlife, Woodland
11/22/2017 - Malcolm Watts

Revisited this walk today and it's still pretty much the same as described, but a couple of observations. After WP 03 as you descend the avenue of trees, it is very easy to miss the right turn (as I did). Keep a sharp eye out for the marker in the left hedgerow. Section 12 - the stile has gone. Section 13 - the second stile has disappeared, so look for the gap in the far right hand corner of the field. Wednesday and Saturday mornings there is a charming little community cafe in Wenhaston Village Hall (WP 16).