Evening Star Walks|
Although never far from the edge of the town and the clamour of the
A14, this circular walk uses a variety of very easy paths to take
you away from the town and into the countryside, full of wildlife,
historical interest and along the edge of the River Orwell. There
are fine views down the river towards Trimley and Felixstowe and a
walk under the tall supports of the Orwell Bridge with a look at the
river up towards Ipswich Docks. The walk could be started from the
end of the Wherstead Road at Bourne Bridge if required and is therefore
a very easy walk to reach from the centre of the town. From the bus shelter on the A137 at Wherstead village, walk along The Street and past the old School House on the right. Continue straight on along the road to the junction and the entrance to Wherstead Park where you will see several quaint village cottages on either side of the road. Continue straight on ahead down a concrete track to the right of the modern buildings and signposted to the church and river. Wherstead Mansion was once the home of the Harlands, Vernon and Dashwoods families but is the now headquarters of Eastern Electricity. On this track there is a good view of the river in the distance and the parish church is well worth a visit, (there are two Norman doorways to be seen). In the 1800s a large copper ball was placed on top of the tower as a guiding mark for vessels on the Orwell, but it was removed in 1902 and the tower restored with pinnacles. Continue past the church and carry on downhill, with the sweeping arches of the Orwell Bridge appearing on the left through the trees and superb views down the river to the right. At the end of the concrete at The Strand (beware of the traffic!) turn right and cross to the roadside verge and walk as far as the first lay-by on the left. Turn left along the sea wall by a circular walk signpost, following the path back towards Ipswich and passing under the Orwell Bridge. The bridge was officially opened in December 1982, three years after construction commenced. It is 1,286 metres long and 41 metres high and built of reinforced concrete. Look out for birds on the mudflats, across the water is the former site of the Cliff Quay power station which once dominated this part of the river. Built in the late 1940s, it was fuelled by coal brought up river but now redundant and demolished, only the pylons and wires remain. Follow the path along the river embankment and into the marina, turning first left and then right along the concrete through the centre of the yard and following the footpath signs. The path continues to the left of a concrete access track, between a wire fence and the the adjoining garden fences and hedges. At The Strand, turn right along the roadside footway as far as the Oyster Reach Inn at Bourne Bridge. The pub was formerly called The Ostrich and there are two theories on how it got its name. The first is that there were oyster beds nearby known as the Oyster Ridge. However, it is also likely that the name comes from the crest of Sir Edward Coke (Chief Justice of England) which depicts an ostrich holding a horseshoe in its beak. The inn was built on his estate in the early 17th century, in mythology ostriches were able to eat all kinds of things, in particular iron and so are often shown consuming horseshoes and nails. Turn left in front of the Oyster Reach on the roadside footway up Bourne Hill, the former route of the A137 road, now a cul-de-sac and usually deserted except for traffic heading for the golf range at the top. Continue on past the golf range, passing through a gap in the wooden barrier across the road to reach the new A137, close to the access road leading down on to the A14. Cross the access roads and bridge over the A14 to return to the start at the bus shelter. Fact FileLocation: Wherstead village is 2 miles south of the centre of IpswichStart: The Street, Wherstead village, Ordnance Survey map reference TM 154407 (can be started from Bourne Bridge if required) Length: 3 miles Conditions: Tracks, river wall path and road, no stiles How to get there:- On Foot: Walk to Bourne Bridge at the end of Wherstead Road Public Transport: For details telephone Suffolk County Council's Public Transport Information TraveLine - 0645 583358 By Road: Follow A137 from Ipswich and across the A14 to the first left turn Parking: Free parking available on a section of the old A137 at Wherstead village Refreshments: The Oyster Reach Inn and the Bourne End Stores, Wherstead Road Public Toilets: Bourne Park, entrance off Wherstead Road Map: Ordnance Survey Pathfinder Series sheet 1030 Ipswich and Hadleigh
Map
Evening Star Walks
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