Lark Valley Trail

We, Bro' and I, set off today, along the public footpath that starts between Anglia bodyworks and the Somerfield Supermarket, along Mildenhall Road, at about 10am. Destination - Flempton Greyhound.

At the beginning of this trail, behind the Padley factory, there was a horrendous stench in the air. Not sure what the source of it was, but maybe you could blame the river and ditches being in flood.

The amount of water in the river was pushing through really fast, and we were starting to experience rain and sleet as we walked along the river Lark towards Fornham, (Fornham Sluice, above).

On from Fornham, behind Hengrave, we come to Culford and walk through the School grounds back down to the river, and this bridge spans the river (above), and the view down stream from the top of it (below).

Carrying on along the Lark Valley Trail (that goes all the way to Mildenhall) got a bit tricky not far from here. The Trail diverted us around a fenced off area, signed as a biological area for the school, through a very boggy field, where we needed to step/jump between clumps of reads to keep our feet out of water.

Having climbed over this style, first, out of this boggy field, I started to laugh at the next sign to greet us on the other side of the fence, much to my brothers puzzlement. " Why weren't we warned of this entering the field!"

Maybe this was what the smell was along the river behind Padley's.

Having emerged out on the road in West Stow, the church bells chimed twelve. We turned right, then left, and walked the road up to Flempton village, and to the Greyhound public house. Once in the pub, they had an open fire going in the public bar, and after a couple of pints of Woodforde's Wherry, my sister-in-law arrived to give us lift back.

No.5