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A Suffolk Sandlings circular coastal walk.

By Hugh Stewart August 10, 2014 Leave a Comment

Bored with the beach? Try this varied 15 mile walk past and through two reed marshes, heathland, woods, shoreline and farmland. Can be started at Westleton, New Delights car park, Minsmere Cliff or Eastbridge, and can be shortened by 1, 2 or any number of miles. From Westleton (two pubs, one posh, one not) head up the Blythburgh road, take the first path right, and you soon join the Sandlings Walk which is well signposted. Sandlings refers to the sandy/heath area hereabouts. After the bridge zig-zag thrice to cross the unclassified road by the disused pit. Keep northwest then turn first right, to cross the B road and head north on a track parallel to it, then heading more northerly to join the path from the New delights car park. The Sandlings walk takes another route here, but you turn right and go through the woodland “everglades”, expecting to see ‘gators, and then through reed beds to just before the windmill, where turn right and follow the coastal path into and beside Dunwich Forest. At Dunwich, the Bridge Farm tearooms, Ship Inn and  the beach cafe await you in that order. Continue by the coast path past the ruined friary, through Greyfriars Wood and onto Dunwich Heath, aiming for the coastguard cottages. Continue south by the pebbly beach or the sandy path, looking in perhaps at one of the public hides. Turn west at the Sluice for Eastbridge and the excellent Eels foot pub, before heading north then north-west through the lovely oak wood back to Westleton. The canal path (New Cut) looks interesting but is tedious and overgrown. Splendid day out, with varied flora and fauna.

If you turn west a few hundred metres down from the coast guard cottages you can go through the RSPB reserve, take the southern detour (2 hides on the way) and join the route north of the Eels Foot, which takes a mile off the total.

To take yet another mile off, carry straight on southwest on Dunwich heath where the Sandlings Walk turns left, south, through lovely woods, crossing the northern road to the reserve and onto the southern one, where you will soon join the main route and turn north as the road curves left to East Bridge. The curious pollarded appearance of the lime trees on the southern road to the reserve are as a result of the severe October storm of 1987, which did the job naturally.

  • The edge of Dunwich Forest.
  • The New Delights everglade.
  • Westwood Marshes.
  • The Old Windmill, Dingle Marshes.
  • Dunwich beach towards Southwold.
  • Greyfriars Friary.
  • Dunwich Heath
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: sandlings.gpx

Filed Under: Walks

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Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations

24 walks into the hills surrounding the historic and iconic Settle to Carlisle railway, based on the stations between Settle and Appleby. The area has some of the finest walking of the north Pennines: the Craven district around Settle; the Three Peaks area; Dentdale, and Mallerstang and the upper Eden valley.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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Mountain Biking Adventures: Multi-day Routes in Northern Britain

Over the last two decades, mountain biking has developed enormously as a “sport”. We greatly admire the technical and athletic capabilities of modern day mountain bikers and recognise that many excellent guides have been written and custom-built trails set up. In this guide we try to reopen a sense of adventure and wilderness to mountain biking, providing multi-day routes with a remoteness, continuity and “arc” missing from many modern guides with their focus on day and half day outings.

UK £13.95 ( inc. P&P)

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Settle to Carlisle – Hill Walk with Return by Classic Train Route

With over 22,000 ft of ascent in 105 miles set out over 8 days, this walk sets out from Settle, taking in the classic summits of the North Yorkshire Dales, Howgills, Eastern and Northern Lakeland Fells, to arrive at Carlisle. The return journey to Settle by one of the classic train journeys. Illustrated with photographs and route maps.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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Alternative start to the Malham Circular walk

Note, this is now fully described in the Second Edition of "Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations", 2014, walk 1b. If the long Langcliffe Scar track does not appeal, but a bit more hillwork does, try this start: as per the book, walk 1, but at the Malham/Settle road turn right … Read More » about Alternative start to the Malham Circular walk

The Highfields walk, Halton with Aughton.

Another plague walk which we could do from home, and although this seems to be a popular walk for locals, we had never done it, and decided to do it both because of that and as we thought it would be less popular and hence less boot-churned muddy than others round Caton and the Bowland Fells. The … Read More » about The Highfields walk, Halton with Aughton.

A Clougha Pike circuit, avoiding Rigg Lane.

I.e. avoiding any crowds parking there. Start at Little Cragg car park and go down the road, turning right to go over the top of Baines Crag for your first view of Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland Fells. At the road go down then left over the first ladder stile and cross the infant Condor by stone or … Read More » about A Clougha Pike circuit, avoiding Rigg Lane.

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