Holiday Walk

With the need to prebook anything we wanted to do English Heritage/National Trust wise we only managed to set one day aside for simply walking when we were in Suffolk. In the light of the frequent downpours it turned out to be just as well. On the day we ventured forth on a walk from Woolpit to Rattlesden the weather gods played ball and kept the rain at bay. After the clamour of Lavenham [lovely though it was] the peace and quiet we found on our way round was very welcome.

As we later found out St Mary's in Woolpit has one of the best double hammer beam roofs in the county....cue obligatory photo. At one time it also had a very popular shrine to our Lady of Woolpit and still today there's the Lady Well nearby. Wells are often cited as having special healing properties for ocular ailments. The properties of the water were tested in the 1970s and were found to have higher levels of sulphur than normal. Whether this has any bearing I have no idea!

Woolpit is such a picturesque village with its beautiful buildings and tiny museum. The village pump was erected to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. All good so far, but I'm really not sure about that creepy cobweb festooned creature in the centre. Somebody has placed a stone with it in memory of Sara Everard who was so tragically murdered earlier this year.

Now having left the village the Drinkstone windmills are across the fields. The post mill was built in 1689 and is the oldest in Suffolk and the smock one in 1780. Both are now listed. One of the joys of the area we were staying in was the number of verges overflowing with poppies and seeing the hares.

Onto Rattlesden and just as charming. More chocolate box thatched cottages and even a handful of thatched porches to match. Wonky chimneys and a wild haired figure hiding round the side of the house as you walk out of  the graveyard. Easy to miss that one unless you're snouty like me! The rainbow wall we came across by accident because, as is oft the case, we had managed to lose the path and a sign for "Searchlight Corner" whose story must be WWII related, but unfortunately not one I can find out about to tell.

Have a good weekend folks....we are off for another adventure this weekend and all thanks to Vix and her intrepid weekly National Trust outings she's done the legwork for me for the area we're going to!

Arilx