Ipskes one

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A predominantly urban and suburban route from Ipswich train station to the centre of Grange Farm estate. This route can be done without needing to use any steps and is relatively flat. All significant road crossings on this route have pelican crossings.

We walked from Ipswich on a cold, dry day.

The initial part of the route, over Princes St Bridge, is unremarkable other than to note that the access down to the riverside is from the western side of the bridge, not the eastern side as might be implied by the route map. At this point there are steps down to the river, but there is also a ramped access way which heads westward for approx 100m before turning back. The path along the riverbank was quite dirty, with a lot of litter; a low tide added to the sense of decay.

Once over Stoke Bridge and onto the quayside the ambiance improves significantly, with multiple cafes, restaurants and pubs lining the route - if you need to use the facilities do so now because there's nothing else on offer until the end.

Having gone through Alexander Park the route now passes along residential streets with the housing stock getting younger the further east you go. Victorian terraces dominate Woodville Road and its adjacent streets but once over the railway Edwardian semi-detached and detached dominate. Further along, after Caudwell Hall Road, bungalows and semis from the inter-war period are the predominant stock.

After passing the hospital and crossing Heath Road the route has a change in character as streets and pavements are replaced by heathland and paths.

Someone commented that finding the start of the route eastbound over Rushmere Common is awkward and I can see why that might be the case as there are a lot of tracks on the ground at this point. However, the majority of what you see is golf related and runs (at this point) around the edge of the common; the path you want is a 1.5m wide track running straight through the gorse bushes aiming just to the left of the water tower you will see in the distance. At this point the route is at the beginning of the Sandling's Path, a long distance path that goes all the way to Southwold, but you'd never know it due to the lack of signage. For those heading westbound on this Slow Way there are plenty of signs to point you in the right direction.

Across the common the path is very good, sandy and well drained, it is also free from any significant holes, roots and ruts. But as you enter the woodland on the eastern edge of the common the ground gets muddier and less even. In particular, the stretch from Brendon Drive to Bell Lane is muddy and pot-holed.

After crossing Bell Lane the footpath follows a wide swathe of grass known as Long Strops Bridleway, and if you're heading further east than the official end of this Slow Walk I'd recommend staying on this rather than heading up to the Kesgrave end-point.

For those heading to the official end point the northward journey is through a plethora of twists and turns on this modern housing estate until you reach the busway and the local amenities beyond.

As a route, it gets from A to B without too much hassle, although I'm not sure who would want to get to this particular B in the middle of a housing estate. I'm unlikely to walk it again.

I would suggest parts of this to others, particularly the Sandling's Walk sections, but neither end section is attractive. It seems safe enough, although darkness on the Sandling's Walk could present some challenges, and I'm not sure I'd walk the river section at night. But the stretches through the streets look safe enough.

An enjoyable and varied route that took me through some pleasant places where I hadn’t walked before despite living in the area for a long time.

The waterfront in Ipswich was lively with lots of pavement cafes and interesting places to sit. Later there were several nice off-road sections of sandy heath and oak woodland. It felt safe to me.

The first part of the route, along the riverside, would not be good for wheelchair users or pushchairs. There were also some fairly narrow sandy / wooded paths (see photos).

There was one slightly confusing bit in the woods on Rushmere Common where there were several paths to choose from, but I found my way in the end!.

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