Wooren one

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This route has issues, particularly issues with access around Rendlesham estate. The entirety of this estate is surrounded by fences and private land, the ONLY means of access is from the A1152 which is a busy road with no pavement for much of its length. There are also three crossings of the A1152 necessary, only one of which is assisted (zebra) and the other two are on high speed sections of this road.

A predominantly rural route from Woodbridge train station to the centre of Rendlesham estate. This route has little in the way of physical obstacles, one short set of steps aside. The busy A1152 is crossed three times.

We walked from Woodbridge on a cold, dry day.

Apart from amenities at either end of this route, there are food, water and toilet facilities at The Wilford Bridge (TM 290 502). The pub marked on the OS map in Eyke (TM 317 518) has long since closed.

The initial part of the route follows the riverside walk along the Deben up to Wilford Bridge. After carefully crossing the A1152 in a 60mph zone the route drops down a set of eight steps to a boardwalk through the reed beds. These steps are the only serious obstacle on the route, see photo.

The route then follows small country lanes for the majority of the way to Eyke. On the day we walked these were quiet and the only thing of note was the large amount of sand and silt deposited on the road outside Sink Farm, a potential hazard to those on wheels.

At Eyke there is a zebra crossing across the A1152. The footpath to the East (TM 318 519) is easily missed as there is no signpost at the road. This path is clearly used by heavy farm vehicles and is very cut up and muddy, although once past Church Farm it gets better. There is a new signpost at the eastern end of this footpath.

Cracks Lane is pretty quiet; Hollesley Road has a bit more traffic, but neither are a nuisance.

At the end of Hollesley Road the route suggests turning left then right up Ash Road before turning onto a track heading northwest into Rendlesham. At this point (TM 329 528) it is not apparent that this is private land, but it is clear pretty soon that there is not a pathway here. When you get to the point on the route map where you should cross into Rendlesham Estate (TM 3324 5301) there is a fence, hedge and gardens to negotiate - clearly not the correct way to go! Following the fence line south brings you to a locked gate on what is now clearly private land. Shimmying past the gate brings you back onto the A1152 near the water tower (TM 333 528).

To avoid the trespassing the options are to walk along the A1152 at a point where it is a 40mph road with no pavement, or divert off the Hollesley Road through Friday Street (TM 332 521) and around the edge of the old USAF airbase to come out on the footpath opposite Acer Drive (TM 338 530)

With suitable adjustments, this would be a pleasant route worthy of a couple more stars.

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