After a 17 month gap caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the guided walks from railway stations around Suffolk will be resuming.
A 4 hour, 7.2-mile walk through the beautiful countryside will take place on Saturday 28th August. The first guided walk, which is run by the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership, will start from Framlingham and run to Wickham Market railway station.
The brand new route is more accessible by the Katch taxi bus service which has recently been introduced and part-funded by the Community Rail Partnership for the first time to offer a public transport link between centres and will be picking up walkers from Wickham Market train station and take them to Framlingham to begin the picturesque walk.
The walk's departure will be at 10:30 am in Framlingham, heading past its spectacular church and castle and will head southeast through a range of landscapes. A section of the old Framlingham branch line will be seen along the route. Along with this, walkers will pass by two churches and two former railway station buildings, seen at Parham and Marlesford, with the inclusion of a historic Moat Hall.
Those who wish to take part must book in advance by emailing mail@eastsuffolklines.co.uk
The walk is free but the ride on Katch is £4. with both contactless card and cash accepted. Concessionary passes and Endeavour Cards will not be accepted. Dogs on leads are welcome and food will be available part way and at the end of the walk, but walkers are advised to bring some food/ snacks and enough water for yourself and your four-legged friend.
Even though it's no longer mandatory, those attending the walk are asked to wear a mask on busy trains and on the Katch taxi bus, out of respect for others.
The Partnership has also produced a book of self-guided walks from rail stations which is free and available from most public buildings in Suffolk or online at http://www.eastsuffolkline.com/walks.
The booklet contains detailed maps and diagrams, the duration of each walk, landmarks, details of the scenery along the way, and places to stop for refreshments. All the walks are way-marked with the East Suffolk Line Walks logo.
The Partnership's Chairman, Aaron Taffera, commented, “We're delighted to see the return of our popular walks which help people explore the county's beautiful countryside with the help of a knowledgeable guide.
“With the added benefit of being able to get there and back on one of Greater Anglia's brand new, more environmentally friendly trains, it means that people can discover our beautiful Suffolk countryside while reducing their carbon footprint and without the pollution of additional cars entering the county.”
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I bet local popstar Ed Sheeran would like the idea of that as he grew up at Framlingham.