Stour Valley Walk

...instead, we drove back to Cavendish, turned right along the road past the Nethergate Brewery (which reminds me - East Anglian Beer Festival coming soon!) and through Foxearth to Rodbridge Picnic Site. It was a bit chilly sitting out, but we agreed it was an excellent spot for our picnic.

Just across the River Stour from there is the end of the Valley Walk and I had come prepared by downloading and printing off the leaflet. The main walk follows the path of the disused railway - the old Stour Valley line of the Great Eastern Railway that linked Colchester with Bury St Edmunds.

But we wanted a circular walk rather than just there and back to Sudbury, so about half way along we turned left onto a path down to the river. Here we found an eyrar of swans...

Is that the right collective noun? Maybe it should be a gargle? Whatever...

Our route took us briefly to the main road north out of Sudbury as it passes the common. Here we found the sad remains of Sudbury Hall...

But we were soon back down to the River Stour...

...a bit of recurring theme in our Suffolk/Essex walks this holiday.

We returned to the Valley Walk via the path past Borley Hall...

...Little Miss clutching her collection of swan feathers. Another good walk. And, what with their 3 1/2 mile walk around Clare in the morning that should have tired the kids out for the day!