This is a shorter walk than normal and has the added advantages of being local and has no stiles.  Total distance is 3 miles and at gentle pace it is unlikely to take longer than 2 hours. Maybe an outing for a summers evening?

Park at Denston village hall.  From Wickhambrook, carefully cross the main road at the Plumbers Arms and on reaching Denston turn first right across the bridge and immediately left. If coming from further afield Denston is midway between Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill just off the A143 in a south easterly direction. 

Having parked walk back across the bridge and turn right up lower Denston ‘high street’. Pass the Gospel Hall and after a short distance you will find a kissing gate and footpath sign up a bank to your right. Go through and take the rightmost (is that a word?) path.  This leads down and through a five bar gate and into the next field.  Turn sharp right and head for another metal gate (a narrower version) and a sleeper bridge.  Walk along a wandering stream side path, using a high step bridge, and maybe a second bridge, until you reach the drive to Denston Hall.  Cross this, do not linger under the rookery, go through a metal gate and you will find yourself in the corner of a large meadow.  Stick to the left hand edge (permissive path) until just before the far side when you veer right to reach another narrow metal gate and an ageing (one person at a time) bridge.  Enter the next field and follow the headland to the right. Stay with this around two left hand corners and a gentle right curve until you can make use of a low sleeper bridge in a narrow copse. Follow the post and rail fence, at the corner turn right and left over a bridge, go through a gate and reach the road in the village at Stradishall.  Cross and go left making use of the pavement until you spot, opposite ‘the Malting House’, a finger post pointing between paddocks. Take this grassy rise until you reach the top (good views of Denston to the left) then continue in much the same direction (waymark) into the next field.  This path appears to go to the right of the ditch but the definitive map shows the ditch on the right.  Either option leads to yet another cross-ditch bridge, this time with the luxury of handrails.  Turn left for a short distance then drop down and up a shallow ditch (what no bridge?) go through a gate and turn right. Stick close to the hedge and trees on the right and enter the next field through a wide metal gate. Continue in the same direction and head for a dark gate in the wooden fence facing you and, you’ve guessed it, another wooden bridge.  Cross this, turn left and stay with this headland path down to and around a narrow wood and eventually into the grounds of Denston Hall.  The perimeter fence has just been replaced but the waymark has not.  Go through the metal gate and continue in the same direction heading to the left of a group of 5 mature trees (ash and oak for any tree experts) and then to the right hand side of a fenced lake with accompanying vegetation.  This is a pleasant stretch dropping gently downhill through parkland with good views of the hall and buildings. At the corner of the lake follow the waymark to the left to find an old metal gate in the fence bordering the drive. Go through and turn right to join the drive into the village of Denston. 

If the weather is fair and you could do with a ‘breather’ there is a bench outside the church. This overlooks the houses around the green.  Many of the buildings have stood for over 400 years; over 20 are listed.  Denston was an estate village owned by the Robinsons at Denston Hall, from the early 1600s to 1988 when part of the estate was sold.

Drinking water for the Top Green came from a well on the green, close to where the pump now stands.  The village had four pubs, including the Plumbers Arms, two shops, a clockmaker, a cooper, carriers, a vet, a harness maker, a carpenter and a poorhouse (thought to be Brookside in Lower Green where the unfortunate folk who lived there used to carry out jobs like sewing shrouds)  Now all are private houses. 

When sufficiently recovered rejoin the road and head downhill (left if you are rising from the bench; right if you have reached the top of the drive to the Hall).  The village hall is at the bottom on the right.

Last walked on 11 April 2007

Walking for Health Dates

Details of local walks are as follows -

• Tuesday 15th May at Bury St Edmunds.  Meet at Abbey Gardens gateway 10.45 for 11.00.  A town and riverside walk.  60 - 75 minutes.
• Wednesday 16th May at Dalham.  Meet 10.45 for 11.00 start.  Park at the church on top of the hill overlooking the village.  60 to 75 minute circular walk.  Mainly paths and tracks and some quiet road walking.  No stiles but gentle hills and good views.
• Tuesday 19th June at Denston.  Meet at Denston village hall 10.45 for 11.00 start.  A longer walk of 100 to 110 mins.  Skirts the grounds of Denston Hall.  Mainly field edges and parkland.  No stiles but gentle hills.
• Other venues are further afield - Lavenham, Arger Fen, Walsham, Debenham, Santon Downham but if you wish for details please phone me (Roger Medley)