Back to Blogs
Discover
Cycle The Towers and Spires Trail
About The Towers and Spires Cycle Trail
St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Photo: Mina Girgis
Take the Towers & Spires cycle trail from St Edmundsbury Cathedral and discover 10 beautiful churches while enjoying the unspoilt countryside of Suffolk.
There are places to stop and eat on the way or you can pack a picnic to enjoy in a tranquil churchyard. There’s a shorter route for families too.
This trail was created in partnership with Discover Suffolk, the Church Buildings Council and Sustrans, the cycling charity.
The full trail is 30 miles, but it also offer a shorter family cycling trail of 19 miles, which takes in Bury St Edmunds and churches in the surrounding villages of Great Barton, Pakenham, Thurston, Tostock, Woolpit, Shelland, Rattlesden, Drinkstone, Hessett and Rougham.
The trail's starting point is the magnificent St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds. For over 1,000 years, the site of Suffolk ’s Cathedral has been one of worship and pilgrimage.
The death of Edmund, King of the East Angles, at the hands of the Danes in 869 led to the building of an abbey to house his remains. St James’s Church was built within the precincts of the Abbey, becoming a Cathedral in 1914. The Cathedral building has continued to develop over recent years with the addition of the Millennium Tower, completed in 2005, and its magnificent painted and gilded vault, added in 2010. In 2009 the Cathedral changed its dedication to become the Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund.
Do stop by the Great Churchyard next to the Cathedral to see the St Edmund Statue by Dame Elisabeth Frink - a trip to Bury St Edmunds would not be complete without a photo of this iconic statue.
The trail then continues through the Suffolk countryside to see churches which date back to the 14th and 15th Century and be rewarded with spectacular Angel roofs, exquisite carvings and spectacular stain glass.
Download the Trail now from the Angels and Pinnacles Website.
Latest news
News
The Nutshell - Britain's Spookiest Pub?
The Nutshell may hold the title of smallest pub in Britain as confirmed in the Guinness Book of Records, but with ghost stories, a mummified cat and a very strange history, it could also be Britain's…
News
Explore the Spookiest Places in Bury St Edmunds
Ghosts, wolves, murder and witches, Bury St Edmunds history has them all and there are some very spooky places to explore in the town.
News
St Edmundsbury Cathedral Launches Dogs In The Cathedral Calendar
12 local pups were photographed around the Cathedral for the calendar, including a border collie giving a sermon, a Scottish terrier playing the Cathedral’s organ and a cocker spaniel using a kneeler.
News
30 Things To Do This Autumn in Bury St Edmunds
From pumpkin patches to ghost walks and from free heritage open days to colourful gardens there's something for everyone this Autumn in Bury St Edmunds.
News
Unmissable Autumn Events in Bury St Edmunds & Beyond
As the dusky summer nights give way to milder evenings and crisp mornings, it’s time to lean into Autumn and take advantage of the must-do events taking place in Bury and beyond this season. From,…
News
5 Reasons Why Bury St Edmunds is a Ghoulishly Good Spooky Haunted Break
From ghostly medieval monks,, haunted medieval streets, witches, superstitions and horrible histories, Bury St Edmunds has it all!
News
Edmund and The Wolf
A wolf is central to the legend of St Edmund and you can find artwork around the town which tells the story.
News
Vote for dog friendly Bury St Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk was voted England’s most dog friendly town in the National DogFriendly Awards 2023 and now it has its sights set on being the UK’s most dog friendly town.
News
Abbeygate Cinema Celebrates its Centenary
Abbeygate Cinema is now celebrating its centenary year with an extra special programme of films