Festive Winter Walks

Duration: 1 hour 30 mins

It is believed that the story of St Edmund, from whom Bury St Edmunds takes its name, started when he was crowned on Christmas Day.

Follow this bespoke trail to explore Bury St Edmunds fascinating past, which follows sections of the St Edmund Way (the path the pilgrims followed to visit his shrine at the Abbey of St Edmund) and Bury to Clare walk.

Start off in the centre of Bury St Edmunds and enjoy the town's twinkling Christmas lights (from mid November to the New Year) and take some time to stroll peacefully around the beautiful Abbey Gardens with its ancient Abbey of St Edmund ruins, views of the magnificent St Edmundsbury Cathedral, pretty aviary, memorial gardens and sensory garden. Here you can discover the story of St Edmund and the Abbey and meet the man himself, depicted in a statue by Dame Elisabeth Frink. The ruins look magnificent in any season but they glisten and are magical when covered in snow.

Head onto the waymarked St Edmund’s Way to Hardwick Heath and crossing the River Linnet on route. Look out for the noble 200-year old Cedars on the heath and take the opportunity to enjoy the wide-open space and lovely views during the festive season.

Next, pick up a section of the Bury St Edmunds to Clare walk and head to the beautifully landscaped Nowton Park, here you will find good paths that take you around 200 acres of the grounds, designed in the Victorian style. Follow Hencote Lane back to the St Edmund Way before returning to the town centre and seeking out one of the many fantastic pubs and restaurants in Suffolk's Foodie Capital for a slap-up dinner.

The walk makes for a fine dog walk with Bury St Edmunds being a Dog Friendly Town and Hardwick Heath and Nowton Park popular with four legged friends. The on site cafe at Nowton Park is also very dog friendly with dog ice cream made from sausage meat and handmade dog biscuits available.

Visit the GPS Routes website for the full route.

Duration: 2 hours at a leisurely pace

This two hour walk will take you past some of Bury St Edmunds historic landmarks and streets including Mustow Street, the Abbey Gardens and Abbey Ruins, the Martyr's Memorial and the Charnel House.

On to St Mary's Square and Westgate Street to the Theatre Royal and the Greene King Brewery (where you can stop for a tour or a pint in the cafe!). Continuing through Tuns Lane, College Lane and along Guildhall Street into the centre of the Town and the Corn Exchange. Turning right onto The Traverse where you can stop in one of the UK's smallest pubs The Nutshell.

Once refreshed, explore the Town Centre stopping by Moyse's Hall Museum and onto Butter Market, Abbeygate Street and Angel Hill where you will find the lighthouse shaped street sign the 'Pillar of Salt' - the UK's first illuminated street sign.

To the right you will find The Athenaeum and The Angel Hotel; where Charles Dickens stayed in 1859 and again in 1861. And ahead of you lies the famous Abbey Gate; through which you can make your way back to where you started to complete your route.

Duration: 8.5 miles (approximately 1/2 day at a strong pace)

This linear route takes you from the Norman castles of Clare to Hedingham. The walk celebrates the two communities connections to the Magna Carta; Robert de Vere, Richard de Clare and Gilbert de Clare were among the rebel barons who forced King John to agree to the Magna Carta on the 15th June 1215. The Magna Carta set up a Committee of 25 barons, of which these three members, became guarantors that John would abide by its clauses.

The walk starts at Clare Castle continuing on to Clare Priory and along Long Lane in Ovington; the ancient trackway is directly in line, north to Clare Castle or south to Hedingham Castle and offers beautiful views to the east of the Stour Valley.

Head through the village of Belchamp St Paul and on towards Belchamp Otten and Belchamp Walter. Explore the ancient woodland of Colliersley Wood and along the footpath through Great Lodge Farm where you can spot large wild deer grazing.

The route completes at Hedingham Castle; set on its Norman motte overlooking the valley of the Colne River, it's the perfect spot to take in the views and relax with a flask of tea at the end of your walk.

For more information and full route, download the guide from the Clare Walkers website.

Duration: 4.5 miles - 2 hours

This route takes you along the route of the Old Great Eastern Lavenham to Long Melford Railway, with lots of opportunities to see birds and animal wildlife in their natural habitat. A great walk for families, dogs are also allowed at all points along the route too!

Starting at Lavenham Guildhall, head down Market Lane to the High Street where you will find a sign saying 'Lavenham Walk'. Follow this walk until you reach a pair of metal gates and continue on until you reach Bridge Street railway bridge.

At the end of the road, you will reach a fence, which marks the end of the Lavenham Walk section, and carry on towards the old railway cutting, passing through Lineage Wood and Paradise Wood, before you reach the site of the 1891 railway accident.

The route then takes you through woodland and fields before joining the footpath which sits alongside the main A134 Sudbury to Bury St Edmunds Road (a point to pop the dog back on it's lead perhaps!). Turn left of the footpath and you arrive at the grand gates of Melford Hall.

Take the route back or hop on the return bus (Chambers 573) to return to Lavenham.

For more information and the full route, visit Lavenham Guildhall website.