Woodbridge to Dunwich

24/06/2011

This is an outstanding cycle ride and a great way to savour this part of unspoilt Suffolk.
Begin the route on the outskirts of Woodbridge - cycling along the Melton Road. This wide road is an ideal place to leave the car if you are carrying a bike.
Continue through Melton and on past an attractive golf course - on the left. In Ufford, turn right along Lower Street crossing the River Deben on a small bridge. This is a beautiful spot where locals feed the ducks or picnic on the grassy river banks. In the height of Summer some may also be seen swimming! The river is fresh water at this point.
The way onto Eyke continues to be excellent - on quiet country lanes and tracks. At Friday Street, we turned right and took a small asphalt lane that turns into a stony track and later becomes rough. As such this way is only suitable for mountain bikes. For those who need asphalt please refer to local maps to rejoin the main route further on.
For those with mountain bikes, however, this section is a pure delight. A beautiful and tranquil section of off-road cycling begins - ending just before Butley. From here we headed north - along the western side of Tunstall Forest. Our route fringed the forest along sandy tracks - again rough in places. It is another wonderful section.
Snape Maltings is the next goal and on entering Snape, turn right to follow a quieter road. A short section of the A1094 towards Aldeburgh follows. Take care here and leave this road on the left to enter Friston and continue on to Knodishall. The roads are thankfully fairly quiet here and the views can be absorbed in full. We detoured a short distance to visit the ruins of Leiston Abbey. This also reduces slightly the short distance required along the very busy B1122 road.
Shortly after Eastbridge we turned left - again an outstanding section but only suitable for mountain bikes. Our reverse journey back to Woodbridge rejoined this point after visiting the Minsmere Bird Reserve.
This is true sandlings terrain. Stunted birch trees, gorse and heather combine with different coniferous trees to make this a magical landscape. Eventually, a road is crossed and then another road joined where it is necessary to turn right to enter the charming Dunwich. Continue to the beach where there is a famous fish and chips restaurant. A good place for a rest!
This is the furthest point and we continued back, initially retracing our outward journey - but then following closer to the coast to enter Minsmere. Here we took time to walk along the coast and see this unique bird reserve. Another highlight in a day full of highlights.
We rejoined the route at Eastbridge, then continuing back to Tunstall Forest. Again we took forest tracks and paths but further to the west of where we had earlier cycled.
My GPS guided us back through the at times dense forest to reach and pass the church at Chillesford. Then we cycled a short distance along Orford Road to north of Butley again. We re-traced our original route back to Woodbridge with the sun sinking fast off to the west. A thoroughly enjoyable day of cycling.