Suffolk

Lavenham to Long Melford railway walk

Take a self-guided walk through woods and open fields from Lavenham to Long Melford along a route that largely follows the old GER Lavenham to Long Melford railway line. See a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and the site of an 1891 railway accident. Finish by visiting Melford Hall, home of the Hyde-Parker family, in a well-preserved medieval ‘wool village’.

Near to

Lavenham Guildhall

Start point

Lavenham Guildhall, grid ref TL916493

Wild flowers, wildlife and wool

This walk provides the opportunity to see wild flowers alongside birds and animal wildlife in their natural habitat. Ideal for adventurer families.

Address
Lavenham Guildhall, grid ref TL916493
Directions via Google Maps
By train
Sudbury, 7 miles (11km)
By bus
Chambers route 753 from Sudbury bus station, 7 miles, Chambers Coaches. Bus return from Long Melford to Lavenham Chambers route 753 hourly (no service Sundays).
Cycling
South Suffolk Cycle Route A1.
Sustrans
By road
Take B1115/B1071 from Sudbury via Gt Waldingfield. Lavenham Guildhall CO10 9QZ (the start) is in Market Place off the main High Street.
Total stages: 10
Total stages: 10
Start point
Lavenham Guildhall, grid ref TL916493
Stage 1
Starting from the Guildhall, walk to your left across Market Square and head down Market Lane to the High Street. Turn right at the bottom and cross the road. Continue along High Street for about 300 yards (274m) until reaching a sign for the 'Lavenham Walk' to your left.
Stage 2
To the left of the old railway bridge, follow the footpath signs for the Lavenham Walk.
Stage 3
Follow the Lavenham walk until you reach a pair of metal gates, which is the road crossing at Park Road. Continue on until reaching Bridge Street railway bridge.
Wildlife and plants
Many species have been recorded along this disused railway line, including common and lesser whitethroat, blackcap, goldcrest, tree creeper, bullfinch, garden warbler and marsh tit. There have also been sightings of the unusual, such as pied flycatcher, redstart, whinchat, firecrest, red warbler, waxwing, little egret and red kite. During May and June, you may see the common spotted orchid in the Site of Special Scientific Interest area.
Stage 4
Shortly after going under the railway bridge at Bridge Street Road, you'll reach a fence, signifying the end of the 'Lavenham Walk' section, leading to an old railway cutting which has now been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Site of Special Scientific Interest
This cutting is an area of heavy undergrowth and is invariably found to be muddy and/or waterlogged. Selected areas of the banks of this cutting are being returned to grass and others left as semi-natural woodland. The grassland is mown in late autumn and provides a valuable habitat for insects and wildlife. A rare giant snail is known to live along the end of this section, so watch where you step.
Peace at the site of Special Scientific Interest on Lavenham Walk | © Michael Graham
Stage 5
At the end of the cutting the path enters an area of woodland (for roughly 440 yards), passing through Lineage Wood to the right and Paradise Wood to the left. When exiting the woodland, you have reached the site of an 1891 railway accident.
Site of a railway accident
This is the site of a railway derailment on 17 October 1891. The train was tank engine No.169. From this grainy image, you can see that at least one carriage together with the engine was derailed. A local press report of the time reported of a train being 'thrown' down the embankment. Fortunately there were no fatalities but some severe injuries. The guard was reported as 'having severe injuries to his head and leg...and being unable to sleep at night'.
Stage 6
Keeping the treeline to the right, continue for approximately 0.7 miles (1.2km) until eventually reaching another small area of woodland to the left. After a further 200m, the path turns right and crosses through the wood for about 110 yards.
Stage 7
Exit the wood and turn immediately left, keeping the treeline to the left and ignoring the marker post to the right (St Edmund Way). Continue on for about 550 yards until reaching the end of the field.
Stage 8
When reaching the end of the field, the path heads immediately right – climbing uphill – and eventually reaches the main A134 Sudbury to Bury St Edmunds road.
Stage 9
This road is very busy with fast-moving traffic, so carefully cross the road and go through the gate on the opposite side.
Hare Drift on a sunny autumn morning in 2016 | © Michael Graham
Stage 10
Now turn left along the A1092 and follow the footpath for about 660 yards. The entrance to magnificent Melford Hall will be found on the left. After visiting Melford Hall, head into town to pick up your return bus (Chambers 753) to Lavenham.
Melford Hall from an etching c1825 | © Neale
End point
Melford Hall car park TL867462
Trail map
Lavenham to Melford Railway walking route | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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Close-up of a Brown Argus butterfly on a leaf

Trail

Lavenham Woodland walk

Spot rare butterflies and countryside views worthy of Constable, as you explore the woodland community project and an old railway line trail around Lavenham.

A typical view of Suffolk countryside behind Long Melford church in Suffolk

Trail

Melford Hall countryside walk

Enjoy views of open fields, gently rolling hills, beautiful vistas, distant churches and clear running brooks on a walk through Suffolk countryside.

Market Place, Lavenham, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 9QZ

01787247646

lavenhamguildhall@nationaltrust.org.uk

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