Melford Hall to Lavenham railway walk
Follow this easy walk from Long Melford to Lavenham, through woods and open fields, following the route of the old Great Eastern Railway's Long Melford to Lavenham line. You can return to Long Melford by bus, or re-trace your steps if you are able.
Near to
Melford HallStart point
Melford Hall car park, grid ref: TL867462Trail information
*Easy walk on mainly level footpaths, can be muddy in places. For further details, please see Terrain section.
**Level route with no steps or stiles, but conditions may be challenging for wheelchairs. For more details, please see Access section.
***Dogs welcome under close control. For further details, please see section marked Facilities.
Busy road
Take care crossing the busy main A134 Sudbury to Bury St Edmund's road.
Total stages: 12
Total stages: 12
Start point
Melford Hall car park, grid ref: TL867462
Stage 1
Starting from the Melford Hall car park, turn right out of the gate, and keeping to the same side of the road, walk 660yd (600m) until reaching the Cherry Lane Garden Centre. Entering the garden centre, walk just past the building entrance and look for the public footpath sign in front of you. This is known as Hare Drift.
Stage 2
Hare Drift continues along a concrete path until joining the main A134 Sudbury to Bury St Edmunds road. The traffic on this road can be very fast, so cross with great care. Go through the gate on the opposite side of the road, and walking straight ahead, follow the footpath, which after 100yd (90m) continues downhill. At the bottom of the hill turn left and follow the tree line.
Stage 3
Ignore a footpath sign to the left (St Edmund's Way). You will find an exit through the trees on the right-hand side after another 100–200yd (90–180m). Going through the trees, continue across a small bridge over the River Chad, heading slightly uphill.
Stage 4
Exit into a plain with scrub to the right. You can see signs now covered with scrub, showing where the path was/should be.
A group of fallow deer | © National Trust Images/James Dobson Stage 5
Head up the plain for about 200yd (180m) keeping the scrub to your right, until the path runs alongside some woodland to the left.
Stage 6
Follow the path for about 400yd (360m) until reaching a path crossroad. The section after this is a permissive footpath and dogs should be kept on leads.
Stage 7
Keep on for 200yd (180m) until the path enters Lineage Wood to the left and Paradise Wood to the right.
Stage 8
When you leave the woodland you are entering a section of railway cutting designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Stage 9
You will have reached the end of the SSSI section when reaching the Bridge Street railway bridge. The next section is now known as the Lavenham Walk.
Stage 10
Continue on the Lavenham Walk until you reach metal gates.
Pied flycatcher at Longshaw | © Chris Kelly Stage 11
Reach the metal gates, which are at the Park Road crossing. Crossing the road, go through the gates and continue on for approximately 400yd (440m), until you reach Lavenham High Street to the right of the Bury Road railway bridge. Now cross the road, and continue right up High Street, for approximately 300yd (270m), and turning left into Market Lane walk up to the Market Square.
Stage 12
Lavenham Guildhall is across the Market Square.
End point
Lavenham Guildhall, grid ref: TL916493
Trail map
Map route for Long Melford to Lavenham railway walk | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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