Bildeston is a large busy village with two pubs, a hotel and a substantial church set on the hill half a mile from the village centre, writes walker Bill Baldry.

East Anglian Daily Times: The views to take in during the walkThe views to take in during the walk (Image: Archant)

Kettlebaston is an attractive, very small village with a fine church and a village sign that looks like a pub sign, while Chelsworth has a pub at the heart of its lively community, and another fine church (just off the walk route).

East Anglian Daily Times: A walk through the villages of mid SuffolkA walk through the villages of mid Suffolk (Image: Archant)

From the Market Place head down Duke Street, then up the steadily rising Church Lane to reach the Grade I listed church of St Mary Magdalene with its unusual wooden box topping to the tower. Continue ahead, bear right, then left around the pond and follow the grassy path to the next field entrance. Go left, with a hedge on your left, and continue to the corner of this large field where you turn right (1). Maintain direction into the next field over the first of several bridges. At the field corner the path turns right through a shrubby area to the next bridge and gateway.

East Anglian Daily Times: Can you spot this on the walk?Can you spot this on the walk? (Image: Archant)

Turn left and follow a now wider field edge with open views across the countryside, including a large farm reservoir down the dip. Continuing ahead the tower of Kettlebaston church will soon appear, then cross a shallow ditch before dropping down to another sturdy bridge after passing a small wood. Follow the path, beside the stream, round to the right as far as the next bridge where you turn left up the rising field edge path to reach Kettlebaston. As Kettlebaston has a church, the Grade I listed church of St Mary, it technically qualifies as a village rather than a hamlet although there are only 28 houses in the parish.

East Anglian Daily Times: The walk has some stunning views at this time of yearThe walk has some stunning views at this time of year (Image: Archant)

At the lane turn left, pass the church and village sign, and continue ahead for a short way until you reach a farm track dropping down to the left as the road curves away to the right (2). Follow this descending path to the bottom where you bear slightly right, across a marshy area (3), into a wooded area by the babbling river Brett. This section can get very wet and churned up from its use by horse riders. Some people resort to bearing slightly left and taking the field edge above the riverside path.

Climb up some steps away from the river and go right to follow the field edge to Wagger Farm, where you bear left. After a concrete section, the path becomes very uneven as it passes below the reservoir seen earlier. Cross a farm track and plank bridge and continue ahead. Soon after the next bridge you reach a wooded area. Just before a power pole carrying three wires, drop down to your right into the wood (4). This is Chelsworth Woodland, purchased by the village in 2002. Bear left along the mown paths until you reach the wooden shelter, after which you bear right to reach the main entrance gate.

Turn right down the shingle drive to the main road lined with attractive houses. Bear left to reach The Peacock public house and continue ahead, passing Victory Hall, until you reach the footpath sign opposite Parsonage Lane (5). This rising cross-field path will take you back to Bildeston church where you turn right to descend back into the village. Take the right hand fork, Chapel Lane, to pass some more attractive properties on the way back to the Market Place.

Chelsworth’s long-running Open Gardens event takes place on the last Sunday in June. This year, the 49th such event, is on Sunday, June 26 from 11am to 5pm.