Walking through the fields and paths of Hintlesham, and close to the golf club’s greens and fairways. Walked by: Bill Baldry

East Anglian Daily Times: The route of the Hintlesham walk.The route of the Hintlesham walk. (Image: Archant)

Start: Hintlesham and Chattisham Community Hall, Timperleys – opposite Hintlesham church. How to get there: Hintlesham is five miles west of Ipswich on A1071 to Hadleigh. Map Ref: OS Explorer 196. TM 087434. Distance: five miles. Refreshments: Hintlesham George PH, café at Hintlesham Barns at College Farm (Tues-Sat 9.30 to 4pm).

The first part of this walk is on wide but rather rough grassy paths around fertile fields and by Hintlesham Great Wood, and then you switch to walking by the manicured fairways and greens of Hintlesham Golf Club.

From the car park turn right along Timperleys, then take the path left at the end of the Playing Field, pass the Rectory and drop down some steps to reach Spring Brook.

East Anglian Daily Times: Going past golf fairways on a walk through Hintlesham. Picture: BILL BALDRYGoing past golf fairways on a walk through Hintlesham. Picture: BILL BALDRY (Image: Archant)

Follow the boardwalk up through the wooded area and maintain direction up the gentle slope to reach the lane to Chattisham. Turn right and follow the lane until, just before the 30mph signs, you turn right across a sleeper bridge into a narrow path. This emerges by a very large field on your right and Chattisham Playing Field on your left.

Maintain direction along this broad field edge to the end, cross another bridge and turn right, now with a high hedge on your right and another very large field on the left. Follow this path round and down to reach a grassed area where you bear right.

Cross back over Spring Brook and ascend to the houses on Duke Street. Turn left then, by Nutfield Cottage, turn right and head for Hintlesham Great Wood. Go right through the hedge, left over a bridge and follow the edge of the wood to the far end. After another bridge the official path goes across the field in front towards a large pylon, then right on a rough track towards some cottages.

This cross field path has been walked but not been re-instated and if the crop is too high I suspect that the locals use the field edge to the right to reach the track by the cottages.

East Anglian Daily Times: Beautiful countryside in Hintlesham. Picture: BILL BALDRYBeautiful countryside in Hintlesham. Picture: BILL BALDRY (Image: Archant)

The track becomes a lane by College Farm and you follow this to reach the A1071. This is a very busy road with no footway and you need to turn right for 150 yards to the next bend. At the time of walking there was a convenient broad field edge, to the right of the road, that I used.

Cross the road and enter the grounds of Hintlesham Hall. Follow the signs for the Golf Club then turn right after the high brick wall of Hall Farm. Pass the lush fairways and greens on your right. Drop down across the field then go right past Mill Farm.

Follow the track through the trees and turn right at the T-junction up the rising track, which crosses some fairways and runs beside others. At the end of the golf course take the footpath right, go through the hedge at the end and maintain direction, now with wooden fence on your left, to reach Hintlesham churchyard. Cross the main road back to the start. (Route walked April 2018).

East Anglian Daily Times: A walk through Hintlesham. Picture: BILL BALDRYA walk through Hintlesham. Picture: BILL BALDRY (Image: Archant)