Chris Barker follows a route with a varied landscape
This picturesque walk in Breckland covers open countryside, the River Lark, West Stow Country Park and lakes.
Start the walk with your back to the church gate and walk straight ahead on a Tarmac drive. The drive will take you out onto a road. Carry on in the same direction and at a footpath sign on the left hand side of the road turn left into a path with fences both sides. When you come out onto a road, turn left. At another road, cross and then turn right by a footpath sign to your right, walking on a farm track and soon having a farm to your left. This track will then swing to the left and you will eventually come to a footpath sign to your right. Turn right on a track that swings sharply to the right, now walking on another track.
Eventually the track you are on will swing to the left. Leave it and carry straight on, along another track with trees both sides. When you come out onto a road, turn right. You will soon be faced by another road – cross it and turn left, walking on a pavement. When the pavement ceases, just carry on slightly to the right, through some concrete posts, walking on a path soon becoming an old road.
When the road ceases, turn left, having a river to your right, soon going up a slight slope out onto a road, and turn right over a bridge. Once across, turn right on a path, having a river to your right. When you come to a small car park, carry on in the same direction, through two wooden posts with a St Edmunds Way sign on one.
When you come to a gate on your right, go through it and carry straight on in the same direction, having a fence to your right. At a gate to your right, ignore it and carry on in the same direction. When you come to a gate, go through this and carry on in the same direction, keeping an information board to your left, and then follow a red arrow on a post to your left. You will then come to another gate; go through this.
When you come to a footpath sign in front of you, turn right on the St Edmunds Way. At a track in front of you, turn right, which will take you to the West Stow Country Park visitor centre. Continue on the path, with picnic benches both sides, and you will come to another path. Cross this and then pick up another path and turn left, then a quick right ? having another picnic bench to your right ? and turn right on a lattice path. When this path ceases, carry on in the same direction on a green path.
When you come to a fork in the paths, fork left; and when the fence to your right turns right, turn with it. Stick to this path until you are faced by a river, and turn right, keeping the river to your left. When you come to a gate, go through this and carry on in the same direction, still having the river to your left and soon having a lake to your right. Stick to this path and go round the lake till you come to a kissing gate on your left. Go through this, back into the small car park, and turn left, walking on a track. When you come out onto a road, turn left; cross a river. Once across, turn left then right, walking on an old road soon becoming a track; when it swings to the right, carry straight on, on a path bringing you out onto a pavement. Turn left and, when you come to some large wrought iron gates in a wall to your right, turn left opposite them, onto an unsigned path through some trees.
About five yards before you get to a permissive path noticeboard, turn right and immediately left, keeping a footpath sign to your right. Stick to this path, keeping houses to your right, then pick up the Tarmac drive in front of you and go back to your starting point.
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