Birds, trees and reedbeds

Route of the Reydon walk (Image: Archant)

Start the walk at the car park for the Suffolk Wildlife Trust Hen Reedbed Reserve. Go under the covered entrance and pause to look at the list of birds and animals which you may see during your walk. Go ahead and cross a bridge, then the A1095 (with care!), finding a continuation of the path opposite. Go up to the bank of Wolsey’s Creek and turn left along the northeast side, with the tidewater on your right. Turn round and you will see the extent of the reedbeds.

The path along the top of the bank is not marked on the map as a footpath but is open for public use. It winds past bird hides as extensive views of the River Blyth open out. At the point marked on the map as Reydon Quay, keep straight on towards the derelict wind pump. Now the footbridge connecting Walberswick to Southwold is ahead (but is not on the route); the massive piers supported the bridge when it was a swing bridge for the Southwold railway. The bridge allowed boats to pass up the river towards Reydon and Halesworth but the construction of the railway soon killed the river traffic.

Reach a wooden gate and turn left at once along an earth bank and, when a metal gate is reached, go left along a track. In five minutes turn right and walk up between the buildings of St Felix School. Reach the road, then turn right for 150 yards. Turn left along Keens Lane just past the “Reydon” sign. Keep straight on past a broken signpost, then bear a little right onto a footpath which leads to a pleasant headland walk beside open fields.

Reydon church is ahead (you could start there by parking next to the church). Cross the road, go through the churchyard and exit at the footpath near the tower into a field where the path crosses diagonally on your right. (I followed the tractor tracks). At the next field you can cross diagonally or use a permissive path round the edge. Turn left along the quiet lane, passing trees and little woods. At a road junction go a little right, still on a road, but in about 250 yards you should bear left down a green lane marked as a byway. The green lane passes Reydon Wood, ancient woodland, which is a Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserve. Soon the entrance to the wood is reached at a gate and information board. You may enjoy taking the half-mile loop path through this ancient woodland to see the bluebells, which should now be in flower. I did not see any bluebells at the start of April, when I walked the route, but I enjoyed a rest near the entrance while I wrote my notes.

Return to the lane and continue. At the B1126 road go right for 80 yards, looking out for traffic, before turning left into Mardles Road. Conclude the walk along this very quiet minor road, past Wangford Farm, then go ahead at a road junction, finally descending to the start.