A walk in the Assington and Arger Fen area. Walked by: Bill Baldry.
Start: Assington Village Hall. How to get there: Assington is five miles SE of Sudbury. Village centre is off A134 Sudbury – Colchester road
Map Ref: OS Explorer 196 TL 934376. Distance: five miles
Refreshments: The Country Kitchen at Assington Barn and Shoulder of Mutton PH.
Woods are wonderful places to visit at any time of year but especially in the spring with all the fresh new growth and flowers. Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Arger Fen is a mecca to enjoy the bluebell carpets but other nearby woods, such as Assington Thicks and Tiger Hill Wood are equally bounteous and less busy. There are a number of stiles, of varying awkwardness, on this route.
From the car park return to the road and turn left. Where the road bends right continue straight ahead and follow the Restricted Byway to Assington Mill. Enjoy the view of the old buildings, water wheel and pond before turning right over the bridge as indicated. Ascend across the meadow of molehills and continue through the next rough grass field to reach a lane.
Turn right, follow this round past Green’s Farm and take the next footpath right. Follow this path, which is rather narrow at times, as it slowly drops down into Spouse’s Grove.
On reaching the SWT “Welcome” board go left and climb to reach the seat dedicated to Edith Vale – “Who loved this place”. You can understand why - take your time to enjoy it too. At the top of a slope, after a substantial bridge, bear left to exit the wood and maintain direction over the undulating ground.
At a crossing of paths go right through the thicket of ash saplings, struck down by ash dieback, to reach Arger Fen. At the T-junction the black arrow points left to take you to the main roadside entrance where you turn right.
Descend and cross the ford, then go left to keep the stream on your left. After passing the brightly coloured house on the hill take the next path on your right and head up into Tiger Hill Wood.
Follow the sinuous stream-side path as it wends its delightful way through the hazel and oak. Cross a stile and enter a boggy section then head half right to reach another stile over a wooden fence. Ascend a Suffolk hill and continue to the next awkward stile and cross into that meadow – there are usually cattle in these meadows.
Bear half-right towards a dark green conifer and follow the fence around Moor’s Farm. Take the cross-field path to reach a lane, cross and take the Restricted Byway back to the drive down to Assington Mill. Turn left to return to the start. (Route walked March 2018).
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