For my Sunday long run the weather was mild and dry with a breeze. I set off early in the morning at 8am and still wore a thermal top and a sweat shirt along with hat and gloves. Day 14 of my 11 week Runners World SMART Coach schedule called for a ten miler at 9.20 mile pace.
The road to Horringer is about a mile from Westley Bottom.
Entering the park in Horringer with St Leonards Church to the right and the gatehouse lodge there is a wonderful park full of trees much of the design being by Capability Brown for the Hervey Family.
Passing by the redundant St Mary's church it sets the mind thinking as to what this landscape would have looked like when there was a small settlement and villagers who lived here. The depopulation of Ickworth was presumably encouraged by the Herveys over time. From census records it doesn't seem there was ever much more than 100 residents. Apparently there was approximately 15 or so properties close to St Mary's Church with a square green.
I dispensed with the hat and gloves at this point as if anything I was a little over dressed and needed to cool down.
Just past the church at the White Houses you have a choice of heading on to Chevington Village or you can follow the old coaching track out to Westley. I chose the latter the track way follows the course of the River Linnett.
There are pathways to take you through Twist Wood and Diary Wood and here there are plenty of sheep but continuing along the coach path this takes you to another White House and beyond this the New Warren area which is a wooded area and an uphill stretch out to the main road at Crowswood Cottages.
I returned on the Little Saxham road back into Bury St Edmunds and completed a further three miles along Newmarket Road.
My splits were 8.59,9.28,9.42,9.02,8.52,9.16,8.24,8.43,9.03 and 9.30 for a total of 1.31 .05 for the 10 miles. Again slow but within the 9.20 mile pace that was called for in today's run.
It completes the 2nd week and a total of 34 miles. Next week wil get harder again
Interesting links to St. Leonard's and the Herveys. It's fun to run near places like this.
ReplyDeleteI envy your trails and roads. Unless I am not looking. Great job on your sunday run. Have a good one.
ReplyDeleteThanks Revrunner and Kenley. Agree with you great to hit the footpaths and explore.
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