11 Mile Run to Bradfield St Clare Suffolk

Sunday morning was dry a little misty and grey as I set out to do my longest run of the year. My Runners World SMART Coach schedule called for an 11 mile run which is the longest distance I have run since May 25th 2009 so was a real challenge to test how my general fitness and the running schedule I am following is working.

I am glad to say I completed the out and back run with good stamina. I do stop briefly during long and slow runs to take photos and to change the IPOD but today was good as I felt able to carry on and didn't have the same desire to walk that I have had in some longer runs towards the end.

It being an 11 mile run I am starting to think about taking a little fuel on the run. I hardly ever take water with me , perhaps I should but hate carrying it. I might have to look at options to make carrying a drink with me easier.

I did take 3-4 jelly beans with me today though these were not the sports beans that you can buy. Again I have meant to have a look at trying sports jely beans but haven't got round to it .
A  little water would help to wash the jelly beans down as they can stick to your teeth somewhat!

My run today took me out of Bury St Edmunds along the pathway besides the A134. About 4 miles into the run I went through the village of Sicklemere and then Little Whelnethum. The 5.5 mile half way point was reached at the village of Bradfield St Clare and I returned home on the same route.

The photo of the stream is along the aptly named Water Lane at Lt Whelnethum.

The Burns Night Poster is in the village of Sicklesmere.

The last mile has 2 large hills and my time shows that I slowed at this point. I felt pretty good up to around 10 miles.

Splits were 8.53,8.58,9.07,8.53,8.52,8.39,8.22,8.38,8.45,8.45,9.40

11 miles in 1.37.38  this represents my longest run of the year and of course a 2010 record for me over the 11 mile distance! It being the only one I have done.

So I have reached the end of week 3 of my half marathon training and apart from a little niggle occasionally on the outside of my left knee all is well. In week 2 I suffered from 2-3 blisters as my feet toughen up to all the pounding they are getting. Do you pop your blisters? Not sure if you should but I do it just seems to relieve some of the pressure from a blister. Lovely subject but inevitable I guess if you run distance or races.

Bradfield Combust, Bradfield St Clare and Bradfield St George Suffolk

8am 8.2 miles in 1 hr 7 mins 50 seconds

Week to date mileage 19 miles

Month to date mileage 112

Average weekly rate 29.5 miles

Average monthly rate 128

Year to date 350

Lifetime 9943

On the A143 from Bury St Edmunds about 5 miles south there is the village of Bradfield Combust.

I parked of the road just before the entrance to Bradfield park and started my run along the section of the road which follows the old roman road. The Bradfield Manger pub is a familiar site next door to to All Saints church which has a famous gravestone of Arthur Young.

Arthur Young was said to be the greatest of all English writers on Agriculture. A man who traveled extensively to pioneer scientific methods of farming in Italy , France and Ireland. Born in 1774 he was the rector of Bradfields second son who was always more interested in traveling and writing than actually farming himself.


I returned past my car and into Bradfield Park. There is a public footpath through the centre. Here you can see Bradfield House once the home of Rev Young who was responsible for much of the planting of the parkland trees.

The pathway continues on to open farmland and you cross a section of the former railway line which ran between Bury St Edmunds and Sudbury. There is a wartime pill box nearby.


The footpath emerges onto the minor B Road at Bradfield St Clare opposite the church of St Clare. I turned right and ran along the road before taking a more minor road into the village of St Clare which appears to be dominated by an enormous water tower.

Here you are in the heart of some wonderful farm land and the road bends back and forth and just when you think you will never reach Bradfield St George you emerge at some nice flint and pink cottages.


The village sign depicting St George is rather at odds with the local campaign in Suffolk to restore St Edmund as the true patron saint of England but an attractive sign nonetheless.

Lt Whelnetham to Bradfield St Clare Suffolk

2pm 8.4 miles in 1hr 10 mins 10 seconds

Week to date mileage 18 miles

Month to date mileage 137

Average weekly rate 30.2 miles

Average monthly rate 131

Year to date 1564

Lifetime 9584

I drove out to the village of Lt Whelnetham with the thought of finding the old Railway Station House which is clearly marked on the OS map 211 Explorer edition of the ordnance survey map. Coming of the A134 just after Sicklesmere along the appropriately named Water Lane I parked close up to where the Old Station House is marked on the map.

Where I parked there must have clearly been a bridge but this has long gone with the ending of this railway line between Bury St Edmunds and Sudbury back in the early 1960's.

I set of up hill and must have run past the Station House as the marked pathway takes you on a bit of a detour around it. I didn't worry to much and continued on my run through apple orchards and past Maynard House. Maynards Wine Orchard produces a range of English wine and fuit juices and the orchards even in December were pungent smelling of old apples it was like being inside a bottle of cider.

I reached a minor B road but continued my run on passing over another former railway bridge.

The level of the field must have been considerably raised as there is very little clearance under the bridge here now and hard to imagine a train passing underneath.

I entered the small village of Bradfield St Clare and ran as far as the church called St Clare.
I was tempted to run to another of the Bradfields called Combust but the light was already beginning to fail and even this mnor road had a fair amount of cars so it wasn't worth the risk and I returned back to Maynard House.

I took a different turning with the objective of finding the old railway station. This path took me across a wet field and what would have been the old track and eventually through to the station itself. This has now been converted to a private residence. Further down track there are some old buildings here that once would have straddled either side of the railway which was a single line. It looked pretty derelict with the doors boarded but nevertheless it was possible to get a good impression of how the station would have appeared.

With time on my hands I decided to continue my run in the opposite direction along the restored Lt Whelnetham Line. This is a stretch aboot 1.5 miles long of restored pathway along the former railway line to Bury St Edmunds. A beautiful walk with lots of wild flowers this is worth visiting. Although a little muddy I ran to the end of this walk and then returned to do it again before returning to the car.