A run at Cavenham in Suffolk

St Andrews Church Cavenham

On a return trip from Cambridge I stopped off in the village of Cavenham in Suffolk. I had a 40 minute run scheduled in my diary and had worn my running clobber in preparation for this.

The name Cavenham derives from Cafa's enclosure or pasture (Ekwall). The recorded population at the time of doomsday in 1086 was 32. At its peak there were 283 inhabitants in 1851 but it is probably half that now.The village dates back to at least 3,500 BC, when the Ickneild Way passed through the parish. In 50AD the Iceni tribe are thought to have lived in the area.

I set of for my run from the car with my heart rate monitor strapped to my chest. At first this felt a bit alien and restrictive but I have soon got used to it and wouldn;t be without it.

I was soon through the line of houses in the centre of Cavenham and heading up hill towards Lackford a village a couple of miles away. I soon spotted a footpath off road and the temptation was too great and I was grateful to get of the road and on to the sandy soils around Cavenham soils. There have been a number of finds from the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods in this soft soil which suggest tribes probably hunted and gathered on the land around the village. A number of spearheads axeheads and pottery shards have been found in the area.

We are finally getting some decent weather after 2-3 weeks of heavy rain. The pathway was muddy with puddles in places but added to the fun of the run needing a few leaps in places. I never saw a soul on this run and perhaps this was part of the reason why this quiet location was chosen during the 2nd world war as a site for a dummy airbase. This was established by the RAF and included fake aircraft to confuse German pilots. In 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis at Cavenham Heath, three rockets – each carrying a two-megaton nuclear warhead – were poised and ready to be launched.Thankfully the crisis was averted but it all happens in sleepy Cavenham!

The elderberries are fully ripened and I passed many bushes with a plentiful supply for making wine or cordials After 20 minutes my coach reminded me I was half way through the workout and I turned for home. On the return trip I had St Andrews Church in Cavenham in my site for much of the time.

This was my second run in my 1st week of half marathon training and I was looking forward to a drink when I returned to the car.

A comfortable run and I think the best I have felt since returning from injury. No foot pain at all to day.

A Cycle ride to Tuddenham Suffolk

My cycle ride today turned into a little longer ride than I planned. I forgot to take a map and the route I planned wasn't possible as I missed a turn. Still I came up with an alternative circular ride of 20 miles my longest yet.

My route took me from Bury St Edmunds through the villages of Risby, Cavenham and out to Tuddenham. The name, Tuddenham, dates back to AD 854 and is derived from the Anglo Saxon ‘Tudda’s home’ and is about 10 miles out north west from Bury St Edmunds. The icknield way passes through the village which is on the edge of heathland

I had planned to turn towards Higham and Gazeley but instead found myself 10 miles out. Rather than directly turnaround and follow the same route back I instead followed a road back to Higham, Barrow, Gt Saxham and Lt Saxham and then back into Bury.

The verge on the route between Lt Saxham and Bury  was covered in poppies and other wild flowers.

Total time for the ride was 1hr 43 minutes for the 20 miles for a 5.10 mile pace

Kings Forest West Stow Suffolk

Five miles North of Bury St Edmunds in  Suffolk is the village of West Stow which is known further afield for its Anglo Saxon Village. If you want to experience what it might have been like to be an Anglo Saxon then make a visit to West Stow. There are generally events on most of the year details at the friends of West Stow site.The village has been created on the site where a major archaeological dig in the 1960's revealed a well preserved Anglo-Saxon site saved beneath the sands of the Breckland.

As this was closed for Christmas I parked further up the road at the picnic site known as Ramparts Field. This as the signboard indicates is a reminder of how much of the brecklands once were but after the 2nd world war much was put to forestry.

Ramparts Field survived as it was an  ancient gravel working site and is now used as a  good starting point for walks around the gorse and sandy lanes nearby.

 For my run on an overcast morning I wore layers to keep out the damp cold temperature it being just above freezing at 1 C. A sweat shirt and a techical t shirt over the top along with tracksters , gloves and hat kept me warm enough.

A short distance along the road from Ramparts Field towards the Anglo Saxon Vilage you can pick up the ancient Icknield Way which is said to be the oldest pathway in Great Britain predating the Roman invasion of 43AD.

What immeadiately strikes you when running this pathway is just how sandy the soil is around here with large numbers of flints everywhere. The name Breck derives from broken land and hints at how this area was never considered a great one for agriculture.

This morning there was a heavy frost and the ground even though being sandy was hard. The pathway I followed has been heavily used by forestry vechicles and hence is heavily rutted in places. At times I was running within the ridge formed by the car wheels and going up and down so although running I could imagine how bumpy a drive along here would be.

There are over 200 varieties of trees in the area known as Thetford Forest. My run took me on an out and back 4 miles to the King George the 5th monumnet in the King's Forest. Most of the trees that I could see that predominate are pines, oaks and conifers but there were also birch to be seen.

This certainly wouldn't be every ones cup of tea this run as it lonely and isolated. I say one mountain biker apart from that I was alone in the forest with the odd squirrel and a million rabbits for company.

In one section a local farmer has obviously filled one of the larger ruts in the pathway with broken bricks this provided a different challenge to run across.

At the end of the King's Forest the path meets the B1106 in a clearing, is a stone monument, with the following inscription: "This tone commemorates the silver jubilee of King George the Fifth. The Forestry Commissioners began in 1936 to afforest the King's Forest and to plant with Beeches Queen Mary's Avenue, which follows the course of the Icknield Way. P.L. Robinson, Chairman, W.L. Taylor, Assistant Commissioner."

I ran fairly slowly today but I was happy with my stamina on this run not feeling the urge to stop until around 6 miles. But by this point I was feeling a little cold and picked up the pace to complete my run back at the car. It was at this point that I realised that I had forgotten to use my jelly beans that I took with me to give me a little boost!

Icklingham Suffolk

9.30am 11 miles in 1 hr 30 mins 01 seconds

Week to date mileage 17

Month to date mileage 47

Average weekly rate 31.7

Average Monthly rate 138

Year to Date 1005

Life time 8783

I drove out to the West Stow Country Park and parked near the reconstructed Anglo Saxon houses,swings and visitors centre. I set of for my run out past the Wideham Cottages and along the road leading to the Ramparts Fields. Before reaching here I took a right turning leading me on to the Icknield Way.

The Icknield Way always brings an air of excitement to step on to an ancient pathway and to think of the many generations of travelers predating the Roman occupation who would have walked here before me.

The Icknield Way is unique among long distance tracks because it can claim to be "the oldest road in Britain". Extending from Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire to Knettishall Heath in Norfolk. The path runs for a 103 miles and dates back at least as far as the late iron age c100bc but may be older dating to the Neolithic period c4500 bc.

Instead of following the Icknield Way through the Kings Forest I took a left to follow the Icknield Way and Lark Valley path to Icklingham.

At Icklingham you can visit 2 churches and 2 pubs. All Saints Church is being restored and is a little bit out of the centre of the village so St James is the focal point for locals.

The Red Lion is the larger of the 2pubs and sits on the River Lark. It is currently being re thatched. The Plough Inn is a smaller flint building which probably gets by passed by visitors who head for the bigger gardens at the Red Lion.

I ran through the centre of Icklingham and picked up a footpath near Church Farm which took me out into the heart of Breckland said to be the desert of England because of its sandy soils and the unique character of the Breckland. This is the home of both rabbit and flint by the millions. Some people would say there is nothing there but that is to miss the beauty of the place its solitude unbroken for me apart from the occasional USAF plane taking of from Mildenhall and Lakenheath.

West Stow Suffolk

9.45am 13 miles in 1 hour 46 minutes

Week to Date mileage 31

Month to date mileage 75

Average Monthly rate 152

Weather: Dry cool

I found my camera batteries were flat so that was a big disappointment before I set of for my run. I decided to change my route and just run an out and back route along the Icklingham Belt which soon merges with the Icknield Way.

Before doing so I had a run around the West Stow Country Park and a lap around the Ramparts Field. This is a great picnic spot a good place for a game of rounders. The site was once a gravel pit site and is now full of bright yellow gorse which I can still feel the scratches on my ankles.

The pathway is Breckland sand but a light one and easy to run on. The pathway is fairly straight and runs through belts of old old pine and oak as well as lots of newly planted conifers

When the Icknield Way reaches the B1106 known as Shelterhouse Corner the pathway is marked to continue over to Barrow Clump Buildings but there is some dispute here as you cannot follow the ancient right of way which is sad. Instead you are directed along the road side and take the next right to pick up the pathway known as Old Barnham Slip. This was the point I turned and retraced my steps. Just as well really the pathway suddenly reaches an area which is fenced and the only way through was a roadway which is either flooded or is some kind of foot and mouth chemical cleaning area. I shall return but might have to go over the fence rather than wade up to the knee. I wonder what is going on here, this is the oldest road in Britain, a marked ancient right of way- perhaps it is just flooded.