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

Off to Hessett

White Horse Beyton

Out of bed at 6am and off for a cycle ride whilst it was still cool and before work. Yes this morning it was already lovely and warm and I knew I had to get out early before it became to hot later in the day.

My cycle ride this morning felt a lot easier and the saddle didn't bite half as much so if nothing else I am wearing my back side in!  I followed theNational Route 51 out to Thurston. The cycle route is part of Sustrans one of the UK's leading sustainable transport charities.

Beyton Suffolk

From here I followed the Thurston Rd into Beyton and turned near the White Horse pub on the road up to Hessett. I stopped for a quick drink at All Saints Church Beyton, this is one of those lovely round tower buildings. Beyond Hessett I followed the same road turning right at Smallwood Green before emerging at Bradfield Woods.

From here the Felsham Rd took me through Bradfield St George , Lt Whelnethum , Sicklesmere and home.

Railway Crossing at Thurston

My route was a total of 17.5 miles which took me 1hr 33 mins. My pace per mile is coming down but is still less than 12 miles an hour so can be classified as very a beginner which I am - having cycled 3 times this year! My pace per mile is now about 5.20 which is down from 5.45 .

All Saints Beyton

Its progress and I hope to get under 5 minute miling. Thats my target as I build up to the Juneathon.

Suffolk Words, Sayings and Stories

A friend of mine was walking up Abbeygate St in Bury St Edmunds, behind two very smartly dressed girls. A woman on the other side of the street waved her hand to the girls in greeting  whereupon the following remark from one of the girls fell upon my friends astonished ears :

Hessett Village Sign

'Why do her wave to we? Us don't know she'

In a corner of Suffolk I recently heard a woman with her child and dog in a railway booking station ask for 'A houle, a half and a pup return ticket'

I had a clear out recently of race t shirts. At so many races now the organisers give out a race t shirt often with the name of the race and the sponsors and quite often these are cotton not technical shirts. I was hoarding these shirts but never hardly  wearing them. I was running out of space in a wardrobe and these were the culprits so I have now got rid. This got me thinking as to what you would prefer as a race prize. Cheaper race entry and no prize? A medal? A  t shirt ? A certificate? A goodie bag with some food and drink? Or perhaps you have entered a race and had something fairly unique as a prize?

Personally I go with the medal which has some what gone out of fashion in recent years. Let me know your preference.

Thurston Suffolk

6pm 9 miles in 1hr 15 mins 11 secs
Week to date mileage 34 miles
Month to date mileage 55
Average weekly rate 30 miles
Average monthly rate 130
Year to date 961
Lifetime 10554

I drove down to the Fox in Eastgate Street and parked along the Broadway which is a wonderful row of houses in a handy location for the park and town.

My evening run plan was to head out to Thurston via Moreton Hall and the national cycle network route 51. The Sustrans project which has a vision of a national cycle network is a real success with over 10,000 miles of cycle pathways around the country. Route 51 runs between Colchester and Oxford. That said I haven't really cycled on it! We have a shed with at least 3 bikes in a state of disrepair -flat tires, slipped chains.

Perhaps a well known fact - James Moore from Bury St Edmunds was the winner of the World's first official cycle race in Paris in 1868. James Moore was born in Long Brackland. His winning bike is to be seen at Ely Museum.

Once through Moreton Hall I passed the Flying Fortress once an oasis in an airfield in countryside but soon to have neighboring houses and locals which must surely please the landlord. At this point you begin to pick up the route 51 signs and a long section of fencing along the airfield.

Route 51 is a handy running route with the obvious benefit of being car free though there is a fair amount of traffic some walkers and a good no of cyclists.

There was even a box of discovery apples that some friendly soul had placed on the route with a notice to help yourself and a supply of carry bags to boot.

This time of year when fields have just been harvested is quite beautiful but there is an element of sadness as well as it reflects the year moving on a pace and raises thoughts of Autumn and the clock change when we are pitched into darkness until March. However melancholy thoughts are short in this beautiful countryside which we can take for granted sometimes.

My run followed the cycle route until this takes you across the road and along a narrow road track to the railway crossing point and into Thurston. Keeping a straight path i ran up to the Thurston Community College and after a bit of a circuit around the village returned back to the Fox by the same route.

The Flying Fortress Moreton Hall

5pm 7.5 miles in 1 hr 12 mins 55 seconds

Week to date mileage 22

Month to date mileage 29

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average Monthly rate 131

Year to Date 1094

Life time 9114

A warm afternoon still feeling as if I am aboard a boat I set of for a run. I took the route up to Moreton Hall via Cullum Rd and past Sainsbury's. Moreton Hall is good for running and cycling and I picked up the national cycle route 51 towards Thurston . I ran a little further than the Flying Fortress before returning to Bury via Eastgate Street and home.

Moreton Hall , Flying Fortress and the Town Centre

7.45am 10 miles in Ihr 24 mins

Year to date mileage 743

Month to date 63 miles

Average miles per week this year 23.1

Average per month 100

Weather: Overcast & dry.

Course: Around the centre of town down Whiting Street past the Greene King Brewery then headed out towards Moreton Hall. Moreton Hall is the new Housing development which is stretching the boundary of Bury St Edmunds ever further out towards Thurston on the eastern boundary. You can get totally lost around the new housing on Moreton Hall which is springing up. I went as far as the pub known as the Flying Fortress where a new sign has appeared.

The new sign refers to the National Cycle Network and is known as the Millennium Milepost. It is one of many cycle signs going up around the country creating 10,000 miles of cycle routes. The section in Bury is part of the National Cycle Route 51, between Felixstowe and Cambridge.

Above you see a couple of pictures from the entrance of the Greene King Brewery. If you grow up in Bury St Edmunds one of the great smells of the Town is from the Greene King Brewery. If the wind is in the right direction you get a lovely seet bitter smell.

Greene King has been in the Town since 1799. In recent years it has been expanding acquiring Moreland Brewery and Ridleys.

Some of the great beers from Greene King include Abbot Ale . IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Ruddles County.

Abbot Ale is the company's flagship beer and has brewed in Bury since the 1950's.

You can take a guided tour of the brewery and see many of the art deco features from the mash tub room built in the 1930's.