Adkins Wood Ickworth Park Suffolk

Adkins Wood

An easy 8 mile run this morning out to Adkins Wood in Ickworth Park. A grey overcast Easter Monday.

Bee Hives at Ickworth Park

Canal Lake

This is one of my regular routes and it is always interesting to spot things which have changed. Today there were 3 things of note - a number of new signboards,lots of lambs in the park which made a tremoundous bleating racket as I approached and some further evidence of work to set up some beehives. By the canal lake and next to the summerhouse work has begun on establishing some behives.

St Mary's Church

Summer House

Apparently the National Trust has found evidence that beehives were present on the site when the Marquis of Bristol family seat over hundred of years  was  Ickworth Park.

I am hoping to run my next race on the 3rd of May at Croxton Thetford. It is the Breckland 10k race over the border in Norfolk.

This leaves little time for training but I will follow a 4 week plan from the Runners World SMART Coach and hope for the best!

Adkins Wood Ickworth Park Suffolk

7.5 miles in 1 hr 6 mins 53 seconds

In a break from work at lunch time I ran up to Ickworth Park from Bury St Edmunds. My plan being to seek out the cooler shade of Adkins Wood on a fairly warm day.

Running through Little Horringer Hall Farm up the hill past a large field of barley I was met by a group of cyclists coming at a fair lick down hill. The path being narrow they thankfully saw me and gave way just in time.

At one point I had contemplated jumping into the barley to avoid a collision.

This run is nearly all over fields but emerging from Little Horringer Hall Farm you do arrive on Westley Lane. There is little traffic but cars do tend to hurtle along this stretch and you have to be on guard because of the bends in teh road before you arrive in Horringer Village.

Once in the village you can quickly venture into Ickworth Park and turning immeadiately left you can explore Adkins Wood.







Still muddy in many places it was a case of running from side to side along the track and skipping over puddles but at times with no option just plonking straight into the mud.

This is a run with lakes to visit on route. The first lake is known as the Fairy Lake and is always quiet in fact I don't think I have ever seen anyone there when I have run past.



















Close to the fairly lake is a duckboard footpath. It was really good to see that this has all been replaced. The previous duckboard in this muddy section had disintegrated to the point where the remaining boards were removed last year. The new boards are nice and solid and there is no bounce as there was on the old timbers.

The next lake which is more well known to any visitor to the National Trust site at Ickworth is the Canal Lake.





















In the photo you can see in the foreground a summer house , behind which there is a small vineyard which produces some fine qulaity English wine. St Mary's Church at Ickworth has been derelict for many years but there is a sign there now to indicate that restoration works are now being undertaken by English Heritage. In the background on the right is Ickworth House.

I ran very slowly today not entirely sure why but this run is more about enjoying the sites and there is always something different to see. For instance today a large school party were enjoying a wildlife trip to the park with a packed lunch.




















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Adkins Wood Circular Run Suffolk

8.30am 7.7 miles in 1 hr 9 mins 42 seconds
Week to date mileage 35 miles
Month to date mileage 20
Average weekly rate 29.9 miles
Average monthly rate 130
Year to date 1317
Lifetime 10910

A run around beautiful Ickworth Park.

On a misty autumn morning there were several walkers with dogs taking a walk to see the autumnal colours and with recent winds the trees have dropped their leaves to form a colourful carpet in many parts of the park.

Eddie And The Hot Rods Do Anything You Wanna Do

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Fairy Lake at Ickworth Park Suffolk

11.15pm 7.8 miles in 1 hr 14 mins 22 seconds
Week to date mileage 20 miles
Month to date mileage 64
Average weekly rate 30.4 miles
Average monthly rate 132
Year to date 1262
Lifetime 10855

What should have been a long run on my birthday turned out to be a very slow frustrating run as I struggled with my new injury. It is hard to run when you can feel a dull ache in your leg and are not sure whether further runs are causing more damage.

Frustration really as this time of year along with Spring are the best time for running the weather being wonderful. Also conscious of the clock change and the dark evenings so running in the daylight is precious valuable time.

Still I persisted and ran out to Ickworth park and as far as the Fairy Lake. I passed on the lovely soft pathway two sheep which has broken out of their field in search of better grazing, I slowed to a walk to pass them without scaring them too much. From whence they had come I am not sure as I couldn't see the rest of their flock.


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Adkins Wood Ickworth Park Suffolk Circular Run

8.15am 9 miles in 1hr 13 mins 44 seconds
Week to date mileage 28 miles
Month to date mileage 28
Average weekly rate 30.7 miles
Average monthly rate 134
Year to date 1225
Lifetime 10818

Adkins Wood is a lake and woodland run around Ickworth Park. Deer culling is in progress but thankfully no sign of this today. East Anglia seems to have a high population of deer compared to the rest of the country if the no of road accidents is anything to go by or maybe the driving leaves a lot to be desired in these parts.

On a damp morning the Fairy Lake and the Canal Lake were shrouded in mist. The pontoon bridge between them has been pulled up and stacked in broken sections. I had noted that the boards had become unstable in previous runs to the point of being uncertain whether you were going to put your foot straight through. Instead the ground is a bit damp in this wet area of undergrowth and tree cover next to a stream between the two lakes.

Adkins Wood Ickworth Park Suffolk

9.15am 7 miles in 59 mins 17 seconds
Week to date mileage 40 miles
Month to date mileage 130
Average weekly rate 30.7 miles
Average monthly rate 134
Year to date 1168
Lifetime 10761

A really good week for me in terms of putting in the running mileage and I am getting closer to my original annual target of running 31 miles a week. Today I headed out to Ickworth park via Horringer Hall farm.

The farm looks trim and tidy with the oilseed rape long since harvested and the ground now ploughed and rolled.

In Ickworth park I headed right at the entrance following a well trodden pathway but found the way blocked off and fenced.

I had forgotten that the sheep have been moved from their summer pasture to this part of the park for the winter. After returning back to the entrance gates I climbed the stile into Adkins Wood and did a short lap of the woods before returning home.

Adkins Wood Ickworth Park Suffolk

8am 7.3 miles in 1hr 0 mins 20 secs
Week to date mileage 25 miles
Month to date mileage 46
Average weekly rate 29.9 miles
Average monthly rate 130
Year to date 952
Lifetime 10545

A circular run around Adkins Wood at Ickworth Park. This run takes me from Gainsborough field up via a pathway through Great Horringer Hall farm besides Westley Lane. Eventually you have to run on the road and this is ok although you have to watch for traffic on the bends.

Once you are in Horringer head into Ickworth park and immediately turn left over a stile and into Adkins Wood. This is a long strip of woodland which runs alongside the Chevington Road. There are good pathways with loads of options for detours to shorten or lengthen a run here. The pathways are good but wet and muddy in places.

If you run as far as the fairy lake then you know you are then in Lady Herveys Wood. However for this run I run a circular route around Adkins Wood and return by the same route home.

Adkins Wood, Ickworth Park Suffolk

8am 9.2 miles in 1 hr 14 mins 54 mins
Week to date mileage 27 miles
Month to date mileage 48
Average weekly rate 29.7 miles
Average monthly rate 129
Year to date 679
Lifetime 10272

Adkins Wood is one of my favourite runs combining as it does hills, farmland, woodland , National Trust parkland and lakes. The run starts from Bury St Edmunds and sets off up Westley Lane until you reach Horringer,

then into Ickworth Park. Immediately inside of the park I turn left and into Adkins Wood which is a fairly narrow strip of woodland running the length of the village.
Who was Adkins?


I wore my Inov 8 shoes which I like a lot they have great grip and are a bit like a sports car in that they are low lying you feel as if you are hugging the ground as they have don't have the large cushion of normal running shoes.

When you reach the Fairy lake you know you are now in Lady Hervey's Wood.
There is a wet path way to take you over to the Canal Lake by way of some pontoon duck boards.

The Canal Lake is a very pretty spot with its summer house, vinefields and the views of Ickworth House and St Mary's Church.

Adkins Wood Ickworth Park Suffolk

9am 9.2 miles in 1 hr 14 mins 5 secs

Week to date mileage 15 miles

Month to date mileage 51

Average weekly rate 29.1 miles

Average monthly rate 126

Year to date 565

Lifetime 10158


Adkins Wood is a circular run that I do which takes across and over Great Horringer Hall Farm, up Westley Lane until you reach Horringer, then into Ickworth Park. Immediately inside of the park I turn left and into Adkins Wood which is a fairly narrow strip of woodland running the length of the village.

When you reach the Fairy lake you know you are now in Lady Hervey's Wood. There is a wet path way to take you over to the Canal Lake by way of some pontoon duck boards. The Canal Lake is a very pretty spot with its summer house, vinefields and the views of Ickworth House and St Mary's Church.


The Canal Lake has a large no of Canada Geese at present. My run meant 1-2 close encounters with geese who were protecting their young as I came close by and they let me know to keep away charging and hissing in my direction.

Returning past Ickworth House there are currently many lambs. The weather continued to change from bright sunshine to heavy cloud as I made my way out of the park and back home along Westley Lane.

Adkins Wood Ickworth Park

8am 9.2 miles in 1 hr 15 mins 24 secs

Week to date mileage 22 miles

Month to date mileage 9

Average weekly rate 29.9 miles

Average monthly rate 130

Year to date 1436

Lifetime 9456

After last nights heavy rain I decided to venture out to Ickworth Park and run a circuit of Adkins Wood. It was certainly muddy in the wood and as a result I had the place to myself.
Finally with a combination of some heavy winds and rain the leaves have begun to fall although it is still mild and we are on course for the warmest year recorded in Britain. At the lake in Lady Hervey's Wood all was quiet and I sped on over the duck boards many of which have now been broken so I had to tred gingerly to avoid going into the bog below.


I soon reached the Canal Lake which had been invaded by a large number of seagulls.

I continued past the Canal Lake up hill to the now redundant St Marys Church.

Before I left Ickworth Park I passed this toad stool fairy ring. Fungi has the habit of growing outwards from a central spore point so in many ways it is natural to see rings like this though it is still magical.

Ickworth Park Adkins Wood Suffolk

8am 10.2 miles in 1 hour 24 minutes 30 seconds

Week to date mileage 24

Month to date mileage 57

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1242

Lifetime 9262

A very misty morning so I was in 2 minds whether to bring a camera or not as I really couldn't see much apart from a few feet in front of me. I brought it anyway hoping it might clear a little.

I ran through Horringer farm into Ickworth Park. Imeadiately turning right and into Adkins Wood which was very muddy and it was a case of jumping the puddles in places. Disturbed a large number of deer running through the woods in Lady Katherines Wood I ran as far as Ivy Cottage before returning back to the lake at Lady Herveys Wood.

I went over the pontoon bridge to the Summer House at the Canal Lake and then tppk the pathway through the centre of Ickworth Park. It was busier than normal as the park was holding an annual wood sale. Vans and trailers were descending on the park to stack up with winter supplies.

The mist never did clear and I returned home.

Adkins Wood Ickworth Park Circular Run

8am 10.2 miles in 1hr 24 mins 21 seconds

Week to date mileage 22

Month to date mileage 51

Average weekly rate 30.2

Average Monthly rate 131

Year to Date 1116

Life time 9136

I ran through Adkins Wood but took a turning through the middle of the woods at firepoint 115 which lead me over to Lady Herveys Wood and the lake. I don't know the name of this lake but it appears very shallow and is joined to the the main canal lake near the summer house by a tiny stream.

This morning there was a number of ducks who came up close to me as I photographed the lake for food or just to to enquire what I was doing there at their lake.

After the lake through the woods there is a pontoon or duck board slate bridge over a wet section. Since I last visited on May 21st the boards have been broken in a few places and the threat of putting my foot through was greater than last time.

When you emerge from the woods into open fields and rolling countryside there are excellent views of the Rotunda House and St Marys church. Eventually you arrive at the red brick walls that surround The Bothy. On a rise over the canal lake there is a well tended national trust vineyard , a summer house and the brick house called a bothy.

I ran around this lake and then returned past St Marys Church and out of the Ickworth Grounds before returning home.

Ickworth Park Lady Herveys Wood

9am 10.2 miles in 1 hour 22 minutes 51 seconds

Week to date mileage 33

Month to date mileage 99

Average weekly rate 31.7

Average Monthly rate 138

Year to Date 638

Life time 8416

I couldn't resist returning to Ickworth Park having spotted a pathway yesterday that I thought might lead to a large lake in the woods. I ran through Adkins Wood but took a turning through the middle of the woods at firepoint 115 which lead me over to Lady Herveys Wood and the lake that I have never visited before in Ickworth Park. The lake appeared very shallow and I imagine is much less frequently visited than the main canal lake near the summer house.

On the OS Map it appears to be twice the size of the canal lake but it is difficult to get an impression of this as there only appears to be a pathway at one end of the lake though I am sure on another visit I will take a look to see if I can run around it.

After the lake through the woods there is a pontoon or duck board slate bridge over a wet section. The boards are somewhat bouncy and I thought I was going to put my foot through a board though I am sure they are stronger than they look. This is a wet section it appears there is a stream or an outlet from the Canal lake down to Lady Herveys Wood lake hence the duck boards.

You emerge from the woods into open fields and rolling countryside with excellent views of the Rotunda House and St Marys church. Eventually you arrive at the red brick walls that surround The Bothy. On a rise over the canal lake there is a well tended national trust vineyard , a summer house and the brick house called a bothy.

I ran around this lake and then returned past St Marys Church and out of the Ickworth Grounds before returning home.

Ickworth Park Adkins Wood

8am 11 miles in 1 hour 28 minutes

Week to date mileage 22

Month to date mileage 89

Average weekly rate 31.4

Average Monthly rate 136

Year to Date 628

Life time 8406

The weather was a mixture of sunshine and showers as I set of for a woodland run around Adkins Wood in Ickworth Park. The run takes me along a footpath over farm fields through to Horringer village. Immediately inside the national trust grounds of Ickworth Park if you turn left and climb a stile you are into Adkins Wood.

Here there a multitude of paths that you can follow and I have yet to explore them all. I decided to keep to a straight path so as to go out 45 minutes and and back in the same time. I didn't quite keep to this as I ran out of woodland when I arrived at the road called Poulters Lane on the main A143 near to Whepstead.. On the OS map Adkins Wood becomes Lady Herveys Wood and then finally Lady Catharine Wood. I have realised now that I could have carried on over the road to pick up a path into Dovedenhall Wood, something to look forward to another day.

In the woods the tracks were wonderful and squelchy plenty of puddles and mud to dodge from side to side as I ran down the paths. I didn't see anybody at all during the whole run in the woods. I must venture back asap as I can see there is a large lake shown in Lady Herveys Wood that I have to see maybe tomorrow if time allows.

After my recent problems with running I felt a lot better for a longer run. There is nothing like it for sorting out your pace and breathing and for getting into a good rhythm