Owner:
squiz
Member
Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 3071
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21st August 2019
Mt. Biking: Iken, Snape and Captains Wood. Wind Direction: Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: sunny periods Max Speed: 20.26 (knots - unless stated otherwise) Distance Covered: 17 miles (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise)
Wednesday 21st August – bike ***** Iken, Snape and Captains Wood –
sunny periods.
Top night in Sandgalls car park at the start of the Viking Mountain Bike
Trail all alone in our prime spot:) Woke to more sunshine with only the odd
dog walker/mountain biker turning up, exercises outside in the secluded
bracken surrounded spot even if some plonker has fly tipped his garden
cuttings in it, the world is full of idiots! After breakfast with picnic
packed, we head to Iken church before returning to find the river path to
Snape Maltings which is always good with its wooden duckboards, past reed
beds and stark dead trees. We saw a Marsh Harrier overhead and there was
even a small German film crew shooting the scenery for a German documentary
about rivers :) It had clouded over by now and the breeze had picked up and
Snape Maltings were pretty busy but we didn’t stop and continued over the
bridge and along the Alde to find a nice sheltered spot with a bench for
our picnic with views back to the Maltings and Curlews calling in the mud!
After yesterday’s hectic ten-mile Viking Trail adventure we were not sure
where to go next? We have done the Fisherman’s Path to Aldeburgh and
beyond but thought that too far. I had picked up a Suffolk Wildlife Trust
leaflet and we liked the sound of Captains Wood only a few miles from here.
So back to the Maltings and the river path, past the turf fields and out of
the popular big car park at Iken cliffs and on to the Orford road. Past the
fat mud covered pigs following the directions we found on Mags phone. At
Sudbourne we turned left and soon found the gateway to Captains Wood and
found it exactly as described in the leaflet – It feels like time has
stood still in this extraordinary wood. Herds of fallow deer roam amongst
the ancient trees and in spring, one of the greatest shows of bluebells in
Suffolk – we will defiantly come back then! You enter through a gate into
a large area of open grassland with a notice board mapping a 1.5 mile walk
but as we had our bikes we continued on them - as dogs were not allowed
there was not a soul in sight:) We didn’t expect to see any deer as we
haven’t seen any in the forest as yet but spooked two when we first
entered the woods! The path was very overgrown with bracken but we made it
through slowly on our bikes and it was indeed very beautiful:) The path was
well marked as we left the forest for another open area and saw another
pair of fallow deer:) We found a seat for a rest and a snack while watching
the many dragon flies with a kestrel hunting:) We continued and soon saw
yet another pair of deer close to the path but they soon shoot off when we
passed! So, we discovered yet another one of Suffolk’s hidden gems, we
can’t believe we haven’t been here before as have passed it a few times
and will be back! Back on the Orford road we find the Viking Trail
short-cut which takes us back to the van for a well-deserved cuppa and
biscuit before relaxing in the sun reading my book. Then after tea a van
special, corned beef and potatoes we were in bed by 9.15 as absolutely
knackered after biking 27 miles in two days!
Photo Gallery Here
Captains Wood
here
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