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Home > Leisure Offers > Station Walks > Westerfield
Station walk - by Michael Anderton
Background
Westerfield is situated handily at the junction of the East Coast and Felixstowe branch lines, just to the north of
Ipswich. Originally the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company built their terminus alongside the East Suffolk Railway station and the old building and remains can be seen on the Ipswich side of the tracks. Today the trains on the busy Felixstowe branch continue straight on into Ipswich Station.
The village lies in a pocket of countryside bounded by the railway and the valley of the River Fynn. The sparse farming community has been tastefully infilled with new houses during recent years, and is nicely centred around the Church of St. Mary Magdalene and the nearby cross roads formed by Westerfield Road, Church Lane and Lower Road.
Walk Route
From the station turn right down the road to the village sign at the cross roads in the centre of Westerfield. Turn left
and walk along Lower Road (west) for 600 metres, taking great care of the approaching traffic where there is no footway, and turn right up Sandy Lane which is marked with a bridleway sign. Once the tarmac section of the lane ends at the Anglian Water pumping station, continue straight on up the stony track through the fields.
At the top of the hill there is the first of two short cuts, a footpath sign denotes an unrecorded path along the top edge of the field on the right, leading back to the Witnesham Road. Continue straight along the track for the main walk, past Pipp's Farm and then to the right of Willow Tree and Beeston's Farms. The hard surface changes to grass here and by the pond at the back of the farms, there is another opportunity to short cut by turning right on a path leading to Cockfield Hall Lane.
Continue straight on along the bridleway under the electricity wires ahead, the path here is along the right edg
e of a vast open prairie like field with a hedge on the right. From this high ground there are superb views on the left across the Henley Road, Akenham and to Claydon in the Gipping Valley beyond. My Ordnance Survey map tells me that the land is up to 55 metres above sea level in places along this path.
At the corner of the field where there is a footpath on the left, continue straight on between the bushes ahead for about 20 metres and turn right through a gap into a field, just after a second signpost in the bushes. On the other side of the hedge you will find an uncultivated crop break strip across the field leading directly towards Low Farm, at the time of writing the grass was quite short but clearly defined and unploughed.
At the other side of the field there is a steel gate with steps in the fence to gain access to the pasture on the other side. Continue along the right hedge to a second steel gate that should be securely closed after passing through.
Cross the next small meadow to a wooden gate and stile giving access out on to Cockfield Hall Lane opposite Low Farm.
Turn right down the lane, which is a public road up to this point. After passing under the electricity wires and round the left and right bends, the short cut from Willow Tree Farm mentioned above rejoins the walk route. Continue on down the lane to eventually reach the Witnesham Road at Westerfield Hall.
Turn right alon
g the road towards Westerfield village, taking great care of the approaching traffic and using the verge to walk on or take refuge wherever possible. At the end of a brick wall on the right the other short cut mentioned above rejoins the route. At the 30 m.p.h. signs on the approach to Westerfield the roadside footway commences and provides a safer walking route down into the village.
Pass the Swan pub, the end of Swan Lane and on to the cross roads where the village sign stands on the corner of Church Lane. Turn left to visit the church of St Mary Magdalene, or continue straight on along the roadside footway to return to the start at the station.
Thank you for taking the time to explore this walk.
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