We’re a Ramblers group aimed mainly at people in their 20s, 30s and slightly older, offering led walks and social events across Herts, Beds and south Cambs.
The final two parts of our plan to complete the Icknield Way Path - 114 miles following “the oldest road in Britain”.
These last sections have been planned as part of a weekend away based in Bury St Edmunds, the historic Suffolk cathedral town.
Please note you must be a paid-up Ramblers member to attend the full weekend away.
Friday night: dinner in Bury St Edmunds
Head to Bury when you can and meet for dinner in the evening (time & place TBC).
For those free earlier in the day, there may be a short walk in town in the late afternoon.
Saturday: Euston, Knettishall Heath & Hopton (11.5 miles, Moderate)
A linear walk from Rymer Point to Hopton. See the Stag Walkers Meetup group for start/end time and location.
We’ll begin by heading northeast past fields, woods and piggeries before reaching the small village of Euston. From here the route follows a permissive path through the Euston Park estate and we'll glimpse Euston Hall, family home of the Dukes of Grafton. Making our way east along the Duke’s Ride we’ll bag a trig pillar that sits a mere 49 metres above sea level before we turn towards Knettishall Heath.
We’ll pause at an Icknield Way milestone marking the end of this epic trail then continue through the heathland nature reserve, looking out for wild ponies. We’ll then have our lunch break on picnic benches by the River Little Ouse; there are also toilets and a cafe van here.
After leaving the Icknield Way, our last four miles today are along another waymarked trail, the Angles Way, taking us to the village of Hopton. If there’s time, we can have a drink at the village pub, The Vine, before catching the bus back to Bury bus station.
Later in the evening we’ll meet for dinner in town (time & place TBC).
Sunday: The King’s Forest, West Stow & Ingham (13 miles, Moderate)
A linear walk from Rymer Point to Ingham. See the Stag Walkers Meetup group for start/end time and location.
We’ll end our Icknield Way Challenge today by first heading west along sandy tracks through farmland, past the disused Bury-Thetford railway line and onto a wide trail through the King’s Forest. This is a mixed wood named to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary. After passing a monument, the route follows a straight line southwest through the forest for over three miles, gently descending into the Lark Valley.
We’ll join the Lark Valley Path at West Stow Country Park, passing a beautiful lake and a reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village before we stop for lunch; the Country Park boasts a picnic area, cafe and toilets.
We then head east alongside the River Lark and through the villages of Culford and Ingham, where if time allows we’ll visit The Cadogan for a drink before we catch the bus from outside the pub back to Bury.
Accommodation
Book your own accommodation - prompt booking advised. Bury St Edmunds has a number of B&BS, Airbnbs, holiday cottages, traditional coaching inns and hotels, including a town centre Premier Inn. There are also options in villages near the town.
Getting there
By train, Bury St Edmunds is around 40 mins from Cambridge or around 1.5 hrs from Hitchin, changing at Cambridge. Also around 1.5 hrs from Hitchin by car. If driving, please consider car-sharing.
Booking
The weekend is exclusive to current (paid-up) members of Ramblers. Space is limited to 16 people and must be booked via the Stag Walkers Meetup group.
Book your place by clicking the ‘Attend’ button and if the event is full, click ‘join waitlist’ and you will be added if a place becomes available.
Please book only if confident you can attend and remember to update your RSVP if you have to cancel.
Walk Leader: Al M
Any questions?
If you've not been to a Stag Walkers weekend away before, they are a great chance to explore somewhere new and to spend some time socialising with other members of the group.
If you have any questions about the weekend, please post on the Meetup event page.
About the organisers
This event is hosted by Stag Walkers - we are a Ramblers group aimed mainly at people in their 20s and 30s but all are welcome and we have members of all ages. We run weekly walks, on Saturdays or Sundays, varying in length from around 5 to 15 miles, and we host regular social nights. Walks and socials generally take place across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and south Cambridgeshire.
For details of how to join Ramblers and how much it costs please see the website.
Meet at Bury St Edmunds bus station for travel to walks both days. By train, Bury St Edmunds is around 40 mins from Cambridge or around 1.5 hrs from Hitchin, changing at Cambridge. Also around 1.5 hrs from Hitchin by car. If driving, please consider car-sharing.
