From Trimley to Languard Fort via Felixstowe Ferry

Start: Trimley Methodist Church (IP11 0RL) Grid ref. TM 270 377 at the junction between High Road and Mill Lane

(S) From Trimley Methodist Church, the route follows Mill Lane (North-East) on the Ipswich side of Trimley which after 475m or so turns left to lead out across the A14 trunk road and a country lane towards Falkenham.

(1) Turn sharp right and walk South-Eastward along the lane. After 560m, leave the A14 on your right to take Capel Hall Lane left.

(2) Walk 400m and just before a wood on the left, there is a footpath diagonally across the field. Take it and walk North-East through the wood and then diagonally across another field with the same bearing. At the far end it emerges back onto the Lane (Brook Lane).

(3) Turn left along the lane then as the lane leads back out of the valley. After 200m, there is a footpath on the right (East) which leads along the field boundary, eventually crossing this and a field to the lane to Deben Lodge Farm.

(4) Turn right and keep on this lane (East-South-East), past the farm, where the lane turns into a track and leads down to Kings Fleet.

(5) Keep along the side of the Fleet through to where the river defence blocks its navigation to the Deben. Climb up onto the earthen defence.

(6) Take the path to the right, following the Deben into Felixstowe Ferry. After 1.6 Km, the footpath leads onto the concrete walkway alongside the sea.

(7) Turn right and keep to this all the way down to Felixstowe (2.6 Km).

(8) Just before Cobbolds Point it is necessary to climb up the cliff on the public steps right. Reach the road where you turn left and walk along Cliff Road for 335m.

(9) Turn left into Maybush Lane back down to the seafront. Keep to the seafront for 4 Km, all the way through to where the official route turns inland to navigate behind the docks. At this point continue along the seafront, past the last Martello Tower and onto Languard Common.

(10) Take either route along the common which eventually emerges at Languard Fort. (E)

Start: Trimley Methodist Church (IP11 0RL) Grid ref. TM 270 377 at the junction between High Road and Mill Lane

Transport: First Group 75/76/77 bus services connecting Ipswich, Trimley and Felixstowe.
There is a regular bus service between Felixstowe and Trimley going onto Ipswich, with one bus each hour that continues on from Felixstowe down to Languard Fort, operating as the 77 Service. An alternative option for this walk is to continue up the estuary to Loompit Lake where there is a footpath through to Trimley to make a circular route. This path formed part of the old inland route of the Stour and Orwell Walk.

Refreshments :
The Ferryboat Inn, Felixstowe Ferry
St Judes Brewery Tavern, Felixstowe

Map: OS Explorer 197

Note: The walk follows the former route of the Stour and Orwell long distance path, initially along the old inland route, and then along the coast from the Deben to the Orwell. From February 2012 Suffolk Coast and Heaths cut the inland route and the coast path section of the Stour and Orwell Walk from its official route. The start to the route is now at Landguard Common, Manor Terrace Car park, and joins the original route where it cuts inland along Beach Station Road. Nonetheless there are still waymarkers along the former inland section and the coastal section is marked with the Suffolk Coast Path waymarkers.

Find more information and walks at Griffmonsters Great Walks here.

Find detailed information about below historical features at Griffmonsters Great Walks here.

Martello Towers : Three Martello Towers sit alongside the seafront at Felixstowe

Languard Fort: An historic Fort that defends the mouth of the River Orwell and dates from 1543

A Curious Tale of Black Shuck at Felixstowe Ferry : A piece of folklore of the East Anglian canine spectre, Black Shuck