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Start: Alight from the bus at The Swan stop in Needham Market, opposite the Rampant Horse pub. (IP6 8A) Grid ref. TM 089 548
(S) From the bus at The Swan stop opposite the Rampant Horse pub. Cross the road and follow the B1078 Coddenham Road for 400 yards at which point there is a junction with the road passing under a railway bridge on the left.
(1) Proceed under the bridge, following the road around past the car park to the lakes. Continue past the former black boarded mill on the left and just beyond on the right is a footpath sign which marks The Gipping Valley Way. From this point, the route is clearly marked throughout.
(2) The path follows the river past several lakes.
(3) Then it runs alongside the railway to emerge onto a road (Mill Lane).
(4) Turn left and follow the road down to a mill.
(5) The path continues on the right once again alongside the river.
(6) After 2.5 Km, at Great Blakenham, the path briefly departs from the river, to navigate around the riverside houses then passes over a bridge to continue along the opposite side of the river. At the far end of Great Blakenham the path meanders through woodland. At the end stage of this keep to the well trodden path out onto the road.
(7) Cross the road bridge to the opposite side of the river and continue along the riverbank at the edge of the heathland.
(8) When another mill is encountered, the path once again crosses the river, briefly follows the road to the right to descend back down to the river on a path through the undergrowth. More heathland is encountered as the path continues onwards, soon passing the village of Bamford that sits on the opposite bank.
The next bridge encountered is the Sproughton Road Bridge which the path passes under alongside the river. The Wild Man pub can be found by taking the access onto the bridge and then walking into the village. The pub is 300 yards from the bridge at the crossroads.
(9) The path continues alongside the river and soon comes to two railway bridges which marks the urban area of Ipswich. Keep to the path past a housing estate, under a road bridge and onto Handford bridge.
(10) The route path crosses the bridge and follows the river on the opposite bank. This soon emerges onto West End Road.
(11) Cross the road, and follow the path on the small grassed area by the river which is now known as The Orwell. Keep to the path all the way through to the bridge on Bridge Street.
(12) Cross the road, and continue alongside the Waterfront area. At the Isaacs on the Quay pub, take the alleyway to the side and on the right at the back of the pub is the Briarbank brewery. There is a brewery tap room is located in the building above the actual brewing room. (E)
Walker
Easy 
