The Wolf Way is a fairly new bikepacking circular route in Suffolk. I start at a small village called Barnham and join the Wolf Way heading towards the official start at Bury St Edmunds and later towards Ipswich. In part 2 I head up the east coast of Suffolk first passing through Felixstowe, taking the ferry to Bawdsey. I then pass through Ortford, Thorpeness and finish up in a holiday park in Dunwich.The route travels through ancient Forrests, Medieval villages and historic churches, castles, cathedrals and ancient ruins which are highlighted throughout. I decided to wildcamp throughout apart from a rest day at a campsite. Later in the route Coastal towns and villages are passed through too. For this bikepacking adventure I used a hardtail mountain bike but a gravel bike would work well too or even a road bike with good tread although some sandy sections would be harder without a mountain bike. other highlights are the Felixstowe to Bawdsey Ferry, the Knettishall heath wild ponies and other wildlife and fauna. Birds of prey and deer, pigs and coastal bird life were abundant. I have split the journey into 3 parts and highlighted the main points of interest. Enjoy
Hello. If you haven’t already, please check out part one of this adventure where I start the wolf way and check out Berry St. Edmund’s Cathedral and Abbey Gardens heading towards Ipsswitch through medieval villages and ancient forests. Please join me for part two of the adventure where I explore the Suffuk coast and all it has to offer. Passing through Felix Stowe, the largest container port in the country, I take the ferry from Felix Dau to Boursy before heading further up the coast towards my final destination, the Cliff House Holiday Park at Dunich. Along the way, I visit the magnificent Ortford Castle and Lacston Abbey. Enjoy the journey. Don’t forget to like and subscribe. [Music] Hello. Good morning. It’s Thursday the 16th. It’s 6:30 in the morning and what a lovely morning it is, too. I’m just looking up uh through the woods and the sun is shining. Um I’m about 5 milesi near Felix D today. I hope to get there in the next couple of hours because it’s obviously quite close and I’m going to catch a ferry to Boursey the ferry to the Felix dove boardsy ferry. So um that should be fun. Um the only problem is they only go from 10:00 to 5. So I might be a bit early but we’ll see how it goes. I can still chill out in Philip Sto for a little while. Maybe catch some breakfast and uh take it from there. Going to be another hot one. I’d rather that than it was raining. So let’s see how it goes. Bye for now. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hello. Just a quick update. It’s about 8:30 in the morning. Still very early. I’m somewhere between Haritch, which I could see in the background, and Felix, do probably about halfway. So, um, taking me a little bit longer than I thought, but, um, hopefully I make it for the ferry at 10:00 or whenever it is. There isn’t an exact time table if you’re looking for one, so I’m assuming they probably go regularly throughout the day between 10 and 5, something like that. It’s an absolutely glorious day. You can see I’m on a deserted little beach. Um, got it all to myself. Some lovely views behind me. Absolutely gorgeous. I’m thinking of uh maybe camping along the coast at some point in a campsite. So perhaps I can charge my gear and it’s always nice to have a shower. It’s only been a couple of days, but uh already starting to feel a little bit grimy. So um yeah, I’ll report in later. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. on day one. Day three. Day three. Yeah, I’m on day three now. So, yeah. So, um yeah, my legs are feeling fine cuz I haven’t really cycled all year, but uh much cycling out. Yeah, it seems um this in January, so sure. Yeah. So, as many times work just takes up so much.
Yeah. But it’s nice now. I do a bit running and a bit gym. So I figured, you know, you can get a little bit f as you go along as well. So uh yeah. Yeah. The last couple years. The thing is you the thing about my tour, you just go your own pace. Yeah. That’s what it’s all about. So yeah, 20 hour. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It’s a short for a littleation. Oh, it’s going to be cloudy. It’s cool. Oh, well. Did you eat that place or Yeah, it’s nice. Yeah. That was crazy.
Yeah, I know timing. Yeah. Yeah. I think it’s half six tonight. So, did you go through Phoenix though on the seafront?
Yes. Yeah. I thought it was going to be a bit more industrial than that. It was very pleasant. Yeah. The house is up at the top. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] [Music] [Music] Very sandy. Very very tough going. Could be hiker bike, but I’m going to try plow through. Hard work. It’s definitely easier up here. Almost impossible in the sand. [Music] All right, it’s half past 2. Just cycle from Felix Stow across the ferry to BZY. Met some really nice people at Felix Stow uh waiting for the ferry. Some photographers who were really nice to talk to and uh amazing photographers as well. They showed me some of their stuff and a couple of bike packing guys who were really nice too and helped me with my bike onto the ferry. So, I appreciate that. So, I’m at a picnic place now. Um, which looks really good for camping. Actually, it’s a wild camping spot, but uh I’m sure you’re not allowed. I think it’s called Sutton Heath. Anyway, I’m on my way to uh South Wald. Whether I make it today or not, I’m not sure. South Wald somewhere I’ve been to a few times, but uh it’s a nice place. So, I’m hugging the coast until I get uh get there. See you soon. Bye. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Thank you. [Music] Ortford Castle was built in the 12th century for Henry II. Orford Castle was intended to curtail the power of the turbulent East Anglin baronss such as Hugh Beig of nearby Framington Castle. Its polygonal keep was built to a revolutionary design which is today a landmark in the Suffach landscape. This unconventional design is matched by an unusual history marked by drama of all kinds. Ortford Castle was a symbol of the king’s power, strategically placed both to uphold royal authority in a region thickly planted with castles of powerful lords and guard the coast against invasion. In 1189, the castle passed to Henry II’s son, Richard I, also known as Richard the Linheart. And when he was captured upon his return from the Crusades, his mother, Elellanena of Aquitane, assembled a fleet at Ortford to deliver the ransom for his release. Just a quick update, I’m at Orford just by the church. You can see some of the old ruins behind me. I’ve got a better shot of the church by drone, which you can see in a bit. And also interestingly, I filmed the castle at Orford as well, uh, which was quite spectacular. So, um, look forward to seeing that in 4K. It’s half 5 in the afternoon now, so I’m going to have a quick look around Orford. Um, heading towards the coastal aspect of it and then start thinking about something to eat and, uh, somewhere to camp. I’ve still got two or three hours, but um not sure how far I’ll make it. It’s been extremely hot today, so uh yeah, I’m a little bit frazzled, as you can probably see by my face. So, uh report in later. The church of St. Bartholomew is the parish church of the town of Orford in England. A medieval church dating from the 14th century with reconstructions in the 19th and 20th century. It is a grade one listed building. In addition to its listing, the church is notable as the location for the first performances of four of the works of the composer Benjamin Britain. [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] The original tower of the Christian St. Mary’s Church was built in the early 14th century. It has been altered several times and around 1900 the tower was taken down and completely rebuilt. The old materials were used and the new tower is a careful copy of the original. The form of the buttresses indicate that it was once a stage higher and it was probably altered when the bells were installed in the 15th century. It was at Fristen St. Mary Church where I decided to pitch my tent at the far end of the church grounds under a tree. [Music] Good morning. It’s about 7:00 in the morning and this is my camp for night number three. Um, as you can see, it’s not the most cubrious of locations. It’s in a graveyard, but actually it’s not too bad. Um, it’s not the uh first time and it probably won’t be the last time that I end up in a graveyard, but um, yeah, there’s a tap, there’s some nice grass, I’m under a tree. It’s all good. So, very peaceful. The village is called Friston. It’s not far from the coast. I’m hoping to make it to uh, Thor Nest this morning. Um, [Music] possibly to um, find a campsite. I think there was one in size well, but it might not do tent. So, I might have to continue up the coast. But I’ll let you know how I get on later on. That’s all for now. Bye. [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Lacston Abbey is one of Suffukk’s most impressive monastic ruins and has some spectacular architectural features. It was founded in 1182 by Ranolf de Glennville, Henry II’s chief judicia and was dedicated to St. Mary. In about 1363, the abbey was moved away from what was evidently a rather unhealthy location on swampy ground and rebuilt on its present site. The old abbey was dismantled for building materials, though a fragment of it can still be seen, and as a result, the 14th century abbey incorporates some Norman features. Robert Deuffford, Earl of Suffukk, oversaw the rebuilding of the abbey on a much larger scale than the original and included several new chapels. The outside walls were finished with vine checker work whilst the windows had a delicate perpendicular style tracery. I decided to stay at the Cliff House Holiday Park near Dunich. It’s a 30 acre holiday park and is situated on the idyllic Suffukk heritage coast on the clifftop with direct beach access. The holiday park is surrounded by the most beautiful Heathland woodland and of course the beach. You can come camping, bring your tour or camper van, come on a self-catering holiday, or own a holiday lodge or static caravan. The Cliff House Holiday Park was the perfect place to relax after three hard-earned days on the bike. There’s also a bar and a restaurant. I was slightly unlucky as it was a Friday, so the place was packed out and there were no electric hookups, but the staff were extremely friendly and allowed me to recharge all of my electronics in the reception area, which I was extremely grateful for. Of course, after three whole days on the bike in the basking sun, I was really looking forward to a nice hot shower. This was probably one of my favorite parts of the uh stay, to be honest. Heat. Heat. [Music] Hello. I’ve made it to the beach at the Cliff House campsite near Dunich. And as you can see, um, I’ve got quite a nice long beach behind me. I’m probably going to swim in the sea at some point, although I’m not sure if it’s going to be too cold, but we’ll give it a go. So, I’ve already set up camp. There’s a storm coming in tonight, apparently. So, we’ll see when we get there, but if it’s in the night, I’m not too bad. as long as I’m in a tent. And um yeah, the campsite’s uh pretty nice. Nice to have a rest day. The weather’s gorgeous. What more do you need? That’s all for now. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Well, that’s all for part two. I hope you enjoyed it. Please join me for part three, the final part where I leave the cliff house holiday park in Dunich and travel towards Southwald then Loistoft before heading back to the car visiting medieval towns such as Beckles, Holston, and I as well as the ancient forest of Netashaw with its wild ponies roaming around. See you next time in part three. Don’t forget to like and subscribe. Bye for now. [Music]