Ipswich and Suffolk with a visit to the Stour Valley Railway
25th August 1973 to 28th August 1973
Having seen advertisements for the steam railway on the Stour Valley line we decided to pay a visit and continue on into Suffolk turning round to the west and returning to Waltham Abbey
Saturday 25th August 1973
We set off along the familiar lanes around Theydon Bois and Ongar and headed for Braintree. Although nearly all the lanes had been written before it was good to know that a couple of nights camping ahead. The countryside became a more interesting outside Braintree and we soon reached the Stour Valley Railway where we stopped for lunch. We walked round the railway shed and inspected the steam locomotives but somehow it all seemed a little disappointing. We had expected a bit more excitement with the engines in full steam but only one loco was operating.
We shortly pressed on into the afternoon hoping to find a campsite around Hadleigh. The nearest was East Bergholt which, although there looked plenty of space, was full. It looked a terrible site anyway. The nearest alternative site was at Bradfield just outside Manningtree and we headed there praying that there would be some room. We passed by many orchards before reaching the site, they made a change from the normal Essex countryside. Anyway there was room at the site and after a tiring 73 miles we pitched camp.
Day 73 miles - Trip 73 miles
Sunday 26th August 1973
We returned through Manningtree early this morning and made our way to Ipswich which turned out to be a terrible place with modern factory estates on the outskirts and a dull and dingy centre. We were thankful to leave. We realised that we could not venture too far in this short weekend and chose Stowmarket as our furthest objective. We reached there without much interest and sat in a cornfield outside to decide on our route. As there are not many campsites in this part of the country the choice lay between a site a few miles away or one just outside Braintree. We had not really intended to return via Braintree but the journey was lacking in interest and we felt it best to head towards home knowing it was a very short run home from Braintree. The site itself was at Panfield and we reached there via Lavenham and Belchamp St. Paul. At the site, which was behind a pub, there were some other cyclists one of whom was blind and rode on the rear of a tandem.
Day 63 miles - Trip 136 miles
Monday 27th August 1973
Time to head home, thankful that it was not too far after yesterday's 63 mile ride. The early morning ride was very pleasant but soon we were back on old familiar roads and it was still early on the day when we reached home after only 36 miles. The flat scenery of Essex and Suffolk had not contained enough to hold our interest and we were really quite glad to be back home.