As before, the walks are mostly about enjoying beautiful, interesting, and typical Suffolk countryside in the company of like-minded people, and making a few pictures at the same time if you feel lke it. There’s no photo tuition as such but I’m always ready to chat and help if I can, and we often have great photographers with us who are also happy to share their knowledge and thoughts!
I’m fascinated by all aspects of the ecology, history and management of woodlands, and we have many fascinating, and some truly beautiful and ancient examples, right on our doorstep. I’ve chosen a selection of woods that are interesting for having varied histories and management.
Let me know if you’d like to book a place on any of these walks. We can finalise meeting places/ride shares etc closer to the time. As before, the payment of £10 is entirely voluntary. We may pass through rough, wet and muddy terrain, so please come dressed and shod appropriately! Please email me on richard@thesuffolkproject.co.uk if you'd like to join. Places are limited to 10.
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Sunday 13th October 3pm Yoxford Woods
If you follow the Suffolk Project on instagram, you will have seen this small wood and its surrounds many times. In many ways it’s typical and, some might think, unremarkable. Things of interest to me include the newly-planted woodlands, about 7 years old now, then the main wood which has had recent management after decades of neglect, and probably the highlight: the stools of lapsed coppice hornbeams, that I’ve photographed many times (including my recent instagram post). On the way home we pass through open fields and the little ‘holloway’ that was my main photo in a National Geographic article about rewilding in East Anglia (see it here)
Sunday 27th October 2pm Big wood, Thorington.
This is a privately-owned wood that I wrote a feature on a few years back (you can find it on my journal page
here It’s the best example I know of a wood managed in more-or-less the same way woods were managed for 100s, even 1000s of years. In other words, it’s much like a medieval factory producing mainly underwood products and, in so doing, creating a rich and varied habitat for wildlife.
Sunday 3rd November 2pm Bradfield Woods, near Bury St Edmunds
Travelling further afield for our last walk, this one is something of a pilgrimage. I’m embarrassed to say this will be my first visit to arguably the most famous Suffolk wood (some would claim Staverton to have that honour) mentioned multiple times in Oliver Rackham’s History Of The Countryside, and also managed by Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Bradfield is most famous for being under continuous coppice management since 1252! Some of the Ash stools are thought to be over a 1000 years old and possibly the oldest living organisms in Suffolk. I don't have a photo unfortunately but you can find more info
here.![]()
Sunday 10th November 2pm Captain’s Wood, Sudbourne.
Postponed from 20th October. A fascinating and varied ancient woodland managed by Suffolk Wildlife Trust. A last remnant of the wood-pasture that would have covered much of the area around the village of Sudbourne which is now mostly intensive agriculture. You can read the description on my recent instagram post or there's more info
here.
