The Vulcan Arms - Sizewell - Suffolk

Booze Trail

Leiston Theberton Middleton Westleton Eastbridge Sizewell

Difficulty 15 miles - 7 hours minimum - this is a full days walk and takes in the delightful villages of Theberton, Middleton, Westleton and Eastbridge. There are ample watering holes en route and plenty to see and explore. The pubs all serve a variety of real ale so it is a good walk for the real ale enthusiast.

Directions

Starting from The Vulcan Arms, take the coastal footpath south towards Cliff House caravan site. Between the static caravan park and the camp site take the footpath inland. follow this till you meet the lane by Sizewell Hall. Bear right and walk 20 yards down to where a derelict yellow cottage stands. Here a track heads off on the left. Take this and follow until it branches off into 3 different directions. Take the right hand footpath and follow this, under the power lines until you come to the rear of Halfway Cottages. The track turns to the right to join with the road, as it turns bear sharp left then sharp right where a footpath leads you across an open field. From here a lane takes you into Leiston entering the town at the entrance to the Sports and Leisure centre. Continue up the road until it T-junctions with the main road. To the right there is a bus stop shelter and on the opposite side of the road an alleyway. Walk down the alleyway and at the end corss the road and go down Paradise Place. Although this is is named Paradise Place you will find its original name of just Paradise on a sign on the house at the far end of the road opposite The Volunteer pub.

From the Volunteer, take a right onto Haylings Road and continue along here until you meet a zebra crossing with a park on the left. Cross the road and head down Victory Road opposite which takes you down the side of the park. At the end of the road a footpath will then take you through to St Margerets of Antioch church (link http://www.st-margarets-leiston.org.uk). Here a track takes you out onto Saxmundham Road. Turn right and about 20yards down the road on the left between two blocks of houses you will find a footpath. This will lead you through and across the railway and out onto Westward Ho. Again turn right and about 20 yards down the road just past Geaters nurseries another footpath will lead you out into open countryside. Continue along this in virtually a straight line across the fields, and through a hedge. Sometimes the second field is ploughed and you need to follow the field edge up by the farm buildings and out onto the road. From the fields you will be able to see the ruins of Leiston Abbey. If you wish to pay a visit to the ruins take an excursion down the road and the entrance is on the left. The footpath continues on the opposite side of the road. Once again, walk a straight line across the fields, through another hedge and up to a farm. Follow the perimeteer of the farm buildings onto a paved track. Turn right on the track and continue walking. Eventually it will junction with another road - walk straight across the road and a footpath takes you across the field and behind the houses of Theberton. At the end of the field a footpath on the right will lead you down onto the main road through Theberton. Turn left here and The Lion Inn is just yards up the road. Always worth a stop here, 3 ales with an ever changing guest ale alongside Woodfordes Wherry and Adnams Bitter.

From the Lion cross the road and take the lane down the side of the church. The 12th century church of St Peter is interesting in the fact that it has a round tower with an octagonal upper story. If you wander around its grounds you will find a memorial to 16 German airmen who lost their lives in 1917 when a raiding German zeppelin was shot down in the village. (http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/theberton.html). Continue down the lane past the church and out of Theberton. After a few hundred yards the road will bear to the right and track will bear off to the left with a few houses on its right hand side. Take this track and 20 yards down and you will find a footpath on the left that leads across the fields. Follow this over the hill then down into the valley. A stile will lead you out of the valley and up to a cottage with a barn guarded by a host of mysterious metallic statues. Take your time to have a look around these objects. They are the work of the resident sculture, Paul Richardson (http://www.steelsculptures.co.uk) and other examples of his work can be seen in Ipswich hospital and at the centre of an Ipswich roundabout. Walk past the cottage and out onto the road. Turn right onto the road and follow it round the bend. Keep a sharp eye out for the footpath on the left whose signpost is only just visible within the vegetation. Take this footpath. Eventually it will turn sharp right and down the side of a playing field. Keep to the track until it reaches a road with the Church of the Holy Trinity opposite. Go directly throguh the church ground and onto another road. The footpath continues directly opposite, but first take your time to explore Middleton. To the left you will find the village green and almost hidden on the right hand side of the green is The Bell. This serves both Adnams Bitter and Broadside straight from the barrel. I am not a huge fan of Adnams bitter, but the pint served here is the finest I have ever tasted - so even if it isnt your tipple have a sample just to treat your tastebuds.

Return back to the footpath and take this down across the stream and follow it through until you meet with a road. Turn right, past the farm buildings and another footpath will lead you up over the fields and down onto the road into Westleton. Turn right and head towards Westleton. Not far down the road a track can be found on the rigth with a footpath sign in the adjacent field pointing towards the Westleton church of St Peter. Take this and it will lead you through the church grounds and out into Westleton directly opposite the Crown. Take time to visit this hostelry, where 2 guest ales are served. For those who wish to sample more there is an Adnams pub, The White Horse, which can be found down the side of the green. Westleton is famous for its Barrel Fair which happens during August where contestants compete in rolling beer barrels down the green.

From The Crown, continue up the road towards the green, past the village shop and take the road on the right. Keep on this track out of Westleton. Ignore the roads that junction on the right and continue along the track down a slight incline and as the road bears to the left you will find two footpath signs on the right. You need to take the footpath that leads almost in in straight line with the direction the road was taking you. This will eventually lead you down through some hilly wooded areas that are quite untypical of Suffolk. Continue through the woods until it comes out onto a road. Walk on straight ahead. You will cross a small river and soon come into Eastbridge where The Eels foot serves a good pint of some of the more obscure Adnams beers such as Regatta and Oyster depending upon the season.

From the Eels foot continue up the road out of Eastbridge. A footpath on the left before you reach the end of the village will take you all the way down to the coast and Minsmere Sluice. From here you can walk along the dunes, past the power station and return to the Vulcan for a well deserved bit to eat.

The Theberton Lion is a good place to stop for a drink. It serves a range of guest ales which are regularly changed. The courtyard at the rear of the pub is covered with grape vines.

From Theberton take the road out of the village opposite the pub and adjacent to the church. Follow this through to a bend in the road where a footpath on the left leads across the fields through to Middleton.One site not to miss is the metal statues looking out across the fields. They look quiet eerie from a distance and are not visible from the road. You have to walk this footpath to see them. Head for the statues and walk up past the houses to the Westleton Road. Walk up the road till you find the next footpath on the left and follow this which comes out in the center of Middleton village.

The Bell Inn, Middleton is situated just off the green and offers Adnams ales straight from the barrel.

There is no easy route through to Westleton from Middleton so you have to take the road. Nonetheless it is not too far. Westleton boasts two pubs, though it should be mentioned that the