MAP: OS 1:25,000 Explorer 230 ‘Diss & Harleston’

TRAVEL: Nearest railway station – Diss (4 miles)

By road: from south – M11 (Jct 9), A11, A14 to Bury St Edmunds, A143 to Scole; A140, B1077 to Eye. From north – A17 to King’s Lynn, A134 to Thetford, A1066 to Diss and Scole, A140, B1077. Park near Eye Town Hall.

WALK DIRECTIONS: Start by doing ‘Eye Town Trail’ (see below). Then from Eye Town Hall (145739), left along Church Street (by Maynard, Chemist) past church (149738) to B1117 Hoxne Road. Right, then right again up Castle Hill to climb castle mound for view. Return and turn left along B1117 past church and on. Cross Abbey Bridge (151738); right down Church Farm drive. In 150 yards, left (footpath fingerpost) along ditch; cross paddock by gates and stiles, then between pheasant pens to lane (156739).

Right for 20 yards; left (footpath fingerpost in right hedge) through Eye Hall farm yard and on through fields by stiles (yellow arrows) for 1/3 mile to road (162738). Right for 400 yards, then left by grass triangle (161735 – footpath fingerpost) across field, keeping to left of copse. Through gap in far field corner; on over next field, following hedge on your right through a dogleg, over end of a ditch, to join field track (166734 – footpath fingerpost). Follow track on right side of hedge, past end of lane to Flimworth Hall (172734) and on to road (179732) at Crown Corner.

Left to B1117, left for 1/3 mile to left bend. Ahead here (177739) on old road; then forward (footpath fingerpost) along field edge. Cross through hedge to keep it on your right; in 150 yd bear left and continue along field edges for ½ mile to Redhouse Farm. Right (173750 – yellow arrow) past farm house and sheds to lane (175750). Left here (footpath fingerpost); in 150 yds right (174751 – foothpath fingerpost) over fields by stiles to road (173756). Right, and right again down Nuttery Vale road. In ½ mile, left (179762 – footpath fingerpost) up field and through hedge; right to road (182763); left into Hoxne past Abbey Farm. Steps on right lead to St Edmund’s Monument (183767). Back on road, in 20 yd, right along track (footpath fingerpost) which leads to Swan Inn (180772)

Continue up street to church, then return past Swan and on along road. In 600 yards, right through kissing gate (176768 – fingerpost and ‘Mid Suffolk Footpath’ – ‘MSF’ – waymark). Follow hedge down to turn left along River Dove. Cross White Bridge (174770), follow ‘MSF’ for 2/3 mile to road (163771). Left for ½ mile; then left (157766) down drive to Pecks Farmhouse and Brome Hall Farm. Follow footpath fingerpost and ‘MSF’ along drive for 1 1/3 miles. Opposite Conifer Cottage, left (146752 – footpath fingerpost on right) past Mustardpot Hall (overgrown section) into fields. Follow right-hand set of parallel power lines down to turn left along green lane (150747). Left (151743 – ‘MSF’) to cross Bolser Bridge; continue to B1117 (152739); right into Eye.

LENGTH: 11 miles

CONDITIONS: Field paths can be muddy.

REFRESHMENTS: Swan Inn, Hoxne

ACCOMMODATION: Cornwallis Country Hotel, Brome, Eye, Suffolk IP23 8AJ (01379-870326; www.thecornwallis.com)

INFORMATION and EYE TOWN TRAIL (50p): Tourist Information Centre, Mere’s Mouth, Mere St, Diss (01379-650523) or visit www.visitengland.com (0845-456-3456).