This is a circular long distance circular walk of some 50 miles in total length. It was established in partnership with Clare Walkers to provide a walk connecting all of the old Wool Towns in this part of Suffolk. The towns covered are Clare, Sudbury, Hadleigh, Lavenham and Long Melford.
The route was first fully walked by Sudbury Ramblers in September 2022 and was then featured as the ‘Challenge Walk’ for the Suffolk Walking Festival in 2023. The route is fully waymarked and a full set of detailed guides with maps are also available on a dedicated website at www.wooltownswalk.co.uk
As it's a linear trail, the use of public transport or car drop-offs would allow it to be done in shorter hops. It is well worth taking it at a leisurely pace and allowing time to explore the historic towns and the small villages en route. The Wool Towns of West Suffolk provide a rich heritage founded on the medieval wool and cloth trades. Their rural situation, in roughly a circle that also includes parts of the Stour, Box and Brett valleys, makes for ideal walking country.
To download or print the route from this website, either use the map below, or select a leg from the list. The Green icon on the map is the leg's start point. To show a leg's route, click on the Green icon, and then click on the leg's name in the small data window. You can download the route as a GPX file and/or print any section you wish to use. (Details for printing are on the Mapping tools menu in the map's top left corner below the elevation icon).
Give it a go and enjoy the Walk in what is a wonderful part of the Country.