Sutton Hoo, River Deben and Sutton Heath

The Sutton Hoo graveyard — a group of low, grassy mounds — stands on the high spur of land above the River Deben. Excavations began in 1938, and the following year the largest mound gave up its ancient secret: a magnificent burial ship. Dating from around AD 625, the grave comprised a clinker-built boat 89 feet (27 metres) long and 14 feet (4.25 metres) wide. Although the timbers had long since rotted away, the compacted sand retained the vessel's shape, and all its rivets were still in place.

From the excavations, the route descends gently to the River Deben, with fine views across to Woodbridge, an old market town full of character and charm. Throughout its history, the town's fortunes have been linked to the river; for centuries, Woodbridge was a thriving port noted for boatbuilding, rope-making, and trade.

As the walk continues downstream, Woodbridge Tide Mill — with its distinctive white weatherboarding and red pantiled mansard roof — dominates the quayside opposite. When it ceased production in 1957, bringing eight centuries of milling on that site to an end, it was the last working tide mill in Britain.

The route leaves the river at the ferry landing stage opposite the mill. The ferry runs between Woodbridge and the Sutton Hoo shore when the archaeological site is open to the public.

The last section of the walk crosses parts of Sutton Heath, here turned into arable fields. This area was a prime example of the Suffolk Sandlings (lowland heath), but much of it has now been lost to farming and forestry.

During the 19th century, sheep farming declined, and in the 1920s with the development of fertilizers, large areas of the Sandlings were cultivated. Characteristic of this flat farmland are the pine windbreaks planted to protect the fine heath soil, with some fields looking like vast lawns used for the production of garden turf.

Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.