Wool Towns Walk

Suffolk

This circular walk of some 50 miles in total length was established by Sudbury Ramblers to connect all of the old Wool Towns in this part of Suffolk.

The towns covered are Clare, Sudbury, Hadleigh, Lavenham and Long Melford. Lavenham was once at the epicentre of the medieval wool trade, making it one of the 20 most wealthy settlements in England at the time. Sudbury is an ancient market town set in the heart of Stour Valley market established in the 11th century, and its booming textile trade prospered well into the late Middle Ages. It was the birthplace of famed artist Thomas Gainsborough. Today, Sudbury is famed for its silk weaving industry and its Gainsborough Silk Weaving Company has been dressing royals for years and holds a royal warrant.

The walk is presented in four linear legs and the use of public transport or car drop-offs would allow it to be done in short hops. It is well worth taking at a leisurely pace and allowing time to explore the historic towns en route.

The walk was fully walked in September 2022 and is as yet not waymarked. This is planned over the coming years along with the publication of more detailed literature.

Information and mapping is online on the Sudbury Ramblers website below with GPX files for the four walk sections available for free download.

Source: Sudbury Ramblers

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Details:

Path Type:	Other Paths
Start:	TL771453 - Clare Country Park, Sudbury, Suffolk
Finish:	TL772452 - Clare Country Park, Sudbury, Suffolk
Open Date:	2022
Web Sites:	Sudbury Ramblers - Wool Towns Walk

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