Bluebell Woods, Rickling Green

The Cricketers Arms, Rickling Green is an excellent base for a short walk through nearby bluebell woods and for a great meal afterwards. Turn right past the school and right again along the track near thatched Tudor Cottage. Cross over the Cambridge Road, walk a few steps right and turn left along a path to the edge of a wood.

Keeping the trees on your right, follow the forest’s edge until you have just rounded the far corner; then take the path diagonally left across a field, heading for the 13th century church of St Simon and St Jude, with its little, white bell tower. At the far corner of the field, follow the track right into trees and left to pass the church and reach the road again.

Cross over and turn right, then left along a sign-posted path beside a hedge. Follow the path across fields until you see an avenue sloping up ahead. For a longer walk, you can go straight on here to Rickling church and back or follow a flower-fringed lane all the way to Newport.

Otherwise, turn left before the avenue and follow the lane that soon runs beside woods. Just before reaching a road, turn left into the trees and follow the path along the edge of the wood to reach the road near the Cricketers Arms. The village green, where you can watch weekend games in summer, is home to the Rickling Ramblers cricket club. The pub’s seasonal menus feature local sausages or Suffolk lamb and you can even stay the night.