Pics and text contributed by Christina
Sally’s five-mile jaunt through urban Ipswich proved a crowd puller, with eighteen or so people joining her at the Ipswich Sports Club car park off Henley Rd. I was pleased to see many familiar faces, and also several newcomers. The current committee was well represented with Peter E., Peter T., Sarah, Simon, Julia, Glen and Christina taking part.
It was a truly leisurely walking experience. People commented on how many green spaces Ipswich has, chatting cheerfully as we walked through attractive Christchurch Park with its mature trees and ponds busy with black headed gulls, the inevitable mallards and their much duller lady friends.
We left the park through the main gate, opposite Christchurch Mansion, proceeding past Tower Ramparts, then along Tower Street and Butter Market en route to the Ipswich Waterfront. Its buildings appeared particularly attractive in the sunshine, the pricey-looking white yachts casting reflections on the calm water surface.
This walk showed off all the nice parts of Ipswich, including its genteel and imposing town houses on Park Road and surrounding areas. We returned to the starting point via the vast cemetery where robins and blackbirds were singing loudly, and where to our delight snowdrops and crocuses had made an early appearance. I spotted a robin perched on a tall stone sculpture singing its heart out.
Several people joined Sally for a drink at the club house after the walk. All in all, a very enjoyable way to spend a sunny morning in late January. Big thanks to Sally for organising it. 🥰