The Wolf Way, a splendid cycling path with moderate elevation, showcases Suffolk’s folklore, market towns, and Gainsborough landscapes
It was an unpropitious start. I had barely cycled a few meters from the Angel Hotel’s steps into St Edmundsbury Cathedral’s grounds when I fell off my bike.
I attributed the mishap to the wolf: as I dismounted to photograph it, I accidentally kicked my own pannier and ended up sprawling on the ground. The kind passersby of Bury St Edmunds came to my aid, despite my embarrassment. Saint Edmund himself, depicted in bronze beside the wolf statue, seemed to look away.
I couldn’t really complain about my scraped knees in such illustrious company. After refusing to renounce his Christianity to Viking raiders in AD869, Edmund—then the king of East Anglia—was shot with arrows and beheaded. According to legend, his head was later found guarded by a wolf and miraculously reattached to his body when they were reunited.
Therefore, the wolf holds significant symbolism in Suffolk, which is why a newly established 400km (248 miles) cycling trail has been named the Wolf Way. This route, utilizing bridleways, byways, gravel tracks, cycle paths, and quiet backroads, winds around the county’s highlights and lesser-known corners. It draws inspiration from Norfolk’s Rebellion Way, inaugurated in 2022. However, while Rebellion was developed by Cycling UK with funding from the European Regional Development Fund Experience project, local couple Sharon Calton and Chris Bower created the Wolf Way solely through their own effort and passion.
“We outlined the route in an afternoon and spent a year refining it,” Sharon explained to me at their cottage just outside Bury. “We had to test it, ride the roads, and find the best options—reconnaissance has been time-consuming but enjoyable.”
After biking 28 miles, I arrived in Long Melford, covered in mud but thoroughly enjoying myself
Discover Suffolk has provided guidance to ensure the Wolf Way adheres to authorized rights of way, but otherwise, this project is the result of two cycling enthusiasts seeking to inspire more people to explore this lesser-known county.
The outcome is a rewarding circuit, approximately one-third off-road, that ventures into the less-traveled areas of Dedham Vale, along the River Orwell, through the Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths national landscape (replacing the term “area of outstanding natural beauty”), and into the delightfully eccentric Brecks. The route encompasses a range of sites, from Neolithic settlements to forgotten seaside towns, medieval wool towns, UFO locations, and the village of Hoxne (where Edmund reputedly met his fate). Chris has developed an informative digital StoryMap to complement the route, highlighting points of interest with useful web links. Additionally, the Wolf Way Facebook group is a valuable resource for receiving advice from fellow cyclists.
There are also several variations, such as the 100km (62-mile) Wolf Cub route, a Winter Wolf alternative that avoids the seasonal Bawdsey ferry, and a beginner-friendly 13km (8-mile) Wolverine option. An 80km (50-mile) route will also be included soon.
I had chosen to experience a portion of the original Wolf Way, starting from Bury and cycling to Ipswich (approximately 97km/60 miles). This meant enjoying the charming market town, with its extensive abbey ruins and what is arguably the country’s most impressive Wetherspoon’s, housed in the old neoclassical Corn Exchange. Unfortunately, as Sharon had mentioned, I had selected the hilliest section of the route.
No worries, the terrain was hardly mountainous – after all, this was still Suffolk – and I was in no hurry. I had borrowed a mountain bike from Sharon, though a hybrid or gravel bike would have worked just as well. Alternatively, Maglia Rosso, located a few miles outside Bury accessible by bus, rents out bicycles. Leaving Bury via clearly marked cycle paths, I quickly found myself in the countryside, leisurely pedaling along lanes bordered by fields just beginning to bud. Along the way, I encountered a hare, elegantly grooming itself on the road, while kestrels and buzzards swooped low overhead. A grassy off-road trail then led to a more somber encounter: a plaque marking the spot where a USA air force B-17 crashed, resulting in the loss of all 10 crew members, on 27 March 1944. The cause of the crash was never officially determined, but there were rumors of sabotage by German spies.
During World War II, East Anglia was scattered with USAAF bases, including one located just outside Lavenham, my next cycling destination. At that time, the village was teeming with American troops. Today, it attracts Harry Potter enthusiasts searching for the wizard’s birthplace, represented in the movies by the timber-framed De Vere House. This village is home to more than 320 listed buildings, making it England’s best-preserved medieval village.
Lavenham was incredibly charming, but I decided to bypass its tearooms and continued on to the small village of Brent Eleigh instead. Along with a church that houses some of Britain’s earliest and finest medieval wall paintings, the village is also home to Cafe Como. Operated by Miranda Elgar in a funky outbuilding on her farmyard, the cafe is precisely the kind of independent business the Wolf Way aims to support. “About 80% of my customers are cyclists,” Miranda said as she handed me a homemade sausage roll and an excellent coffee. “I lived in Italy for many years and wanted to bring a bit of it back to Suffolk.”
This provided good energy for the next moderately challenging climb and a slippery ride on a section of muddy single-track. While Suffolk is typically one of the driest counties in the country, and most other parts of the Wolf Way, which passes through areas of sandy soil that drains quickly, remain remarkably firm throughout the year, I had unfortunately chosen the wettest section of the route after Suffolk’s wettest winter on record. When I arrived in Long Melford, having traveled 28 miles, I was covered in mud but truly enjoying myself.
After cleaning up, I settled into the cozy Black Lion, my accommodation for the night. With some energy left, I strolled along the high street lined with independent shops—a fitting characteristic for a village named Long Melford—and visited the expansive, light-filled church. The medieval stained glass windows were particularly striking; a significant portion survived the Reformation and is currently undergoing restoration.
After a leisurely breakfast, I set off late, waiting for the winter sun to dispel the rain. My destination was Ipswich, about 30 miles away. The route briefly crosses into Essex, following part of the old Great Eastern Railway line, now a trail for walking and biking that leads to Sudbury, the birthplace of Gainsborough. The scenery resembled one of his landscape paintings, with the low light shining on the hills, the River Stour meandering through, and the lush greenery all around.
From here, I encountered climbs and floods that added to the challenges. Ipswich was still a considerable distance away, but I found myself distracted in Bures. Just outside this picturesque village on the county border, up Cuckoo Hill and tucked away down a farm track so secluded that I questioned if I had lost my way, lies the solitary thatched chapel of St Stephen. Consecrated on Boxing Day, 1218, the chapel is said to stand on the site where Edmund was crowned King of the East Angles on Christmas Day, 855, at the young age of 14.
Another local legend speaks of “an evil dragon of excessive length” that plagued the area in the early 15th century. To commemorate the Queen’s diamond jubilee, the enormous beast was outlined on the opposite slopes using tons of chalk. The field behind the chapel offered a perfect view of the dragon.
Though there was no wolf, my journey led me through many diverse stories of Suffolk.
