Leaving the Duke’s Head we decided to take the hounds for a tour around the Coddenham Nature Trail.  The village is picturesquely set in a conservation area and the trail and other footpaths that bound the village offer many pleasant options for walkers and ramblers.

There are several entrances to the trail from the village and on the landlords guidance we walked the short distance from the pub up to Love Lane and set about the trail using the easy to follow sign posts.

The trail leads to peaceful woodland perfect for letting the dogs off the lead for a run about safe from traffic.  We met a couple of other walkers on our way round and the trail is obviously popular with local dog owners as well as visitors like ourselves.  The trail extends up to Broom Hill which overlooks the valley back to Claydon and Coddenham’s 15^th century church.  Walkers who want to venture further can follow the paths to Needham Market to the west or back to Hemingstone to the east.

When researching Suffolk’s country villages I am always surprised by the variety of trades and professions that were active in the past.  Coddenham was no exception and is reputed to have been the largest settlement in Suffolk in roman times.  Many of our villages have now lost their commercial bustle become quiet residential hideaways.  However modern Coddenham hides a unique trick up its sleeve in that it is home to Britain’s most respected amateur observatory.   The observatory is there because of Suffolk’s lack of light pollution and frequent cloudless nights.  And as we made our way around the ensuing peaceful countryside the observatory, in strangely mirror fashion, quietly continued its hunt for exploding supernovae many millions of miles away.

Making our way back to the church and the main road we were pleased to find a poo-bin at the Church entrance.  We’d all had a good walk, in lovely dog friendly place, and though heading home, were already looking forward to visiting again.