aboutsuffolk spring 23

welcome to our spring issue of aboutsuffolk

Who doesn’t love spring! Such a gorgeous month, full of promise, blossom and birdsong, and in this issue we bring you a true celebration of this vibrant and joyful season. We explore Priory Barn, a cool contemporary barn conversion; the gardens of Helmingham Hall, which are now home to an inspiring selection of sculptures; and take a stroll through the streets of Bungay, a charming market town with so much to offer.

Sustainability is also a common theme. We take a look at the designs of Hyrst’s beautiful low impact flatpack furniture, how to recycle our wardrobes with Vintage Sister to try and slow down the trend for fast fashion and have a chat over the counter of the Black Dog Deli. There is also the chance to win a £100 voucher for The Dennington Queen, tips on how to hang out in the garden with style, ideas on where to relax and unwind, and top stories from around the county.

We hope you enjoy!

Sarah & Kathy

Editorial

Kathy Churchill Sales

Sarah Clarke

Designer

Lucy Hart

Silverlace Creative

aboutmedia info@aboutmedia.co.uk

01728 666352

www.aboutmedia.co.uk

lucy@silverlacecreative.co.uk

www.silverlacecreative.co.uk

WIN A £100 Dining Voucher for theQueenDennington

Page 62

Images

Craig Girling: www.craiggirling.com

E: craig@craiggirling.com

about interiors page 24

Lucy J Toms Photography: www.lucyjtomsphotography.com

E: lucyjtoms@gmail.com about the land page 46

If you would like to sign up to the weekly aboutfram e-newsletter, please subscribe at www.aboutmedia.co.uk/aboutfram

contents

who’s about about style about you about interiors about town about time about the land about design about gardens about food about taste round & about

6 Fashion fix

Sign up to the fashion revolution with Kim and Andrea of Vintage Sister.

12 Out and about A round up of local events.

16 Spring Styles

New styles for a new season.

20 Health & beauty

Looking after your wellbeing and trotting down to the local sauna.

24 Top priority

Exploring Priory Barn, an 18th Century oak-framed barn that has been converted into a beautiful contemporary living space.

30 Get the look

Chic ideas for restyling your home.

34 about town

Breaking stories, illuminating developments, and bringing home an Oscar!

36 about time

We take time out in Bungay and explore all it has to offer.

42 The Bungay Edit

A selection of what’s in store for shoppers in Bungay.

46 Statuesque

The exciting Art for Cure Sculpture

52 Hot Desk

Doing time with Andrew Whittaker, the founder of Hyrst and designer of low impact flatpack furniture.

58 Hang about

Add height and pops of colour to your garden with the perfect hanging basket.

62 Competition time

Your chance to win a £100 Dining Voucher to spend at the Dennington Queen.

64 Counter intuitive

How the Black Dog Delis have cooked up such a winning recipe for success.

64

70 about taste

Foodie Festivals, cocktails and condiments, and baking hot recipe book!

72 Spring salad

Cumin roasted aubergine and confit plum tomatoes with fresh mint and parsley.

74 Making tracks

This charming two hour walk to and from Earl Soham delivers wonderful views, wooded pathways and banks of wildflowers.

79 Stockists

Where to buy all the lovely stuff!

who’s about about style about you about interiors about town about time about the land about design about gardens about food about taste round & about 46 58 70

who’s about

Fashion fix

who’s about

With many years’ experience in the fashion industry, Kim and Andrea are very familiar with the ever-changing trends of the high street, that endless treadmill of fast fashion that is in favour one moment and then out the next. For dedicated followers of fashion, this can lead to a wardrobe of clothes that have only been worn once, sadly relegated as newer, shinier outfits have their moment in the spotlight. After working together for high street brands Monsoon and Coast, in 2018 Kim and Andrea made the decision to try and set up their own brand. “To

have your own collection is every fashion designer’s dream but we soon realised that to do this sustainably was prohibitively expensive. Just to have a single silk shirt made in a London factory would have to have a retail price of £350!”

It was this realisation that led them to rethink their plan. “We went to a talk by Orsola de Castro who set up Fashion Revolution, a non-profit organisation that has for many years been campaigning for a transparent and accountable fashion

Most of us are guilty when it come to indulging in a little retail therapy, but Kim and Andrea of Vintage Sister are on a mission to make us think before we buy and instead of being tempted by the sale rail, to look instead at recycled, timeless pieces that we can wear over and over again.

who’s about

industry. She firmly pointed the finger at the environmental disaster that fast fashion has created, exposing companies for sending returns straight to landfill and for exploiting the workers who make their clothes.” It is a stark reality, and after attending another talk, this one by the founder of Traid who stated that there is no need to ever make any new clothes as we already have enough for every person on the planet, Kim and Andrea needed no more convincing and turned their idea on its head, deciding instead to focus on the vintage fashion market.

As fashion buyers and designers, Andrea and Kim were flown around the world to meet suppliers and manufacturers, and it was on these trips that ironically, they picked up many beautiful vintage pieces.

“We have long had a love affair with the design aesthetic and quality that comes from the past. We have always endeavoured to create beautiful clothing that makes the heart flutter. Vintage Sister is the perfect combination of all these things.” Their upcycled clothes are treated with a professionalism that befits this ethos, being styled into aspirational high-end collections that are only released every 4-5 weeks. “We love sourcing and styling these collections and shoot them ourselves, either at home or at friends’ houses, and use models that we know, and sometimes people we spot on the street. We both love the control this gives us, and it ensures the looks are representative of our brand – timelessly elegant, modern, minimal and with a nod to the 70s and 80s –but without the shoulder pads!”

As well as these capsule collections, Kim and Andrea sell a range of vintage embroidered sweatshirts under the name We are Sisters. “Our vintage sweatshirts have been designed with an intention to appreciate all girls and women and each piece is lovingly embroidered by Mona and her wonderful team of women at the Bow Sewing Centre – a community led organisation that was set up to support women who have suffered domestic abuse. It is wonderfully fitting that the sweatshirts they work on are a symbol of sisterhood, which we believe is the key to empowerment, social change and freedom.” It is the perfect collaboration, and a percentage of the sweatshirt sales is donated to the United Nations Refugee Agency, a fantastic charity that has helped millions of people restart their lives.

Four years in and Vintage Sister has certainly captured the heart of a loyal following, with packages of preloved loveliness being posted all around the world. With their eye for detail and quality, Andrea and Kim are constantly on the hunt for statement vintage pieces and ageless classics that deserve a second chance. Their message is quite simple: be proud to wear second-hand because if we don’t turn the tide on fast fashion soon, we are all going to drown in consumerism. So come on people, don’t say yes to the dress, instead join the sisterhood and stand up and be counted!

Vintage Sister Pop-up:

6th-8th July at Vanil, Woodbridge

www.vintagesister.co.uk

who’s about

out & about

May

Until Oct: East to East

Over 30 local artists share their appreciation for Chinese and Japanese art and craft. The Stables, Houghton Hall

Until 17th Sept: Sculpture at Helmingham Hall

Over 300 sculptures adorn the gardens of Helmingham Hall in aid of Art for Cure.

Until 10th Jun: Duologues?

Exhibition exploring how artistic collaboration enriches and enlivens art. The Cut Halesworth

13th – 28th May: Suffolk Walking Festival

Celebrates Suffolk’s natural landscapes with guided walks in every corner of the county.

14th: Bungay Garden Market

Plants, flowers, garden ornaments, food and drink. Earsham Street, Bungay. 9am-4pm

19th-20th May: Global Music Weekend

Mehboob Nadeem & Hanif Khan and Grupo Lokito bring their exotic blend of music to The Cut, Halesworth.

26th: The Trials of Cato Welsh/English trio, originally formed in Beirut and dubbed “the Sex Pistols of folk”. Thorington Theatre. 7.30pm

27th: Beccles Food Festival

Artisan food and drink, world street food, cookery theatre, children’s entertainment. Beccles Town Centre

27th: Chalk Five hitchhikers have gone missing from the backroads of Norfolk. A thriller by the Garage Theatre Co. Fishers Theatre, Bungay. 7.30pm

28-29th: Spring Plant Fair & Artisan Market

Two days of plants, pots, vintage finds and artisan stalls. Helmingham Hall

29th: Gala Fest

Fun for all the family with a carnival parade through Framlingham.

30th – 4th Jun: Kids Rule!

A right royal knees-up to celebrate the coronation of Charles III. Framlingham Castle

31st-1st Jun: The Suffolk Show Two days celebrating everything that is great about Suffolk. Trinity Park

June:

9th-25th: Aldeburgh Festival

Five exhibitions, five films, two operas, a centenary celebration of the composer Ligeti, concert theatre and more. Snape Maltings

9th: The Black Feathers

Soaring, dramatic melodies combined with sparkling and occasionally spicy guitar motifs. Wingfield Barns. 7.30pm

10th: A Band Called Malice

This Jam tribute band takes you back to ‘when you were young’.

Fishers Theatre Bungay 7.30pm

11th: Gainsborough String Quartet

A summer recital featuring baritone Robert Gildon. Walpole Old Chapel. 3pm

13th: A Line in the Sand Words and music explode in an exploration of challenge and protest in art song.

Snape Maltings. 7.30pm

17th-18th: First Light Festival

A shimmering solstice celebration of music, dance and the arts.

Lowestoft beach

17th-18th: Slaughter in Southwold Live author interviews with best-selling crime novelists. Southwold Arts Centre

22nd: Midsummer Nights

Four special evenings allowing you to discover the gardens with a glass of wine. Helmingham Hall

23rd: A Summer Opera Evening

The world-class opera company Wild Arts bring its brand-new show to the open-air Thorington Theatre. 7.30pm

July

2nd: Stand up under the Stars

A hilarious night with comedian and puppeteer, Nina Conti. Thorington Theatre 7.30pm

2nd: Music in the Gardens

The DixieMix Jazz Band entertain at Helmingham Hall. 11am onwards

7th: The Remains of Logan

Dankworth

The third of acclaimed performance artist Luke Wright’s trilogy of political verse plays. Fishers Theatre Bungay. 7.30pm

7th-9th: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

The ultimate family musical adventure presented by awardwinning youth musical theatre company, the Co-op Juniors. Snape Maltings

13th-19th:

Contemporary Art Exhibition

Abstract paintings by Boo Compton and graphic needlepoints by Sally Anne Elliott. Aldeburgh Gallery. 10am-5pm

15th: Framlingham Horse Show

The oldest and most traditional horse show in Suffolk. Castle Meadow, Framlingham

26th – 26th Aug: The Winter’s Tale

The Red Rose Chain Theatre returns to the forest for another spell-bounding performance under the stars. Sutton Hoo 7.30pm

28th-30th: Primadonna Festival

A celebration of women, Black and Asian artists, the LGBTQIA+ community, disabled and workingclass people. The Food Museum

Spring styles

4. Summer shirts Ruby Tyger £44

5. Groovy sunnies Powder @ Orlando’s £38

6. Pretty cotton tunic Rose and Rose @ No10 Market Hill £230

1. We are Sisters sweatshirt Vintage Sister £69

2. Silver circle cufflinks Spiral Galley £98

3. Panama hats Ruby Tyger £20

Stockists on page 80

7. The colours of spring Moose

8. Cotton kimono Constance and Denny £45

9. Stylish oversized shirt Humility @Joli

10. Saltwater sandals Hug Lifestyles From £49.95

11. Knitted vest top Fleur

12. Sundress FRNCH @ collated £115

13. Birkenstocks Ives Footwear

From £75

Hot to Trot

If you head down Dunwich beach on a moonlit night you might come across a horse trailer puffing smoke. Don’t worry, it’s not a pony with a 20-a-day habit, but instead a much happier, healthier discovery, as this is Sauna Box! Set up by Tom and Kay, whose aim was for “people to leave us a little bit happier and a little bit healthier”, Sauna Box is a fully repurposed mobile wood-fried sauna that opens its ramp in Dunwich a couple of times a month. You can book individually or as a group and enjoy the amazing health benefits of having a sauna whilst also taking in the expansive views out across the North Sea.

So, turn up the heat and let Sauna Box put a smile on your face.

www.saunabox.co.uk

Lifting your spirits

Hailed as the new ‘spiritual face lift’ by Tatler, Facial Reflexology is both a soothing and transformative treatment that eases stress and anxiety and leaves you feeling peaceful and serene. Originally pioneered by Ziggie Bergman, this ancient form of facial reflexology is built on a combination of Native American techniques and Asian body maps that chart the reflex points on the face. Alona, who has been in practice since 2002, is offering this blissful treatment at Vida Haus in Pettistree. Benefits include relaxation of body and mind; stress reduction; improvement of circulation; increased immunity; better digestion and clearer skin, colour and tone.

www.vida.haus

Get well soon

Opening soon, be well barn is all set to become Suffolk’s newest eco-conscious health & wellness centre. Offering both private fitness and wellness pods for members to enjoy and social spaces to suit all needs, this new development located

A ray of sunshine

This reef-safe, dermatologically approved SPF25 Mineral Sunscreen by eco-brand UpCircle provides an essential physical defence against premature ageing caused by the sun. Once applied, the lightweight formula absorbs within 15 minutes to create a natural finish with a subtle glow. Skinsoothing aloe vera calms inflammation and quenches the moisture barrier, whilst humectant glycerin seals in hydration. Plasticfree and vegan, this sunscreen is formulated with non-comedogenic sunflower oil as well as breakout-busting lavender oil, making it a great sunscreen for those with acne-prone skin. Genius!

Available from Ruby and the Angel Eco www.rubyandtheangel.co.uk

in Redlingfield is a beautiful well-being space that is sensitively settling into the Suffolk countryside. The brainchild of Sarah and Will Edwards, it has been built using sustainable and recyclable construction materials and is heated via renewable air source heat pump technology, with the aim to become energy selfsufficient in five years. There will be a range of fitness classes including Circuits, Spin, Body Pump and Step Aerobics, as well as Pilates Yoga and Tai Chi. If you are looking for a more relaxing experience, you can book in for a spa treatment or just soak up the heat in the steam room or hot tub. And, with the Jungle Room Café on site, you can also enjoy a post workout drink or stay for lunch and make a day of it.

www.bewellbarn.co.uk

Top priority

Nestled in the Suffolk countryside, Priory Barn is an 18th century oakframed barn that has been sympathetically converted into a beautiful contemporary living space. Perfectly blending rustic charm with modern retro design, the huge open plan, light-filled interior instantly calms the mind and soothes the soul.

Priory Barn belongs to Nick and Clark, who moved to Suffolk in 2015 after taking early retirement from busy lives in London. The barn is one of several outbuildings belonging to the 16th century farmhouse that is now their home. Located just outside Badingham, they loved the rural aspect of the farmhouse and, having always dreamed of taking on a building project, could not resist the potential that the then dilapidated barn offered. “We fell in love with Suffolk after buying a cottage in Theberton in 2005 and would spend most weekends up here walking the coast and

exploring the villages. Framlingham became a firm favourite and so when we decided to move here permanently the farmhouse was in in an ideal spot and offered us this great opportunity. Our vision was to create a holiday let that celebrates the history of the barn whilst also offering guests cool clean lines and modern design.

They began work on the conversion in 2018, hiring Howard Nash, an established architect who specialises in projects with a contemporary edge. Retaining as much of the barn’s structure as possible, the design

cleverly encloses the original timber frame within a modern larch clad exterior, juxtaposing the irregularity of the gnarled wooden boards with engineered steel braces and huge picture windows. The design is respectful to the history of the barn and sympathetic to the original structure, only using existing openings for the windows and doors, and retaining the hayloft, transforming it into a mezzanine double bedroom that offers views down across the living space below. The new roof is steeply pitched so as to replicate the original outline and gentle landscaping allows the barn to sit harmoniously within its rural setting.

Stepping inside you immediately feel a sense of calm. It is deceptively spacious and has been cleverly zoned. The kitchen is

tucked neatly underneath the mezzanine, the dining table aligned with the floor-toceiling French windows that slide open to reveal a sheltered patio where a couple of well positioned chairs invite you to settle down with a coffee and the morning papers, and the main living area is divided by the strategic positioning of the carefully chosen furniture. Whilst Clark took on the role of project manager, it is Nick’s love of retro office furniture that has dictated the styling of the space. Two Walter Knoll armchairs, with their classic cubist silhouettes, are paired with sleek silver USM modular units, all of which used to grace the offices of the Gherkin in London. “I love this office style furniture repurposed for the home and am always on the lookout for bargain pieces. The dining table had an interesting previous life as an executive

about interiors

meeting table and the dining chairs are iconic Marcel Breuer designs.”

Nick and Clark have also combed the local area for standout pieces and are regular visitors to local makers’ markets and antique shops. Two oversized lamps from ‘in da cottage’ in Framlingham bookend the sofa, whilst a bespoke wooden coffee table handcrafted by local furniture maker Greg Mosley of ‘Among Trees’ takes centre stage, and decorative items from East of Eden, ceramics from potter Ben Baglio and abstracts from Rob Wyn Yates are dotted throughout. The deVOL kitchen is beautifully simple and the bedroom is home to a king-size bed beneath a large window that frames the blossom of the apple tree outside. To one corner of the main living space a reading area encourages you to

take down a book from the bookcase or to just sit and take in the views out across the meadow and watch for wildlife on the pond. And, as we chat, I notice a newly arrived blackcap settle on a fallen branch and announce his arrival with his distinctive song that is a sure sign of spring.

Priory Barn is a triumph of considered design that expertly weaves the history of a centuries-old barn into the very fabric of a contemporary living space. It has huge integrity and comes with a quiet confidence that can only be achieved through excellent design and a true understanding of how the space can work in harmony with its surroundings.

Priory Barn is bookable for a minimum of 3 nights. www.priorybarn.co.uk

about interiors

Get the look

1. KROKUS vase Fine Little Day @ Vanil £20

2. Spring delights Thrive at Helmingham Hall

3. Terra flower pots East of Eden £15

4. Vibrant climbers Suffolk Plant Centre

5. Beautiful rugs Suffolk Carpet Weavers

6. Antique treasures Red Eyed Dove

7. Lulu love seat Snape Maltings £1200

Stockists on page 79

8. Steam Bent Wall Light Layer Tree £126

9. Coronation mugs Hannah Berridge £25

10. Floral stem bowl The Merchant’s Table £44

11. Luxury scented candles elsie & tom £28

12. Fusang Tree bedlinen Barretts of Woodbridge From £22

13. Italian brass ball lamp in da cottage £195

14. Hand painted ceramics New Street Market

Going once, going twice

Describe ‘a typical day’ at Bishop & Miller

Bishop & Miller is a specialist auction and valuation firm with salerooms and auction galleries in Stowmarket, Suffolk and Glandford, Norfolk. Founder, Oliver Miller, shares some of the gems of being a valuer and an auctioneer with us.

How did you come to be an auctioneer?

My interest in antiques and antiquities was sparked at a young age thanks to my grandmother, who often took me to the British Museum where we spent a lot of time looking at all the early Egyptian antiquities. My father worked as a Fine Art & Antiques photographer in London and I was always around antique objects from a very early age, so it’s not surprising really that I am where I am today.

There really is no typical day with us, every day is different. We are so fortunate that we see such a wide variety of objects, and clients come and see us for a whole host of reasons. It may be that having built up a specific collection, they feel it’s time to let it go to another home. Or, we have clients who have inherited individual items and on occasion, the entire contents of a loved one’s house, and so they need to ask our team what is worth selling at auction. However random an object might be, we have a great team of experts who love nothing more than helping to determine the best course of action.

What has been the most unusual item to enter the saleroom?

We have seen some exceptional private collections in 2023 and as it happens, one of the most outstanding pieces I’ve ever seen came through the doors just recently: an amazing 15th century, Edward IV bronze measure. This will go under the hammer in the summer and although it’s only as high as a ruler, the auction estimate is £40,000 - £60,000!

have had for a number of years now and I am hoping to ignite the same interest in my children.

It seems that even antiques can go in and out of fashion. Any tips on up-coming trends?

It is true that things come and go in the auction world. Some objects tend to stay current and stand the test of time and others come back with a vengeance. We are currently seeing an increased interest in Scandinavian Design and Furniture, and British makers such as Ercol and G-Plan, with a trend towards light-coloured furniture. In my opinion, if you buy either at the moment, you really can’t go wrong.

I am not at work. My family consists of a patient wife and two small children: Poppy who is three and Theodore who is one, so they take up a lot of my spare time. Not only do I have an extensive knowledge of a wide range of antiques, I also have to keep up to date on the world of Pepper Pig and Peter Rabbit! My big passion, however, is travelling. In the past, I have been fortunate to see some of the wonders of the world, but now I am looking forward to travelling with the family, with Oman and South Africa firmly on the hit list!

You value a whole range of objects, from Tribal & Ancient Art to Fine Furniture and paintings. What do you have a soft spot for?

Really naïve ancient pottery that the everyday man would have used as a utility item - I absolutely love the connection with the history to the piece. To think that such items are still around today and are loved and appreciated is great. I have a few in my own collection that I

You opened in Glandford, Norfolk last autumn. Do you have plans to expand further?

Our Glandford Auction Gallery has been a great success so far. We opened it in September 2022 on a lovely farm business park just three miles from Holt. We have started investigating business links to North America on the East Coast so all I will say for now is watch this space!

How do you spend time when not running the business?

My business is my passion. However, I do like to unwind when

Where to find us:

Suffolk Showroom

19 Charles Industrial Estate, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 5AH

Norfolk Showroom

12 Manor Farm, Glandford, Holt NR25 7JP

bishopandmillerauctions.co.uk

Illuminating developments

This May, Illuminate, an exciting creative space at Brightwell Barns, launches its first-ever unique Suffolk photography project, EXPOSURE. The imagining of Illuminate founder Mikaela Rackham, EXPOSURE sets out to celebrate and showcase the amazing work of photographic artists from across East Anglia and beyond.

Photographers were invited to submit their work under four categories: Landscape/Place, People & Portrait, Natural World and Alternative & Experimental, and three artists from each category have been selected by a panel of four creative judges to feature in the exhibition which will run until the end of May. They will also feature in a one-off, limited-edition Zine - a community-published, non-commercial, creative print-work produced in small batches – which will be available to purchase. This open event will be a fantastic opportunity to see these works of art for the first time alongside the unveiling of the limited edition run of the first ever EXPOSURE Zine.

www.illuminatestudio.co.uk

Go wild in the country

Can you do one wild thing every day for an entire month?

30 Days Wild is The Wildlife Trusts’ annual challenge where they ask everyone to do one wild thing a day throughout the month of June. It’s a wonderful challenge that brings our focus back to nature and highlights how all of us can help – even if it’s only in a small way – to make our own little spaces a little ecofriendlier. Just sign up to receive a FREE pack either through the post or via email and you’ll also receive lots of fun activities throughout the month to keep you inspired! Great fun for all the family and a brilliant idea for schools. Go on – release your inner wild child!

www.wildlifetrusts. org/30dayswild

Charlie Oscar

In March this year, the screen adaptation of Suffolk-based Charlie Mackesy’s best-selling book, ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’ won an Oscar in the Best Animated Short Film category. Such a fantastic accolade for this truly heart-warming story which follows an unlikely friendship between the four as they travel together in the boy’s search for home. It is such a touching tale of kindness, and Charlie’s distinctive illustrations are beautifully brought to life using the voices of Tom Hollander as the Mole, Idris Elba as the Fox, Gabriel Byrne as the Horse, and Jude Coward Nicoll as the Boy. Catch it while you can on BBC iPlayer or Apple TV+.

For Pit’s sake

In August 2022, the former quarry in Holton, known by all locally as Holton Pits, was put up for sale. In response, the Holton Pits Preservation Group (HPPG) was formed to try and prevent this 20-acre site from being developed in a manner that would threaten its fragile biodiversity and restrict access for the local community which, for many decades, has enjoyed the open use of the site.

The ecological surveys carried out over the years show why this small site is so important. Bird recordings going back to 1979 read like a riotous party, with over 100

The best-selling book, ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’, has sold more than eight million copies worldwide and it is a wonderful gift – whatever your age – and can be purchased online. www.charliemackesy.com

different species recorded, including our East Anglian icons - turtle dove and nightingale –as well as ospreys, sand martins and egrets. The richness of this list and the depth of the other fauna and flora recordings show the importance of the mosaic of habitats found across the site - open water and wetlands, acid grassland, and that all important scrub that makes it such a nature generator.

Amazingly, in just six months the campaign has all but reached its £200,000 target, but just needs a last push to secure the site. Please help spread the word - any donations will be very gratefully received.

www.holtonpits.uk

about time

in ... Bungay

Surrounded by water meadows dotted with grazing cattle, Bungay is a town loved for its gentle pace of life and one that invites you to explore in a leisurely fashion. Looped by the River Waveney and steeped in history, it has an impressive parish church, St Marys, a castle and a Benedictine priory, well the ruins thereof, an eclectic range of independent shops, and plentiful watering holes. With an annual calendar of events worthy of a much larger burgh, visit once and you’ll find yourself returning time and time again.

time to explore!

The centre of Bungay is relatively compact and at its heart you’ll find the Buttercross, home to the Thursday market. From here, pretty streets lead off in all directions, most notably Bridge St with its brightly-painted stucco houses. Have your purse at the ready as you wander down Earsham St, as every shop is as tempting as the next: you could fill your bags with ingredients for breakfast, lunch and dinner, flowers for the house and much more besides! Be warned, you will not come out empty handed from the Front Room bakery or Earsham St Deli!

Take time to step into Cork Bricks which is so named because of the fascinating tale of one 19th century resident, Frederick Smith who, when his wife Katherine fell ill and was so disturbed by the clattering of horses, carriages, and carts over the cobblestones, was impelled to cover the road surface with cork bricks to muffle their sounds, thus ensuring that she was able to recuperate, untroubled.

If you fancy a stroll, wander out to Outney Common where, if you’re lucky, you might spot a kingfisher or an otter, or to Falcon Meadow to take in the views. If it’s a hike you’re after, The Bigod Way is a 10-mile circular walk that follows the river valley to Earsham, then ascends the historic Bath Hills, before joining the Angles Way and then dropping back to Fishers Theatre

NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK AVIATION MUSEUM MAJOR EVENTS 2023

14th May East Coast Pirates Day

21st May Aviation Art and Plastic Model Day

23rd July Family Fun Day

6th Aug RAFA and Veterans Day

17th Sept Battle of Britain Day

23rd Sept Scout Activities Day

28th Oct Scout Activities Day

www.aviationmuseum.net

Please refer to our website for full opening times

time for food!

Bungay is a magnet for discerning food and drink lovers, which is not surprising as it is home to so many producers and purveyors of both. Now supplying Baron Bigod as far afield as New York, no visit would be complete without calling in to Fen Farm Dairy, home to this awardwinning cheese, raw milk and rather moreish butter.

Bungay is also home to some fantastic cafes and pubs. Step back in time at the Old Bank Tearooms and enjoy a delicious cuppa and a slice of their homemade cake. For heartier fare, try the Castle Inn where you’ll regularly see Ramen, Larb, and Thai curries on the menu, prepared by their Cambodian chef, Chan. Enjoy a warm welcome at the Fleece Inn, a beautifully preserved 15th century inn with a warren of interconnecting spaces and inviting nooks and crannies, and for a truly local brew, prop up the bar at the Green Dragon, popular with locals for its ales and home-made spicy sauces with which to slather your hot pork rolls!

And if you’re still hungry and you time it right, order out a pizza from Stonehouse Pizza to wolf down before heading home - they are the stuff of legend!

make time for! about time

The markets - Bungay is an ancient market town and still carries the mantel well today, with weekly Thursday markets at the Buttercross as well as seasonal markets that draw visitors from far and wide. First up in 2023 is the Garden Market - Sunday 14th May - expect to find a whole range of plant sellers as well as gardening equipment and ornaments, and lots more besides. Did we mention that there’ll also be food and drink…

A visit to Flint Vineyard - offering vineyard and winery tours, lunches, informal walk-in tastings and a self-guided amble through the vines, Flint Vineyard has quickly become recognised as one of England’s most exciting new wine producers. Immerse yourself in the beautiful surroundings or pop in any time for a relaxed glass of wine overlooking the vines nestled in the Waveney Valley, just outside Bungay.

Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum – run almost entirely by volunteers, marvel at the sight of over 60 aircraft and cockpit sections, and thousands of fascinating exhibits, all in stark contrast to their rural surrounds. The museum hosts many events throughout the year including a Family Fun Day on the 23rd July.

A visit to Fisher’s Theatre – one of the oldest provincial theatres in the UK, Fisher’s Theatre has a tremendously varied events programme. Celebrate the magic of words and pictures in two days of events for families and aspiring writers and illustrators at the Dog-Eared Children’s Book Festival.

Marvel at the world of creepy crawlies, discover what happens when the frog gets his first kiss, and cherish the memory by taking home a book or two. Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th June.

The Bungay Edit!

5. Coffee & pastries

Front Room Café

6. Fresh herbs Giddens & Thompson Greengrocer

7. Quality art supplies

The Art Trading Company

8. 19th century bench Earsham Home Furnishings £695

1. Bacchus Fume Flint Vineyard £22.99

2. Local artwork The Bell Gallery

3. Foodie Hamper Earsham Street Deli From £45

4. Delicious cheese and dairy produce Fen Farm Dairy

Stockists on page 80

9. Philodendron verrucosum George’s Gorgeous Gardens £54.50

10. Fresh flowers and plants New Beginnings Florist

11. Beau floral dress Adini @ Muse £92

12. Designer preloved fashion The Little Black Dog Wardrobe

13. Bespoke Sentry Boxes Suffolk Sentry £390

14. Palm leaf cycle panniers The Recycled Weasel from £35

15. India Pale Ale St Peter’s Brewery £18 for 8 x 500ml

16. Vintage upholstered chairs Interiors @ No.11 From £88

Statuesque

about the land

This summer, the gardens of Helmingham Hall will play host to a stunning selection of over 300 sculptures curated by the team at Art for Cure. With its walled garden, wooded pathways, heritage apple walk, archways and avenues, the gardens are a spectacular backdrop for this very special exhibition.

The sculpture trail features pieces from over fifty eminent UK sculptors including Suffolkbased Paul Richardson, whose work ‘Falling Leaves’ was previously on display at Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Show, and beautifully expressive figures by Carol Peace and Beatrice Hoffman. In amongst the trees, the ethereal 3D mesh sculptures of internationally renowned David Begbie take on an almost spiritual quality, whilst the striking figure, ‘Virtual Mortal’ by Joseph Hillier casts a haunting reflection in the still waters of the moat. As you explore the gardens you may come across Tanya Russell’s

bronze dogs playing in the wildflower meadow, or the work of Andrew Kay, whose life-size stag gazes wistfully across ancient parkland towards the herd of red deer beyond.

The award-winning gardens at Helmingham Hall have always been a huge draw for visitors, and on a bright spring morning we take a tour with head gardener Brendan Arundel. Much of the garden was designed in the early 80s by Chelsea Gold medal winner Lady Xa Tollemache and, although she is still very much involved, the mantle has now been

handed to her daughter-in-law, Sophie, who is an active member of the hands-on team in the garden. We start at the coach house where an avenue of snow pears, their pretty blossom sprinkling the path with white confetti, leads to the rose garden. Here a mix of hybrid, damask, centifolia and David Austin roses have been interplanted with spring bulbs and late-flowering perennials, all edged with Hidcote lavender to ensure a lasting season of colour and beautiful fragrance. The knot and herb garden is planted with thyme, rosemary, sage and mint and was cleverly designed to be viewed from the windows of the hall, the pattern of the knots depicting the distinctive frets of the Tollemache crest.

We skirt the edge of the moat where a huge zinc coated fish looks very happy swimming in its clear waters. The banks have been

planted with a mix of oxeye daisies, orchids and other wildflowers that lie in wait, biding their time until summer arrives, whilst the outer edges of the garden have been left wild, and here woodland shrubs, grasses and cow parsley are a haven for wildlife. To the west of the hall, the trail takes us along the apple tree walk where, interspersed between the heritage apples, the most amazing range of sculptures have taken root. The work of Anne Curry perfectly captivates the beauty of unfurling flower buds and seed pods and Jeremy Moulsdale’s spiritual figures offer them themselves up to the sun and the moon. We wander through the wildflower meadow to the newest part of the garden where teardrop beds of gaura and camassia sit beneath a canopy of silver birch, crab apple and cherry. Be delighted by the whimsy of a tiny snail on a ball, a moon gazing hare, the

splendour of Lilly Henry’s Dancing Stones, and the celebrated stone carvings of Nicholas Moreton.

Along the Yew Walk, a quiet secluded area with a magic all of its own, we discover Emma Fenelon’s architectural ceramic towers, and beneath the majestic boughs of the wondrous Cedar of Lebanon, glimpse an octopus dancing in the wind and a family of fairies hiding amongst the foliage. Finally, we enter the stunning walled kitchen garden, home to exquisite herbaceous borders and immaculate vegetable beds interspersed by tunnels of sweet peas, runner beans and gourds. Take time to take in the truly fabulous selection of sculptures that have made their home here amongst the beds of delphinium, hellebore, peonies, and a sea of bobbing poppies. Enormous steel seed heads sway

next to exquisitely detailed bronze swallows and sleek marble kestrels, and the hauntingly beautiful faces of Angela Farquharson seemingly fix their sights on Rachel Ducker’s playful wirework figures. Rather than fighting for our attention, this unique pairing of natural beauty and the arts only heightens our appreciation for both. It is a magnificent celebration of both the gardens and the incredibly talented artists whose sculptures have found such resonance here and I would encourage you to visit whilst you can.

The Sculpture Trail is on until 17th Sept. Open Mon-Thurs and Sun. All works are for sale with 30% going to Art for Cure.

www.artforcure.org.uk / www.helmingham.com

about design

Hot desk

Andrew Whittaker is the founder of Hyrst , a social enterprise that makes beautiful, low impact furniture and homewares using locally sourced raw materials and a workforce of skilled local makers and the instructors and inmates of Warren Hill, a category C men’s prison on the Suffolk coast.

I meet Andrew at Marsh Barn Café, situated next to the RSPB reserve at Hollesley, and as the rain lashes against the windows we can only just make out the outline of HMP Warren Hill that sits overlooking the marshes opposite, and every time the door swings open, I keep expecting Magwitch to be blown inside. It is an atmospheric setting and over a warming brew, Andrew, who lives in the village, explains how it is that the inmates of this high security prison are helping him to make stylish minimalistic furniture. “I have always designed and made furniture for my own home and several years

ago set up a business with a friend, using reclaimed materials to build tables, benches and other small items. Once that business had run its course, and freshly inspired by inheriting my grandfather’s old woodworking tools, I decided to try something different. With Hyrst, the goal is to design and make beautiful, long-lasting furniture, drawing only on the people and materials close to our home here on the Suffolk coast. To keep the geographical - and carbon - footprint as low as possible.”

As an antidote to the mass-produced

flat-packed furniture that is widely available but lacking a story or any provenance to call its own, Andrew needed his products to have complete traceability. “I wanted to make a table using a sycamore felled just up the road, or a set of chopping boards from an old Suffolk oak that had succumbed to the winter storms.” Some of the timber used by Hyrst is supplied by Suffolk Wildlife Trust, which operates a carefully controlled woodland management scheme across several of their sites. “I love the fact that I can visit SWT, see exactly where the tree was felled, know that it is milled and dried on site and then transported directly to Warren Hill. That’s about as low mileage as it gets!”

Andrew was also keen to work with the local community and after hearing that there

was a large woodworking workshop inside Warren Hill, set up a meeting with the industries manager. “The guys at Warren Hill now manufacture a range of Hyrst designs in their workshop. I make and take in a sample product, along with any drawings and the locally sourced timber, and they then create a steel template for that product, from which they can produce batches of items, from chopping boards to coat hooks to tableware.” Andrew pays the market rate for the items made in the workshop at the prison and this income is then used by Warren Hill to fund training qualifications that will upskill residents in preparation for their release.

As well as these smaller items, Andrew also designs bespoke furniture, working alongside Ben, a skilled local cabinet maker.

These pieces are beautifully crafted, and the design is Scandi-inspired simplicity at its best, his Bawdsey table and bench looking just as at home in a traditional Suffolk farmhouse as in a contemporary minimalist interior. The designs have been carefully considered with the circular economy in mind, using easily replaceable or recyclable parts. Andrew’s latest project, The Newcraft Desk, is a clever reinvention of flatpack furniture, a work-from-home desk that easily slots together using traditional open joinery and minimal fixings. The residents of Warren Hill rough cut the component parts from ash, whilst Ben does the joinery, fixings and finishing. “I wanted to create a piece of furniture that combines the craft, quality and longevity of handcrafted furniture with the accessible price point and convenience of self-assembly.”

Andrew’s love of design and his passion for efficiency and sustainability all combine to make Hyrst furniture important. It is quality pieces like this that we should all strive to have in our homes. Honest, good-looking, durable. Heirloom flatpacks that can be assembled and reassembled as families grow and divide, each generation creating their own memories around the same much-loved kitchen table and sitting at the desk daydreaming about their future and whatever this has in store.

Andrew will be at the Little Makers Market, Unitarian Meeting House, Bury St Edmunds on Saturday 3rd June. His furniture is available online and is stocked by Vanil in Woodbridge.

www.hyrst.co.uk

about gardens

Hang about

Hanging baskets are a great way to add pops of colour to your garden and allow you to bring height and interest to seating areas and patios.

May is the perfect time to plant your baskets and with the right care you can expect to enjoy months of beautiful floral displays. Here are four easy steps to ensure you get the best results:

1. Prepare your basket

Pop your basket in a bucket to keep it stable. Many come already lined or you can buy readymade jute or moss liners. Snip a few holes in the liner about 5cm above the base to allow excess water to drain and so you can push in your trailing plants.

2. Add your compost

Create a compost mix by combining a good quality multi-purpose peat-free compost with water retaining granules and a slow-release fertiliser. Fill your basket until it’s level with the slits and embed a small flowerpot in the centre which will act as a watering reservoir.

3. Plant away!

Wrap the roots of trailing plants with paper and gently push them through the slits. Try trailing verbena, sweet peas, petunia and pelargoniums. Add your centrepiece – good choices include fuchsia, geranium or a small dahlia – and then add fillers such as pansy, viola, busy lizzies and lobelia. Top up with your compost mix and firm down.

4. Tender loving care

Water your newly planted basket and then continue to water throughout the summer, ideally in the early evenings. Pinch out early flowers to allow the plants to become established, feed with a liquid fertiliser, rotate the baskets on a weekly basis, and deadhead regularly to keep them looking blooming marvellous.

about gardens

Spring splendour

May is a wonderful month in the garden. The days are getting longer and warmer and all the promises of April come true as carefully planned borders start to burst into bloom. Delphinium, hardy geraniums and aquilegias take centre stage, with the verdant spikes of euphorbia and acid green Alchemilla mollis acting as the perfect backdrop. Late flowering tulips are also putting on a magnificent show but for many gardeners, the ravishing beauty of the peony will undoubtably be the leading light. With huge blousy blooms swaying over dark green foliage and a delightfully intense fragrance, who could fail to fall in love at first sight!

June offers up more delights and all the cottage garden favourites now fight for attention. Lupins, with their stately spires, are a worthy contender, as are elegant antirrhinum and salvia, whilst perfumed

Tales from the potting shed

May

Plant dahlia tubers

Tie in climbers

Sow runner beans

phlox, iberis and osteospermum are the perfect front runners of any summer bed. Plant gaps with colourful annuals such as cosmos, marigold and nicotiana, whose gorgeous scent fills the garden at dusk, just as you decide it’s time to put down the hoe and sit back to enjoy your hard work in all its glory.

As we move into July things hot up. Bold and beautiful echinaceas, rudbeckias and crocosmia contrast well with drifts of bronze grasses and the fluttery flowers of Gaura, known as ‘whirling butterflies’, that dance on the warm summer’s breeze. Keep your borders tidy and remember to deadhead so that you can enjoy the pick of the crop, bringing the outside in and filling vases with gorgeous, scented stems that will brighten the kitchen table whatever the weather.

June

Stake tall perennials

Lift and divide bluebells & snowdrops

Net ripening fruit

July

Deadhead bedding plants

Cutback hardy geranium

Pinch out tomatoes

about gardens

Competition!

Win a £100 Dining Voucher to spend at the Dennington Queen

We are delighted to have teamed up with The Dennington Queen, a 16th Century country pub with dining, to offer you the chance to win a £100 voucher. Perhaps for a family lunch, a fabulous roast on Sunday or a candlelit dinner for two… with seasonal menus, freshly prepared using local produce, a children’s play area and gin & cocktail menu, the only problem will be choosing how best to spend it!

The Dennington Queen must be one of the loveliest pubs in Suffolk. With a sheltered terrace overlooking the duck-pond and a lovely garden which sits alongside the churchyard, a fabulous interior complete with two inglenook fireplaces, it is truly a pub for all seasons. Run by Jon Reeves, who has been at the helm for over 15yrs now, and Lorna, top notch, freshly prepared food and excellent service from their great team are a given.

www.thedenningtonqueen.co.uk

For your chance of winning this fabulous prize, please answer the following question correctly:

Q: How long has Jon run the pub for?

July.

Synonymous with delicious pastries, sausages rolls, fresh salads, artisan breads and good coffee, The Black Dog Delis are muchloved watering holes for many Suffolk locals. We catch up with owners Andy Storer and Michael Anfilogoff at their Halesworth café to find out what plans they are cooking up next.

Andy opened the first Black Dog Deli in Walberswick in 2014, and it wasn’t long before his honest home cooking and flavoursome food was attracting more than just the summer crowd. “I have always believed that simple food done well is the basis of our success. Our customers know that it is reasonably priced and always delivers on flavour, and we only use quality ingredients, sourced from within Suffolk if possible.” Michael, who is one of the founders of the award-winning bakery Filo & Twine, joined forces with Andy in 2017, and together they have grown the business into

the success it is today. “Although lockdown was hard, it was the catalyst for our expansion. We used to run Street Food Fridays in Southwold, offering take-away dishes inspired by the traditional cuisines of India, Morocco and the Middle East. We built up a loyal following and this gave us the confidence to start looking at different locations for our delis.”

There are now three Black Dog Delis: Halesworth opened in 2021, followed by Wrentham earlier this year, and they have just announced that a fourth is set to open in

Yoxford this May. Like any good recipe, the company structure is multi-layered, and although operating under the brand name Black Dog Deli, both Halesworth and Wrentham are run as a franchise, each one having its own unique identity and with subtle twists on the menu mainstays that people know and love. “We didn’t want to set up a chain. To us it is more important that the shops fit into the communities where they are based and have the flexibility to adapt to their client base. Damien, who runs Halesworth, and Ross, who runs Wrentham, used be part of the team so we know their delis are in safe hands.” It is a clever business model as although they must stock at least 50% of the signature Black Dog savoury and sweet bakes and artisan breads, they are also guaranteed to be run with a passion and enthusiasm that can only be

found in those with a stake in their own success.

Andy and Michael are still very hands-on, and most days will be found at HQ on Halesworth Business Park, rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in with the rest of the team, who are kept very busy with the wholesale side of the business. “We supply a wide range of clients across Norfolk and Suffolk, stocking cafés, pubs, restaurants and delis with our bread, pastries and pies. We work with The Wilderness Reserve, our sausage rolls are on the menu at Jarrolds, and we have recently collaborated with Adnams, creating and supplying Beef & Broadside pies for their pubs.” As if knocking out over 1000 loaves a week isn’t enough, in 2022 Michael and his partner Charlotte set up the Black Dog Pizza Co. Their hand-

stretched artisanal sourdough pizzas are sold frozen and stocked at all the Black Dog Delis, as well as the Fen Farm shops and Earsham Street Delis, and, for a special treat, on Fridays and Saturdays you can also sample them freshly cooked at the Lord Nelson in Southwold.

It is obvious that Andy and Michael are both highly motivated individuals who are happy to work hard to achieve their dreams, but it is also clear that they haven’t lost sight of what is important. They have surrounded themselves with a dedicated support team, which includes family and partners, and rather than opening in busy towns and tourist hotspots, have chosen rural locations, allowing each deli to own its identity and deliver a personal touch that is essential for customer experience and loyalty. Their food

is made with sustainably grown local produce and their shelves are stocked with innovative products that are carefully sourced to make them stand out from the crowd. “The coffee shop scene has seen a shift in the last ten years but for us it has always been about simplicity, consistency and taste. We want our delis to be at the heart of the community, a place for friends to gather and share food, swap stories and check-in with each other.” Add to this mix, a beautifully smooth cup of coffee and a cherry and almond pain au chocolat, or a caramelised red onion and mustard sausage roll straight out of the oven, and there is no argument that theirs has to be the perfect recipe for success.

www.blackdogdelis.co.uk / www.filoandtwine.co.uk

It’s Festival Time

Free to attend, the Beccles Food and Drink Festival returns on Saturday, 27th May, with 60 stalls set to offer an incredible range of the finest artisan food and drink from the local area and beyond. Based around New Market, Sheepgate, and in and around St Michael’s Church, the festival runs from 10am till 4 pm and will also include world street food, music and children’s entertainment.

A new feature this year will be the Local Flavours mobile cookery theatre, offering budding chefs and bakers culinary inspiration from local chefs and students of East Coast College in Lowestoft. Two weeks of Fringe events leading up to the event are also planned, involving a wide range of food and drink themed activities, menu specials, tours and talks. www.becclesfoodfestival.co.uk

The Stowmarket Food and Drink Festival takes place on Sunday, 2nd July.

Attracting crowds of over 7000 people, it celebrates local and regional produce, making it a great day out for families and foodies alike.

Visitors to the event will find a wide range of food and drink to choose from including produce stalls, street food, pop-up bars and sweet treats. The town centre will be packed with local and regional traders offering goods from a variety of cuisines. Visitors can see chefs prepare mouthwatering dishes with seasonal ingredients at the Kitchen Theatre. There is also plenty of entertainment for all ages at venues across town, including Pocket Money Movies at The Regal. For more information visit www.stowmarkettowncouncil.gov.uk

Fram’ is flavour of the month!

Small and idiosyncratic, Suffolk’s first Italian bar, Beviamo, is now open. You’ll find it behind Watson and Walpole in Framlingham, and mirroring the same opening hours.  Don’t expect Baileys or tequila slammers but be ready to enjoy the best Galliano Sour, Negroni or Espresso Martini along with truffle crisps and wood-fired pizza slices straight out of the Watson and Walpole kitchen.  Andiamo!

Proving popular

In 2013, Rebecca Bishop founded the Two Magpies Bakery in Southwold. A year after opening, the bakery was shortlisted for the Observer Food Monthly Awards and Rebecca has since opened branches in Darsham, Aldeburgh, Woodbridge, Holt, Blakeney and Norwich. Rebecca won Gold at the World Bread Awards in 2014 and 2015 and is a keen promoter of the Real Bread Campaign. You can

The team at Scarlett & Mustard has been turning up the heat of late, adding lots of new recipes to the website and stocking some delectable new products in their shop, which you’ll find just outside Framlingham. They’ve also added three new sauces to their range: Creamed Horseradish, Piccalilli and a Bramley Apple Sauce, which is not too sweet and perfect for roast pork, and also works well as a filling for pies and muffins, crumbles and granolas. www.scarlettandmustard.co.uk

now try out over 100 of her recipes in her newly published book, Two Magpies Bakery. This book will teach you how to make all of your favourite breads, pastries and pizzas - everything from sourdough to scones, and croissants to cardamom buns. There are also recipes for celebration cakes, and many more bakes and bars (including the famous Adnams Broadside bread pudding and lemon shortbread slice). With recipes for every level of baker, this is a book to curl up with, to cook from and to treasure. Aprons at the ready!

Now on sale in hardback at Two Magpies cafes and in all good bookshops: £26

about taste

Cumin roasted aubergine and confit tomatoes with fresh mint and parsley

This salad is vegan, big on herbs and the punchy flavours of sweet confit tomatoes cut through with garlic and smoky aubergine. The beauty of this dish is that once everything is chopped and cooked, it’s just a matter of tossing it all together and letting those flavours sing!

Ingredients

2 aubergines, cut into wedges

6 plum tomatoes, cut into quarters

200g extra fine green beans

4 thinly sliced spring onions

1/2 bunch mint leaves, lightly chopped

1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley

leaves, lightly chopped

1/2 radicchio, neatly shredded

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

Sprig of rosemary

4 cloves of crushed garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

80ml pomace oil

Salt and pepper

Method

To confit the tomatoes heat the oven to 90° and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Lay on the tomato quarters and drizzle lightly with half the oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and half of the crushed garlic. Place in the oven for 20-30 mins – they should be tender and have dried slightly whilst still remaining juicy. Keep to one side for later, along with the juices.

Turn the oven up 180°. Toss the aubergine wedges in the cumin, paprika, the rest of the garlic, oil, and seasoning. Lay on the parchment and bake until soft and slightly goldenapproximately 20-25 mins.

Top and tail the green beans, cut in half and blanch in salted boiling water for 4-5mins then quickly refresh in ice-cold water to ensure they stay crisp and bright green.

Allow the aubergines to cool slightly, combine with the cooked tomatoes, their juices, and all the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with lemon juice and toss gently to bring it all together. Check the seasoning and transfer into your favourite salad bowl and serve whilst still slightly warm, as it is or with crumbled feta. (Recipe courtesy of Black Dog Deli)

Making Tracks

It’s a gorgeous spring evening, still and calm and full of birdsong, perfect for a pre-supper stroll. We choose a 6-mile circular walk from Earl Soham that follows hedge-lined bridleways and wooded tracks and promises an abundance of wildflowers and glorious countryside views.

We park by Earl Soham church, just space for a car under the towering yews, and from here follow a little track through the graveyard that leads down a bank to a narrow lane. Unusually for Suffolk, we are greeted by the sound of running water, last night’s downpour gushing down a gully to our left, and spontaneously throw in a few

sticks that quickly surf their way out of sight. Just up to the right is a clearly marked footpath that leads around the edge of a field towards a small wood. At the gap in the hedge, turn left and then right and follow this wide grassy track, passing under the electricity wires of the pylons that stride across the open countryside, their low hum echoed by the bees that busy themselves amongst the cowslips and buttercups.

We soon come to anther gap in the hedge and here turn left, joining a bridleway that leads us into a wooded track. The dogs run on ahead, eager to explore, and through the trees we catch glimpses of a brooding sky

that looks like it could dampen our spirits, but for now offers a dramatic backdrop to the neat lines of the wheat fields that look almost purple in the evening light. The edges of the path are lined with swathes of Lords-andLadies and newly unfurled cow parsley, and we keep an eager eye out for any signs of wild garlic – always a delightful discovery. At the end of the track, we turn left and follow a lane to a corner, before rejoining the bridleway which takes us over a railed bridge and then right along the edge of a large field.

At the corner of this field, we turn left and head up the hill, following the field round to the left before taking a right through a small copse and then onto towards Saxtead. We emerge onto the wide common land where dandelions bob and buttercups stud the grass, and head left towards the Mill Inn – a

very convenient stopping off point for anyone who has built up a thirst. Keeping the iconic Saxtead Mill to our left, we cross the common and head in the direction of Tannington. The edges of the common are home to several small ponds, so beware as the ground is surprisingly boggy, but it is lovely to see such wildlife habitats left untouched. At the end of the common, we admire the colourful display of plants, painted pots and fake sunflowers that brighten this corner, and then hit the road, keeping Windmill Lodges to our left.

After a sharp bend, make sure to ignore the first footpath and instead take the second one on the left which leads towards a white house. The path here is narrow, so we emerge with soggy trouser bottoms and heavy, mud encased boots, and it is a relief to

round & about

join another wide grassy bridleway. Turning left, this part of the walk is a delight, the track taking us through woodland that is dripping with May blossom and leading to a narrow path, the steep banks on either side lined with primroses. At one point a small stream, struggling after last night’s rain, has overflowed onto the path, so for a while we hop from bank to bank to avoid getting a boot full whilst the dogs, having scrambled with ease up the steep sides, look down with amusement.

We come out onto the Bedfield Road and after turning left, take a footpath on the right that leads down the side of a well-kept bungalow – even the footpath has been kindly mown – that has enviable views out across the Suffolk countryside. We follow the

hedge-line, peeking over to see a flock of Herdwicks enjoying the lush spring grass, and come to a small managed wood. The path leads us round the edge of the gardens of a magnificent country house which looks over pretty hay meadows and the canopies of quintessential horse chestnuts whose candelabras are just coming into bloom. Ignore a track to the left and carry straight on until a wooden bridge takes you left, and here we catch sight of the tower of Earl Soham church – the end is in sight. The footpath leads past the side of the primary school and so we just have to skirt back along the road to return to our car – the only decision being whether to go home for supper or nip into the Earl Soham Victoria – we’ll leave you to decide what happened next!

round & about

Gardening

about you

Be Well Barn

Redlingfield

Eye IP23 7QP www.bewellbarn.co.uk

Ruby and the Angel Eco 66A High Street

Debenham IP14 6QP www.rubyandtheangel.co.uk

Sauna Box www.saunabox.co.uk @saunaboxhq

Vida Haus

The Three Tuns

Pettistree IP13 0HW

T: 07718 192888 www.vida.haus

interiors emporium

Barretts of Woodbridge 40 Thoroughfare

Woodbridge IP12 1AL www.barretts.co.uk

East of Eden

The Old Barn Fromus Square Saxmundham IP17 1DG www.east-of-eden.co.uk

elsie & tom www.elsieandtom.co.uk @elsieandtomcandles

Hannah Berridge Studio www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ HannahBerridge in da cottage www.indacottage.co.uk @indacottage

LayerTree www.layertree.co.uk @layertree

New Street Market 70 New Street Woodbridge IP12 1DX www.newstreetmarket.com

Red Eyed Dove Barnaby Green, 23b High Street Southwold IP18 6AD @redeyeddove

Snape Maltings

Snape Bridge Snape IP17 1SP

www.brittenpearsarts.org

Suffolk Carpet Weavers Unit 5, Bridge Business Park Top St, Martlesham Woodbridge IP12 4RB

www.suffolkcarpetweavers.com

Suffolk Plant Centre Main Rd, Pettistree Woodbridge IP13 0HH

T: 01473 364025

www.suffolkplantcentre.co.uk

The Merchant’s Table 10 Church Street Woodbridge IP12 1DH

www.themerchantstable.co.uk

Thrive Collective

Helmingham Hall Gardens Stowmarket IP14 6EF

www.thrivecollective.online @t.hrive_

Vanil 17 Church St Woodbridge IP12 1DS

T: 07702 877081

www.vanil.co.uk

Stockists

fashion emporium

collated

The Guildhall Market Hill

Framlingham IP13 9BD www.collatedonline.com

Constance and Denny www.constanceanddenny.com @constanceanddenny

Fleur

166 High Street

Aldeburgh IP15 5AQ www.fleuraldeburgh.co.uk

Hug 12 Market Hill Woodbridge IP12 4LP www.huglifestyles.com

Ives footwear

29 & 31 The Thoroughfare Woodbridge IP12 1AA

T: 01394 386393 www.ivesfootwear.co.uk

Joli 158 High St

Aldeburgh IP15 5AQ www.jolisuffolk.com

Moose

20A Market Hill Woodbridge IP12 4LU @mooseonthehill

No10 Market Hill

Market Hill Woodbridge IP12 @10markethill

Orlando’s 120 High Street Aldeburgh IP15 5AB www.orlandosaldeburgh.co.uk

Ruby Tyger No 1 The Mews Market Hill

Framlingham IP13 9AN @rubytyger.framlingham

Spiral Gallery

46 High Street

Debenham IP14 6QW www.spiralgallery.co.uk

Vintage Sister www.vintagesister.co.uk @sisters_love_vintage

The Bungay Edit

Earsham Home Furnishings

Earsham Hall, Earsham

Bungay NR35 2AN

T: 01986 893423

www.earshamhomefurnishings.co.uk

Earsham Street Deli

51 Earsham Street

Bungay NR35 1AF

www.earshamstreetdeli.co.uk

Fen Farm Dairy

Flixton Rd, Bungay NR35 1PD

www.fenfarmdairy.co.uk

Flint Vineyard

Camphill Farm

Middle Rd, Earsham Bungay NR35 2AH

T: 01986 893942

www.flintvineyard.com

Front Room

28 Earsham St, Bungay NR35 1AQ @thefrontroombungay

George’s Gorgeous Gardens

Earsham Hall, Earsham Bungay NR35 2AN

T: 07592 491234

www.georgesgorgeousgardens.co.uk

Giddens & Thompson Greengrocer

36B Earsham St, Bungay NR35 1AQ

T: 01986 897944

www.giddensandthompson.co.uk

Interiors @ No.11

30 Earsham St, Bungay NR35 1AQ

T: 01986 807444

www.interiorsatno11.co.uk

Muse

4 Earsham St, Bungay NR35 1AG

T: 01986 895538

www.musebungay.co.uk

New Beginning Florists

32-34 Earsham St, Bungay NR35 1AQ

T: 01986 896404

www.newbeginningsflorist.co.uk

St Peter’s Brewery

St. Peter South Elmham, Bungay NR35 1NQ

T: 01986 782322

www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk

Suffolk Sentry

73 Flixton Rd, Bungay NR35 1RB

T: 01986 948507

www.suffolksentry.com

The Art Trading Company

55 Earsham St, Bungay NR35 1AF

T: 01986 897939

www.thearttradingcompany.co.uk

The Bell Gallery

40 Earsham St, Bungay NR35 1AQ

T: 01986 894456

www.thebellgallery.com

The Little Black Dog Wardrobe

36a Earsham St, Bungay NR35 1AQ

T: 01986 948080

www.thelittleblackdogwardrobe. co.uk

The Recycled Weasel

48 St Mary’s Street, Bungay NR35 1AX

T: 07886 205535

www.therecycledweasel.co.uk