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Rushbrooke Lake Run


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We are always keen to expand our database of local training runs. The following is the first of several runs which I hope to add to the website with photos. Hopefully the directions and photos will enable you to have a go at this course. If you do, send in your time and date of completion and I will add to this page for members interest.

Distance: 10 miles	How measured:-Forerunner 205 GPS	Course: Out and back
Surface: Road	Difficulty: Easy but includes a few hills
Start: West Suffolk Sports Centre

What better place to start this run than from the West Suffolk Sports Centre a central point familar to all who venture down on a Monday or Wednesday for a track training session.

Set off along Beetons Way (below) towards Out Risbygate Street.

Turn left when you reach the road and head along Risbygate Street besides the old walls of the Gibralter Barracks. The Cost Cutter garage is on your right hand side and you soon pass the West Suffolk College on your left and the Dip -playing fields.

Look to find a good place to cross over Risbygate Street and pass the Falcon Pub on you right before turning up Chalk Road. I did say there was one or two hills and this is the first of them. An uphill stretch fairly short though.

At the top of the hill turn left into Kings Road.

I am old enough to remembr a very different Kings Road. The housing on the left of the photo was the old entrance to Bury Town Football Ground. The yellow coloured building further up on the left being the newsagent Saunders.

Cross the road to the right hand side and when you reach the mini roundabout turn right and keep to the path going down hill along Parkway. After passing the Elephant and Castle pub on your right cross the road and keep going straight down Cullum Road.

I can remember a time when I fist belonged to the Pacers that Cullum Road was used as a regular venue for training runs - anyone else remember this?

Continue along Cullum Road until you reach the mini roundabout and turn left to follow the road leading to the A14 Ipswich/Newmarket). You quickly reach another roundabout and should now be in Rougham Road with the Rugby Ground/ Haberdean garage on your left. At some point when you find it safe cross over to the right hand side of the road.

When you reach the next roundabout turn right into Rougham Hill and immeadiately right again where you see the sign for Rushbrooke Lane.

Away from the maddening crowd it now feels you are getting into the run and Rushbrooke Road is generally quiet though as always keep to the right hand side of the road and look out for on coming traffic at all times.

Keep going along Rushbrooke lane for approx a mile until you reach a cross roads at North Hill Cottage. Ignore the roads to the left and right and instead continue straight on up hill on a dirt track. You may have to hop over a gate here but this is a right of way path.

There are some good views of Sicklesmere to your right as you head along the dirt track towards Hall Farm and Home Farm Rushbrooke.

When you reach Hall Farm there are signs which take you around the farm besides a horse paddock enclosure on a grasy footpath.

You quickly arrive back on a sandy coloured road with Rushbrooke Church in the distance and the attractive thatched Home Farm cottages in front of you. Run along this road through the cottages.

Continue towards the right running past St Nicholas Church.

Head down hill with open fields to the left and right. When you reach the road at the bottom of the hill you turn immeadiately left. You wil soon see a footpath sign on the right take this over some wooden boards into woodland.

You quickly reach the edge of Rushbrooke Lake which is exactly 5 miles from the Sports Centre. Here you will get a few strange looks from the folks fishing and thats the high light of the run!

Return by the same route to mark up a 10 mile run and send in your times.