Ramble and Roots
Key details
When:
Date:
Time:
19th Jan
10:00 - 12:30
16th Feb
10:00 - 12:30
Where:
The walk starts outside the atrium by the sunken garden at Blackthorpe Barn:
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Sat Nav: IP30 9HZ
Pricing:
The walk is free to join, just pay for whatever you may want at Roots Café afterwards.
Please register your interest by emailing us events@roughamestate.com
A Walk, chats and a cup of tea
As it’s National Brew Monday on the 19th January, a day encouraging people to connect over a cuppa and take a moment to check in with themselves and others, we’re using this opportunity to start a new monthly walk, followed by a brew at Roots Café.
Anyone is welcome who would like come for the walk and stay for the chat. This is an opportunity to meet new people, enjoy some company, get outside in nature and be a part of the Rougham community.
The walk starts from Blackthorpe Barn at 10am with a relaxed, guided route around the Estate, led by a friendly face from the team here. It will take in some of the paths from our Walks around the Estate and will last approximately 45 minutes to maybe an hour, depending on the route.
It’s a great chance to enjoy the outdoors, get some gentle exercise and meet new people.
Well-behaved dogs on short leads are very welcome.
When we get back to Blackthorpe Barn, you are welcome to continue chatting and have a bite or drink at Roots Café (at your own cost).
These walks will be happening every month, so this first one on Brew Monday is the perfect place to start. If you can’t make it, the next walk will be on 16th February.
There is no cost to join, but we ask that you register your interest by emailing events@roughamestate.com
Important information
If the weather has been wet, the walk can be muddy.
How it Works
01
Park in one of the Blackthorpe Barn car parks
There is plenty of free parking around the Barn
02
Meet your guide and group at the atrium entrance to the Café and Shop
The atrium entrance is next to the sunken garden.
For more information, see the Ground Plan.
Please arrive in good time for the start of the walk.
03
The walk takes in woodland/unpaved areas which can be muddy
Please wear suitable shoes for unpaved pathways in the current weather.
Enjoy walking through the lovely Suffolk countryside and chatting with others in a relaxed setting.
We expect the walks to be approximately 45 minutes to an hour or so.
04
Return to Blackthorpe Barn for a coffee and chat at Roots Café
Back at the Barn, you can continue chatting and have a bite to eat or a drink at Roots Café, if you would like.
Any costs at Roots Café to be paid for at the time.
05
The walk goes ahead in all weathers
If the weather is so bad that the walk can’t go ahead, we will try to contact you by email or on the phone number you gave us.
06
Facilities are at Blackthorpe Barn
Please use the facilities at Blackthorpe Barn, at the start and end of the walk.
There are no facilities or places to sit down on the walk itself.
Things to Bring
- Bring sturdy shoes or wellies, especially if it’s been raining recently
- Bring a raincoat if it looks like rain
- Please keep dogs on a short lead
- Anything you may want at Roots Café after the walk is to be paid for at the time
- Bring an enjoyment of time outside and meeting new people
Blackthorpe Barn
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
Plenty of parking on site
Free to park
Disabled access available
This is a rural location and paths can be muddy
Blackthorpe Barn is situated just south of Junction 45 of the A14, three miles east of Bury St Edmunds, in the village of Rougham.
Look out for the entrance gates to a long tree-lined avenue at the White House junction, with the Barn on the right of the avenue.
Blackthorpe Barn’s black and white signs direct visitors from local roads.
Frequently Asked Questions
There isn’t a booking system for Ramble and Roots as such, but we ask that you register your interest in coming with us at events@roughamestate.com so that we know how big the group will be and we don’t start without you.
There is no cost to join in the walk, but if you would like to have a drink or food at Roots Café afterwards please pay for what you order at the café.
The walk will be a gentle walk of around 45 minutes to perhaps an hour, using the paths around Blackthorpe Barn. It will not be anything particularly strenuous but rather a stroll outside with time to chat with others in the group followed by the opportunity of continuing chats over tea and coffee at Roots Café.
Please be aware that the walks will include unpaved paths, for example on bridleways or through woodlands, so wear suitable footwear especially if it’s been raining when paths may be muddy.
We’re sorry to hear you won’t be able to join us this time.
Please email us on events@roughamestate.com to let us know that you can’t come.
Perhaps you can come on the next walk – we’re aiming to hold them on every 3rd Monday on the month.
The walk is a gentle stroll through the countryside around Blackthorpe Barn, focussed on time to enjoy being outside and chatting with others. It will not be a brisk or long hike.
If you would prefer something a little more strenuous, have a look at the Medium or Hard Routes on our Walks page.
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Following on from our veganuary dish last week, we think you will be equally as delighted with this one.
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Only available this week at Roots Cafe - so don’t miss out!
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Forest Floor is a sculpture commissioned by Rougham Estate in 2021 to mark thirty years of Arts and Crafts events at Blackthorpe Barn. Created from an old oak tree grown on the Estate, it has been cut along its entire length to open like a book. And like a book, it tells a story – the hidden life beneath the ground in an ancient woodland. Look closely and you’ll spot a face at one end, along with details of the oak’s structure and growth.
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Stay cosy and look great!
You’ll find a range of knitwear in the Rougham Estate Shop to keep you warm from in this wet and cold weather.
Great for when you take a walk around the Estate - on one of our routes suitable for all abilities. You can then warm them up further in Roots Cafe with a hot drink and a delicious meal. 10% off in January in February after your first visit and grab a loyalty card to get your 8th coffee free.
#winterwarmers #knitwear #cosywear
Have you signed up to hear first about our new events for 2026?
We have some new and exciting plans to roll out over the year. Our subscribers will hear first and get first refusal as and when they are launched.
Don’t miss out!
You can subscribe by clicking here https://roughamestate.com/newsletter-signup/
January is a great time to try something a little different, so throughout the month- as it’s Veganuary - we’ll be serving up a weekly plant-based special alongside our usual menu.
This week’s dish is roasted butternut squash with chipotle jam quinoa, chermoula garlic mayo, pickled red onion and coriander. Packed with flavour and a brilliant option whether you’re fully vegan or just fancy a change.
Pop in for your first visit and you’ll receive a 10% voucher to use across January and February. While you’re here, grab a coffee loyalty card too – your 8th coffee is free.
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#rootscafe #plantbasedoptions #januaryspecial #veganuary rootscafe veganluncH
A reminder for anyone planning a trip to Rougham Estate, we are closed tomorrow (Monday 5th of January) for essential maintenance. We will reopen again on Tuesday 6th as normal.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
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What a wonderful year 2025 was, here on Rougham Estate!
Thank you to every one who visited us in the past year, and also to each one who worked hard in the café and shop, who worked on events and on the farm, and so many others who keep things running behind the scenes. Without you, Rougham Estate would not be the same. Thank you!
Here are the past year’s fabulous seasons and events condensed into a minute or two.
Which is your favourite memory?
We wish you a very happy new year for 2026 and hope to see you again - we’ve got plenty of new ideas for the coming year😃👍👋
Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to be the first to hear!
#roughamestate #blackthorpebarn #2025reels #burystedmunds #suffolklife
It’ll soon be time to think about what to do with your real Christmas tree now the festive season is over.
Instead of putting it out for the bin men, how about considering a recycling scheme that helps a fantastic local charity?
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You can take part in this fantastic scheme by registering here:
http://www.mywishcharity.co.uk/treecycle
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