Downs Wood Walk
- 20 minutes
- easy
- 1 mile
About
This short walk takes you through the beautiful Downs Wood. It is great as a nice easy walk for people and dogs. If it has been raining recently the path through the woods might be muddy and slippery in places and if it’s been windy there may be branches across the path.
We don’t have a video of this walk, but the first part of the walk is the same as the Downs Wood and Footpath Walk, until that walk exits the woods. This walk turns left at that T junction and exits the woods closer to Blackthorpe Barn again, where a metalled road takes you back to the Barn.
The walk starts at Blackthorpe Barn, where you can find plenty of free parking as well as Roots Café and the new Garden Room shop. Please remember that the gates to the avenue entrance are locked after the Cafe and Shop close. More details here.
For more general information about this and other walks, see Walks around Rougham Estate. We hope you have a lovely walk.
Use the Google Map below on your phone to follow the path shown or print out a pdf of the walk using the button at the top of this page, if you prefer.
If you can’t access the map through the image, use this google map link
There is no video for this walk specifically, but you can see most of it during the first part of the Downs Wood and Footpath Walk video.
Weather
Saturday
5.2°C
Today
5.5°C
Tomorrow
3°C
Waypoints
01
Step 1
From Blackthorpe Barn turn right and pass through the carparks along the concrete road until you reach the Downs Wood on your right.
02
Step 2
A path leads into the wood shortly after you reach its boundary. Follow this path, past some old air raid shelters on your right which are left over from the old airbase located here in Rougham during the Second World War.
03
Step 3
Shortly after the second air raid shelter, bear left and then turning left shortly afterwards. This path winds its way through the wood. Follow through the wood to the far end. Here you will find a junction of the paths.
04
Step 4
Turn left and follow this path through to the edge of the wood. You will see two more air raid shelters in the woodland on your left just before you emerge onto the concrete road.
05
Step 5
Turn left here and be aware that vehicles can come round from the bridge on the right quite fast. Follow this path back to the carparks and then to the Barn and Roots Café where refreshments await.
Important information
Here at Rougham we love dogs and really appreciate the importance that they hold for people in their lives and on their walks and outdoor adventures together.
We ask that you keep your canine friends on a lead when you are walking in Rougham. It is safer for the dog and much safer for wildlife.
Ground nesting birds and other wildlife are seriously threatened by dogs running loose. They can also frighten other people who are less comfortable with dogs, but who would also like to walk.
Finally, you will not be able to see where they poop and so will not be able to clear it up and leave a hazard for future walkers.
Some of the walks shown here include sections on public rights of way over land owned by other people. As a courtesy to them too, please always keep your dogs on the lead.
Thank you!
Please ensure that you carry poop bags with you on your dog walks. If you don’t have any with you, you can buy some in the Garden Room Shop. It is so important that you clear up after your dog and then take the bag away with you.
You will find poop bins located near Blackthorpe Barn and Roots Café.
Finding abandoned poop bags hanging in the branches of trees or just left on the ground is very unattractive for future walkers on the route, and creates a problem for wildlife, so please do take them with you.
Thank you so much.
The Rougham Estate walks, starting from Blackthorpe Barn, are largely based on existing Estate paths and public rights of way. They mostly pass through woodland and along field-side paths.
Each walk is given a difficulty rating ranging from “easy”, which are the most accessible, to “hard”, which are the most challenging and may include stiles, kissing gates, steps, steep slopes and meadows with cattle.
All these walks follow existing paths and are subject to mud and puddles in wet weather, fallen branches and trees during and after storms, ice and snow during frozen weather. Brambles and nettles are common anywhere and will overhang the paths during the summer. Stinging insects including wasps, bees and hornets may be encountered and midges and mosquitos are common on summer evenings. Adders are rare but do exist and should not be approached.
The Blackthorpe Barn has a defibrillator available for emergency use.
Rougham is located in a very flat part of Suffolk and as such is more accessible than most other parts of the country, but concepts of accessibility are all relative and the final judgement must be the responsibility the visitor themselves.
The Rougham Estate does its best to make public areas as available as possible.
The Estate cannot accept responsibility for accidents or injuries incurred during visits or walks on the Estate, though every effort is made to make them as usable as possible.
We have given each walk a difficulty level, as a guide to the potential walker as to what to expect, from “easy” to “hard”.
The Rougham Estate walks are largely based on existing Estate paths and public rights of way, at times passing through woodland and along field-side paths.
A difficulty rating of “easy” means the path is most accessible.
A difficulty rating of “hard” means the path is one of the most challenging possibly including stiles, kissing gates, steps, steep slopes and meadows with cattle.
A difficulty rating of “medium” is between the two.
None of the walks are very hard as we live in Suffolk, not the Lake District, however some people are looking for something very gentle and others, something a bit more challenging.
We have endeavoured to provide a real variety of walks based on land within the Rougham Estate, however some destinations are a little remote and to achieve circular walks rather than walks which just retrace their steps, where necessary, use has been made of the extensive footpath network and chosen public footpaths on our neighbours’ land, to complete the journeys in more interesting ways.
These walks lead through the Suffolk countryside and so expect to find muddy patches, nettles and thistles. It is important to remember that the weather may change during your walk too, especially if the walk is a long one.
Remember to wear sensible boots and take something waterproof along as well.
A sun hat for warmer weather is important too.
Other routes
Waypoints 4 & 5
01/06
02/06
03/06
04/06
05/06
06/06
Start your walk with a coffee, end with a cake.
Experience a charming and cosy spot located in the heart of the beautiful countryside. The café boasts a tranquil and serene atmosphere, making it the perfect place to unwind and escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.
NEVER MISS A THING
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Applications are now open for Rougham Estate Arts and Crafts 2026, held in Blackthorpe Barn near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
We are looking for art and craft of the highest standard, especially contemporary design. You must design and make all the work yourself and be available to be at your stall all weekend.
The event is held over 5 weekends from 14th November to 13th December.
We love to welcome new makers to the medieval thatched Barn, as well as seeing old friends again from around the country.
The first tranche of stalls will be allocated by the selection committee, usually in March.
From textiles to glasswork, ceramics, woodwork, jewellery, metalwork, art, sculpture and more, submit an application to join the talented craftspeople this coming Christmas.
Please share this post with makers who would be interested in joining us. All the information can be found from our website.
We look forward to hearing from you!
#artsandcraft #artisanmarket #handmade #craftsmanship #britishcraft artsandcraftsmovement artisanmade eastanglianartists
One of the things people often notice at Rougham is our network of hedges, stretching for nearly 30 miles.
While many hedgerows were removed by estates and farms in the 1960s and 70s, Rougham Estate largely resisted this, which is why our landscape still feels so rich and enclosed today. We also continue to plant new hedges across the estate and along field boundaries.
Caring for our hedges is essential work. They need regular management, carefully timed to avoid the bird nesting season.
Over the coming months, you may notice one or two hedges looking quite different. This is because they are being coppiced, a traditional practice where a hedge is cut back close to the ground.
It can look dramatic at first, but coppicing helps us carry out vital ditch clearance work and, in the longer term, actually benefits the hedge. Strong regrowth creates a thicker base, providing better shelter and habitats for wildlife. All work is carried out in winter, ready for healthy growth in spring.
Three years on, the hedge will be fuller, stronger and healthier than before as you can see in these pictures.
So if you notice our hedges seemingly disappear for a short time, they will be back bigger and better than before!
#roughamestate #hedgerows #coppicing #landmanagement
We are looking for a Cafe Supervisor to join our team at Roots Cafe.
Roots Café is all about great coffee, delicious homemade food, and genuine hospitality so this is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate.
You will be working closely with the Cafe Manager to help lead the cafe team.
More information can be found from roughamestate.com/welcome – link in profile.
#RoughamEstate #BlackthorpeBarn #cafevibes #recruitment #vacancy #CafeSupervisor
Have a heart warming start to the day with this weeks vegan brunch special of Coconut porridge with spiced poached pears, black cherries and pistachios.
It’ll give you the energy and warmth needed to beat the January blues.
#brunchspecial #roughamestate #rootscafe #veganuary
The winter months see the popular return of sheep to the farm here at Rougham Estate. A mix of breeding ewes and last year’s lambs, they play such an important role in our move towards more regenerative farming across the Estate.
They are here to feed off the cover crops we planted back in August.
We direct-drilled a diverse cover crop mixture (basically a mixture of superfood plants for the soil) into the previous crop’s stubble. The focus was on the sandier, lighter soil at the northern end of the Estate which is prone to nutrient loss and erosion.
The crops include fodder radish, forage rape and vetch which now provide a valuable winter soil cover, helping to protect these lighter soils from any erosion and also create a natural food source for the flock.
Each plant brings its own valuable benefits to the soil structure and biological activity in soil profile. Fodder radish, for example, sends a deep taproot down into the soil, improving structure and helping to break up compaction while encouraging biological activity below the surface. As the sheep graze, they also return valuable nutrients and organic matter back into the soil, supporting healthier land for future crops.
It’s a simple but powerful way of working with nature, keeping the land healthy and productive for years to come.
#roughamestate #regenerativefarming #sheepfarming #covercrops #soilhealth sustainablefarming britishfarming farmingwithnature
If you love the calm and charm of the Rougham Estate, why not bring a little of it home?
Our Lifestyle Shop @roughamestateshop is full of carefully chosen items that ignite the senses from scented candles, diffusers and soaps for smell, soft blankets and lighting for touch, warmth and sight. And for a true taste of Rougham, pop into our Pantry Shop, where local honey, jams, chutneys, biscuits, wine, beer and other treats let you enjoy the flavours of the Estate at home.
Together, they’re the perfect way to make your winter cosy, welcoming and unmistakably Rougham.
#RoughamEstate #LifestyleShop #BlackthorpeBarn #treat
From the start of February, you’ll see scaffolding and hoarding going up around Blackthorpe Barn as we begin one of the most important projects we’ll be undertaking this year – a full rethatching of the roof.
Around 12 highly skilled thatchers will be on site for around 40 days, carefully renewing the roof of a building that has stood at the heart of Rougham Estate for more than 500 years. The barn was originally built in the 16th century and is over 30 metres long and and was used for the threshing and storage of grain. Over time has become much more than an agricultural building. Today it’s the setting for arts & craft fairs, art exhibitions, weddings and seasonal events. It is the true symbol of the estate.
Looking after its roof using traditional thatching methods isn’t just routine maintenance, it’s a way of respecting its history and making sure it can be enjoyed for generations to come.
When we charge for exhibitions and events in the barn, it’s these funds that go back into maintenance of the building. That includes major projects like this rethatching, as well as ongoing care and upkeep so Blackthorpe Barn continues to be a welcoming place for events our visitors can enjoy.
Rethatching is a traditional craft and fascinating to watch unfold. It’s a big job, an essential one, and something we’re really proud to be investing in as part of Blackthorpe Barn’s long story.
#RoughamEstate #BlackthorpeBarn #HistoricBuildings #Thatching #TraditionalCraft Heritage CommunityEvents SustainableRestoration ArtsAndCulture HistoryMatters
We are excited to announce a new event here at Rougham Estate.
** UPDATE – EXTRA DATE ADDED: 21st Feb – tickets available from 8pm on 15th January
On Friday 20th February 2026, we’re hosting a Reset Retreat, a one-day retreat designed to help you slow down, reset and reconnect. Set in the Suffolk countryside, the day runs from 9.45am to 3pm and brings together gentle movement, time outdoors and deep relaxation.
The experience includes a guided mindful walk, a balanced yoga class with @thecreatespacecollective , sauna and cold plunge sessions with @the_roaming_sauna_ , a soothing sound bath, and plenty of space to pause and breathe. The day finishes with a late, light lunch, thoughtfully prepared to nourish and restore.
There are limited spaces available to keep the experience calm and personal. So book fast.
You can find out more and book online at https://roughamestate.com/events/the-reset-retreat/
#reset #retreat #roughamestate #BlackthorpeBarn #wellness
Tag us @RoughamEstate
