🚐 Sunshine, Brownies, and Brass Radiators: Our 11km Sunday Loop

What a day! Today wasn’t just any Sunday; it was National Drive It Day 2026. We decided to pair the roar of vintage engines with the quiet crunch of hiking shoes for an 11km trek (about 4 hours of pure bliss) through the heart of the Brett Valley.

🚗 The Starting Line: Bridge Farm Barns

We parked the campervan at Bridge Farm Barns in Monks Eleigh and were immediately greeted by a convoy of “old timers.” No, I don’t mean the locals (though they were lovely too!)—I’m talking about the vintage cars. The air was thick with the scent of unburnt petrol and nostalgia as drivers prepped their pride and joys for the run to Kersey Mill. Seeing those polished chrome bumpers made our modern van feel a bit like a plastic lunchbox, but we had miles to cover!

🍫 Provisions and the Path to the River

You can’t start a 4-hour walk on an empty stomach—that’s just basic science. We swung by the Monks Eleigh Village Shop and secured two slices of brownie so thick they could have been used as doorstops. Fuelled by chocolate, we stopped at the church to say our prayers than we passed the Village Hall and headed toward the River Brett.

The river here is steeped in history. Back in the medieval era, Monks Eleigh was part of the “Cloth Country.” All this peaceful water was once the engine room for the wool trade that made Suffolk one of the wealthiest corners of England. Today, however, its only job was looking pretty—and it was over-qualified.

💧 Reservoir Dogs (And Hares, and Pheasants…)

As we pushed past the water reservoir and toward Chelsworth, the local wildlife decided to put on a show. We spotted:

• Hares performing their late-season sprints.
• Pheasants looking very posh (and very confused).
• Squirrels doing parkour in the blooming trees.

The trees are in full “spring mode” right now—clouds of white and pink blossom everywhere. It’s like the landscape is trying to win a beauty pageant.

⛪ Chelsworth: The Village Time Forgot

We strolled down The Street in Chelsworth, which is consistently voted one of the tidiest villages in the UK. (I suspect they polish the leaves on the trees when no one is looking). We took a breather at All Saints Church, a stunning building that’s watched over this valley since the 14th century.

History fun fact: The church contains a rare 14th-century wall painting of the ‘Doom.’ Luckily, today felt anything but doomsday! We passed the Peacock Inn—tempting, but we had miles to go—and headed up The Hall Road.

🐎The Equestrian Stretch

The route took us toward Swallow’s Farm and then the Boyton Hall Equestrian Centre. We traded the sight of vintage “horsepower” for the real thing. The horses watched us go by with that look of silent judgment only a horse can manage—probably wondering why we were walking when we clearly had a van back at the farm.

We eventually reunited with the A1141, rounding the corner back to Bridge Farm Barns. 11km later, our legs were humming, but the day wasn’t over yet.

🏎️The Grand Finale: Kersey Mill

On the drive home, we couldn’t resist a pit stop at Kersey Mill to see where those “old timers” had ended up. It was a mechanical melting pot! We saw:

• British Classics: Think MGs and Triumphs that probably leak oil but look iconic doing it.
• American Muscle: Big, loud, and shiny enough to see your reflection in the paint.
• German Precision & Japanese Legends: A bit of everything from across the globe.

It was the perfect end to a day of “slow travel”—first on foot, then through time.

What a way to kick off the season! Whether it’s 4 legs, 4 wheels, or just our own 2 feet, the Suffolk countryside never fails to deliver.

Did you manage to catch any of the Drive It Day convoys today? if not, here are some photos from today, click to view them in larger format and scroll through.