As the 2025 spring is about to end, it felt like a good time to embark on the first bikepacking trip this season. I had the Wolf Way on my list since it was launched, so it was an easy choice: 400 km, relatively flat and well-connected to London, where I am based. Officially, the route starts at Bury St Edmunds. However, it’s a circular route, and it was cheaper for me to reach Ipswich by train. 

Therefore, my Day one started in Ipswich. It is one of the oldest towns in England, with continuous settlement dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period (7th century). It grew around the River Orwell and became a vital trading port known as "Gippeswic," connecting East Anglia to the North Sea and the wider world.
Ipswich flourished as a hub for wool and cloth exports in the medieval period. It remained significant through the Tudor period and into the early modern era, with fine timber-framed buildings from those times still standing today. Crossing Ipswich was easy. The route leads you mostly via cycle paths and calmer roads. 

Soon enough, I reached Felixstowe. Its roots trace back to a small fishing village named after St Felix of Burgundy, a Christian missionary who brought Christianity to East Anglia in the 7th century. For much of its early history, Felixstowe remained a quiet coastal settlement with little prominence. Its transformation began in the late 19th century, when it developed into a Victorian seaside resort. Felixstowe also has Landguard Fort, at the mouth of the River Orwell and was the site of the last seaborne invasion of England in 1667 (by the Dutch). Felixstowe is now best known as the largest container port in the UK. It handles nearly half of Britain's container trade.

It is important to highlight that you need a ferry to cross the River Deben. It's a tiny boat - boarding it adds to the sense of adventure! There will be some sandy segments soon after you are back on land. I use 700x40 tires and had to push my bike in a few places. At least my struggles entertained free-range pigs that are kept in the fields there.

After crossing the sandy lands, I reached Orford Castle. It is just a few minutes’ detour from the official route, so definitely worth a stop. You then head to the Orford ferry area, which is used to reach Orford Ness. Note that Orford Ness is not part of the Wolf Way. Access to it is limited. However, there is a great café at the ferry, next to the waterline of the River Ore.

Orford Ness is an intriguing place, and it deserves a bit more attention. It is a long, narrow shingle spit on the Suffolk coast, formed by coastal deposition over centuries. It always had a somewhat isolated, mysterious character due to its inaccessibility and shifting landscape. Its strategic location meant it played several important roles throughout history.  During World War I and World War II, and especially in the Cold War, Orford Ness became a top-secret military testing site. It was used by the UK’s Ministry of Defence for experiments related to radar, aerial bombing, and later, atomic weapons research (though no nuclear detonations ever occurred there).

Later that day, I followed the official route via Thorpeness and soon reached Sizewell nuclear power station. Naturally, I was not allowed to get inside, but it still looks impressive even from a distance. It was a cloudy and rather grim evening, which added that post-apocalyptic vibe from the Roadside Picnic novel and the movie Stalker that followed the novel rather loosely. Soon after finally passing Sizewell, I reached my goal of cycling 100 km a day. It was a good feeling to stretch my legs inside the tent.

In the early morning of day two, I reached Dunwich village, once one of the biggest ports in the UK and reclaimed by the sea eventually. It's strange to watch the seashore and imagine all the buildings that used to stand here back in time. The ruins of Greyfriars medieval friary are also worth exploring.
Southwold was the next stop. A good place to have some coffee and admire the windy seaside. The route then takes you onwards via Gisleham Church, which has that “castle-like” tower and dates to Norman times.

Beccles was another town I knew nothing about. It is a historic market town situated on the River Waveney, close to the Norfolk border. The town began as a Saxon settlement and grew during the medieval period as a river port. It felt touristy, but in a good way—you can see that hospitality and tourism are the key industries here.

After some amazing coffee at Pinetree Bakery, I left Beccles and headed towards Hoxne, which dates to Roman times and is probably mostly known for the Hoxne Hoard. The discovery of this treasure is a great story, and I recommend you look into it. The Swan Inn is worth stopping for a meal or a drink. Its a very old building with an amazing interior. 

My Garmin highlighted another 100 km done, just when I reached Hoxne. I decided to have some rest at the Willows Caravan and Camping Park. It is only a short detour from Hoxne (~5 km each way). I had to cycle on a busier road to reach this campsite from Hoxne.

Day three started with me reaching Eye town, a historic market town. Its name comes from the Old English word "ēg", meaning "island", as the area was once surrounded by water and marshland. Eye Castle became an important Norman stronghold, though it was later partially dismantled. The castle mound and ruins are still visible today and are a central feature of the town. Somehow, I missed the remains of the castle and only read about this now!

Knettishall Heath was the next stop. It is a lovely gem of nature with ponies wandering around. You will have some more sandy segments soon afterwards—sand is a bit tough to cycle with a gravel bike, but those segments are not very long. It might be the roughest part of this route, especially when you are approaching Icklingham. It has that savannah feel when you zip past the loose sheep grazing the sandy landscape. Nothing too technical, just bumpy singletracks. I recommend the Guinness Arms pub once you reach Icklingham. It is a great place for some food and drink.

The rest of the day was rather calm. The route led me mostly through some quiet lanes until I reached Bury St Edmunds. It is one of Suffolk’s most historic and culturally significant towns. Its origins lie in the Anglo-Saxon period. Bury also developed into a thriving market town, known for wool, malt, and brewing. Today, Bury St Edmunds is a prosperous market. It blends rich history with a modern, lively feel. 

300km in 3 days was a bit intense for me, so I wanted to recharge and sleep in a proper bed instead of the tent. I went for the Premier Inn at the heart of the old town. They are cycle-friendly and allowed me to bring my bike inside my room (most of you probably know that already, but it might be a useful fact for some).

Day four began rather smoothly, and I reached Lavenham town at a peaceful pace. Lavenham is often described as one of the best-preserved medieval villages in England. It rose to prominence during the 15th and early 16th centuries as a centre of the wool trade. Tourism is now central to the local economy. It also appeared in the Harry Potter movies.

After spending arguably too much time taking pictures of Lavenham, I followed the route towards Sudbury. Due to having a slower morning, I skipped the exploration of Sudbury and headed towards Lamarsh and Bures.

This was my least favourite segment of the route due to the rather busy road that leads to Bures. I had two near misses when climbing two separate hills. The visibility is poor on the bends due to trees and hedges. Drivers who are going downhill can’t see you until the last moment. I would advise extra caution here, especially as the rest of the route is very peaceful and relatively car-free in comparison to this segment. It is an official cycle route 13, though and the landscape is beautiful. You have a river on the side, and the alley just rolls nicely as you progress. Still, it is the most dangerous segment of the whole route, based on my personal experience. 

Once I left Bures behind me, it was a pleasant change to join the Valley Trail (old railway track), and soon I reached my final destination. Ipswich. 

Overall, the Wolf Way is a great route, and I recommend it. However, it’s worth highlighting that it's less mtb and more of a mix between gravel and road cycling. The route has loads of history, and you are exposed to beautiful nature. It is also not too hilly. This is a good route for someone to get into bikepacking as it's well connected, not too remote and with multiple points to top up your water, or eat some nice meal in the local pub. 

The Wolf Way has multiple camp sites and hotels on route or near it. There are places where you might get lucky with wild camping, but please follow the Leave No Trace rule if you follow that path.

A few observations and tips for those who are about to ride this or a similar route:

• Take sun cream. Your skin will burn in those few days you spend on your bike.

• Bring sunglasses that cover your eyes well. I cycled this route in May, and the number of insects keen to get into my eyes was astonishing.

• Nettles do sting, and some segments are a bit overgrown. You may want some long sleeves and trousers if your skin is sensitive to allergens, etc.

• Have some cash on you. Some small food stalls don’t take card payments.

• The width of the tires for this route. Although I heard various opinions on this, 40 mm or wider would help. Otherwise, you will push your bike here and there.