The west of our County, is not just a stunning part of Suffolk, but a beautiful part of England. With towns and villages such as Sudbury, Lavenham and Long Melford, we're spoilt for choice for country walks or bike rides.

The village of Hartest, is  few miles from Long Melford and about 15 minutes from Bury St Edmunds. Here's a 5 mile circular walk you could try. Get your walking boots on, bring your dog and enjoy the views!

1 Turn left out of the village hall car park and cross the road to reach the village sign. Continue along the south side of the green, passing the Crown Inn and All Saints Church. Keep on this road as it bends to the right, leaving the village behind to climb Hartest Hill. Along the way you pass a peaceful burial ground.

2 When you reach a public footpath leading off to the right, pause at the summit of Hartest Hill to admire the extensive views over High Suffolk and Hartest nestling in its own little valley. Stay on this road for a further ¾ mile (1.2km). Turn right when you get to the junction to reach Gifford's Hall and continue until you reach the next bend in the road.

3 When the road swings left at Dales Farm, keep straight ahead on a bridleway, which clings to hedges and field edges as it descends towards Boxted. When you reach a road, turn right to walk into the village itself.

4 Turn left when you see a sign to Boxted church. Cross the bridge over the River Glem and stay on this road as it climbs out of the village. When the road divides, keep left. About ½ mile (800m) after leaving Boxted, you reach the church, hidden among the trees, with views over Boxted Hall from the churchyard. Retrace your steps into Boxted (for a short cut, you could leave this section out, but you would be missing one of the high points of the walk). Returning to the start of Point 4, turn left, pass the electricity sub station and keep left towards Hawkedon when the road divides.

5 Approaching the first house on the left, look for a public footpath, half-hidden between tall hedges to your right. This path is known as Roger's Lane. At times it can become very muddy and overgrown, in which case a simpler alternative is to go back to the junction and return to Hartest by road. Otherwise, keep on this path as it ascends the hill.

6 When you get to the top of Roger's Lane, turn right along the road to descend into Hartest village, with more wonderful views. The road ends at the village hall, which was erected by Thomas Weller-Poley in 1888.

 After you've finished the walk, reward yourself with a drink and some food at The Crown, at the heart of the village. It welcomes dogs and children and prides itself in good locally sourced, freshly cooked and seasonal food. On Fridays there's Fish Friday - choose from 3 different fish, grilled or battered with a choice of chips or new potatoes, salad or vegetables. There is also a fantastic beer garden, perfect for children.