Whereas the water was diverting, the Brecks’ most iconic options are its pine traces: rows of bent Scots and Corsican pines, strikingly silhouetted towards large East Anglian skies. Why are they right here? No one is aware of. One of the best principle is that, within the nineteenth century, an enterprising nursery-man had a job-lot of timber to promote and managed to persuade landowners that they’d make good hedges. These pines have been subjected to excessive pruning, which brought about them to develop tortured and twisted. “When new pine traces are planted now,” Nick advised me, “the identical haircutting is finished to encourage the twisty form.”
They’re odd. However so is far in regards to the Brecks. Right here, the sounds of star species reminiscent of curlew and nightjar combine with gunfire from the Stanford navy vary, an enormous space that’s curiously helpful for conservation. Seemingly barren swards are rife in rarities reminiscent of Spanish catchfly and speedwells. And the archeology spans from historic to modern – tanks and trench warfare have been examined right here, and their ruts can nonetheless be discovered amid the timber.
Sure, the Brecks is bizarre. But it surely’s definitely value a cease.
Necessities
Sarah Baxter was a visitor at West Stow Pods (01284 728136; weststowpods.co.uk), which has Mega Pods from £84pn for 2 adults; its Pod Hole, a devoted recreation of a Hobbit gap, prices £210pn for 2 adults (separate rooms accessible).
Entry to West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village prices £7/£4 grownup/little one (01284 728718; weststow.org).
For extra data, see brecks.org/bfer, discoversuffolk.org.uk and imogensriverswims.co.uk.
Nice Anglia serves stations together with Bury St Edmunds, Thetford and Brandon (greateranglia.co.uk).