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Barton Mills >  Google™ Map Sep 2015  Barton Mills Sign

bere barley + tūn Old English farmstead, settlement. Population - 639.

England-Suffolk Flag UK > England > Suffolk

Sep 2015

Barton Mills Sign

You're probably only here if you're walking from and then back to nearby Mildenhall.

If it's refreshments you're after, don't bother with the Bell Inn, it's not even halfway. Their opening times are as archaic as the exterior and you'll need to wait until at least 5 PM for some pop or a pint.

Barton Mills - Bell Inn

Far better to head for the Bull Inn, which is about halfway, where you'll meet a member of the bar staff who's at 'uni' in your hometown.

A jokingly unlikely 'See you around then!' will be met with a response that has you checking your flies.

That's not being flirty, just being a bit playful and not in a particularly smarty pants kind of way, neither. What really are the chances? Young people today.

  Bull Inn (The Street)

Hotel, restaurant and bar next to the A11. Don't be put off by the busy road, there's a cosy fire or an outdoors courtyard for when the sun's on show.

The walk back to Mildenhall from the Bull Inn is via the bank of the River Lark and put politely is, quite frankly, 'Mickey-Takingly' scenic. This ranks in the top 10 and that's quite a few riverbanks that've been rambled along.

You're likely to have already passed the Lord Mayor's Cottage, it's in the village on your way here. The back garden on the opposite bank is the length of a golf course and given the previous rapturous claim of the river, there should be an accompanying snap.

Barton Mills - Lord Mayor's Cottage

There would've been until...

This fella only went and made an appearance in a break in the trees. The unmistakeable Lockheed C-130 military transport aircraft, of course.

Near Barton Mills - Lockheed C_130

It's said 'of course' but having already admitted or not to being a bit of a birder, photo verification of the feathered kind has previously been sought on that Internet. Being all things flying, a similar request was made on an aircraft identification forum...

Deary me! World War III! This thing had been buzzing about all afternoon but...

'SPECIFY EXACT LOCATION, FLIGHT PATTERN AND TIME OF DAY!'...
Erm, near a river, overhead and sunny?

'RAF MILDENHALL OR LAKENHEATH IDENTIFIED?'...
Erm,
somewhere in Suffolk, it all looks fairly flat from down here.

Google™ Images was much more helpful and there's a 90% chance it's right and they don't shout at you.

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