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We got out and about and made the best of the unseasonal early May weather at the weekend. Not having walked for a while, we decided to head to gorse-covered coasts and tree and fern-lined woods. Saturday’s walk along the Suffolk Heritage Coast from Sizewell to the Minsmere RSPB Nature Reserve was pleasant enough, and not only did we see lesser-spotted varieties of the feathered variety, but also very strange and long-lensed types of twitchers.

Yesterday, though, after a walk into town and an icy coffee, we played at being Mulder and Scully, and walked the UFO Trail at Rendlesham Forest. One of a handful of trails at the huge woodland site, the three-mile, hour-and-a-half route took us around the area where, in December 1980, several sightings of UFOs were reported to have taken place.

The strange and possibly extra-terrestrial shapes seen in the sky 28 years ago on the evening of 26 December have been well-documented both in the press and on the web, but we thought we’d try and experience what happened for ourselves – especially as we’re a little jittery about all things alien.

The Rendlesham Forest UFO Trail visits alleged locations of the 1980 sightings

The story goes that strange and unexplained lights and craft were seen in the forest near gates of RAF Woodbridge, and together with high radiation levels on the ground and eyewitness reports, many believe that the mysterious events of that night all point to ‘the most significant UFO incident to occurred in the UK.’

I don’t doubt any of that for a moment, and Suffolk has long been muted as an area rich in UFO activity, but on a warm and sunny afternoon, the scenery and sounds were somewhat different to a cold and dark forest in winter. But, as the moss and leaf-covered paths wound there way past landmark points of the sightings, we were still a little wary. All manner of nature tried to spook us, from pine cones (and even whole branches) falling off trees, to silhouetted deer appearing ahead of us in shaded paths and clearings.

By the end of the trail we were glad to get back to the car park, where families were enjoying their early evening picnics or heading home with a rosy glow after being out in the sun too long.

The only UFO hunters for those few hours, and conspiracy theories or not, the trail certainly made us think about what was seen in the treetops and clearings all those years ago. We plan to go back soon and explore another trail, but I think we’ll leave the UFO hunting to the real-life Mulders and Scullies…

We were out for dinner on Saturday night. Mum and Bart were down for the weekend, and so we took a chance on new Ipswich eatery, The Dining Room, as we’d often walked past and peered through the windows on the way back from our waterfront weekend coffee at the docks.

Rather than reflecting an airy, light space, devoid of any signs of life – as was so often the case on those post-coffee afternoons – tonight the large windows welcomed us into a warm and friendly restaurant, buzzing with young and old clientele. We didn’t even have to book, although it was a close run thing at one point as to whether we’d get a table. In the end, two were pushed together.

Situated in Fore Street towards the southern end of the town, the building curves around the end of the road, and has a white, crisp, and clean décor, with naturally-hued wooden tables and chairs of a simple design contrasting nicely with the similarly-coloured banquettes. Even the menu design was nicely done, with fonts chosen giving a nod to old railway signs from a bygone age.

The menu at The Dining Room is equally restrained, if not as simple as we first thought. Local Suffolk fayre sits nicely with ‘exotic’ food such as blue fin tuna and grilled pineapple with chilli syrup and Malibu ice cream. The starter of roasted butternut squash with rocket salad and grilled mozzarella was enjoyable, if a little spoiled by an overuse of chilli in the dressing.

My main course of wild mushroom risotto was very enjoyable, and on looks alone, was one of the best risottos I’ve ever been served. Creamy in texture and cooked to perfection, the rice grains were puffy and tender, and the whole dish had the right amount of wetness and taste. The haddock and chips were great, too, the other mains less so, with a little more disappointing over use of ingredients – this time, salt.

But, it was excusable with the risotto, as these types of dishes are salty by nature, especially if vegetable stock is used in the cooking.

There were no complaints about the dessert, though, with our vanilla and raspberry crème brûlées tasting delicious, the rich red fruit tucked away at the bottom of the pots complementing the subtle vanilla. These interesting twists on a classic dessert rounded off the meal most pleasantly.

With prices on a par with other restaurants of a similar ‘upmarket’ nature, the bill wasn’t extortionate either. If you add in the courteous and attentive staff, that crisp interior, and the good food (salt overuse not withstanding) the new venue should be able to keep drawing in discerning diners from the town, and maybe even countywide.

To book your table at The Dining Room, call 01473 225888 or find the restaurant at 14-40 Fore Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP14 1JU.

Chillesford church in the sun

We were back on the hunt for treasure at the weekend. Yesterday afternoon we hunted out a cache in Chillesford, 16 miles from Ipswich. A very quiet, small church and graveyard sat atop a hill, proudly looking down on a perfectly round pond below, complete with rickety bridge. The weather was better than we had been expecting, too, with early spring sunshine beating down on the first day after the clocks went forward.

En route to nearby Sudbourne, we were looking to find Captain’s Wood, of which we’d heard many tales. A wooded area of countryside, complete with fallow deer and endangered bats, exploration was to be the name of the game.

But, we were off the beaten track a little, and ended up back in Orford, standing on the earthworks which surround the castle, looking out on the Ness, and its atomic weapon testing ‘pagodas’. Always pleasant, we were glad to be out in the countryside once again, as we’ve not tramped out in the fields for a while. We were even back in time for a coffee on the fast-developing Ipswich waterfront.

As for Captain’s Wood, another time maybe. I don’t know if its named after a long-forgotten seafarer, or even a local canine beast, but its mystery is making it even more mysterious…

It seems that we’re getting to be at farmers’ markets almost as often as the farmers themselves. Keen to seek out fresh produce closer to home, on Saturday morning we jumped into the car and drove the 9 miles from Ipswich to Needham Market.

Alder Carr Farm is a working farm, and sells locally-sourced food from the on-site farm shop, while customers can also pick their own fruit and vegetables. Local farmers, growers, and producers sell their wares at the monthly farmers’ market, and, if the car park was anything to go by, attract a healthy throng of interested buyers.

The farmers’ market at Alder Carr Farm is held monthly

The farm’s courtyard was abuzz with activity, with stalls selling fresh meat, fish, cakes, chocolates, truffles, and even Indian food to go. The equally well-stocked farm shop inside one of Alder Carr’s barns sells fruit and vegetables grown on site, as well as local and European cheeses and cold meats, and quiches, sausage rolls and other meat goods made in its production kitchen. There’s even locally-sourced alcohol.

All manner of local produce is sold in the farm shop

Filling our farm shop basket with an odd pairing of vegetable stock and local beer and cyder (with a hint of blackberry liqueur), it was all very impressive, and encouraged our self-sufficiency and local market selling pipe dreams still further. Again, the locally grown vegetables really were very large, as in so many places we’ve been to recently. There was much to tempt the taste buds, but we even somehow managed to avoid being swayed by the Fruit Cream Ice, also made on the Alder Carr grounds.

Three-week old Highland Cattle calf with its proud mother

There’s even something for the children, and the older children among the visitors. Looking and sounding like a fictional farm from The Archers, a three-week old baby Highland Cattle calf was being shown to the world by a very proud mother, and there were bantam chicks and baby Pygmy goats to stroke. That’s not to mention the roadside field of Lohmann chickens, which rush up to the gate like old women at a Debenham’s sale if they think you have feed.

It was a very enjoyable and relaxing start to the weekend, and we would definitely visit again. The farmers’ market is held on the third Saturday of the month from 9am to 1pm, although the farm shop, tearoom and restaurant are open weekly Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4.30pm, and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.

Find Alder Carr Farm in Creeting St Mary just off the A14/A140 junction to Needham Market, by following the brown tourist signs.

We like to seek out local produce on goodrichard.com and support local growers and producers, and buyers in East Anglia are spoilt for choice with supermarkets stocking all sorts of food and drink from around the area.

Aspall Draught Suffolk Cyder is lightly sparkling, and is made from a different blend of base cyders, all fermented using the same technique. Using local apples or fruit from their own orchards, the eighth-generation Suffolk brewing company first produced the Normandy-style cider variation back in 1728, when Clement Chevallier fermented his first batch of the golden drink.

First created in 2003 to mark the 275th year of making local cyder, Aspall Draught Suffolk Cyder is refreshing, crisp, and has a fresh apple aroma. Light to drink, not at all gassy, and initially sweet with a pleasantly dry aftertaste, it is enjoyable to drink on its own before a meal as we did, and doesn’t feel heavy like a more traditional lager or bitter would.

It was the perfect introduction to the pressed apple beverage, so beloved of many friends, and that somehow, in the last 34 years, had passed me by.

Aspall also produce English Apple Juice, and Cyder Vinegar (a bottle of which we have in the cupboard), in the village of Aspall near Stowmarket. Click here for more details on their traditionally and locally-made products.