Non-matchday visit of Lakenheath Football Club

Having stayed in Thetford overnight after watching Thetford Town win in the FA Cup last night, and after going 10 mile walk along the Little Ouse River and through the edge of Thetford Forest early this morning, I then slowly meandered my way westwards towards the destination of this evening's game, Godmanchester Rovers, stopping off en route to take a look around The Nest, home ground of Lakenheath of the Eastern Counties League Division One North.

The Nest certainly is one of the more attractive, rural grounds. Accessed down a lane, the ground is situated at the bottom of a pit, and is naturally enclosed by tall trees and very steep grass banks. The back wall of the stand provides some welcoming signage, with a wooden hut to pay admission at located to the left. The stand, with a brick base and dating from the 50’s, has four rows topped with wooden bench tops inside. To the left of the entrance is quite a large clubhouse built from bricks, and with some picnic tables to the front. There are no other spectator facilities, apart from hard standing along this length, behind one of the goals, and up to the dug-outs – the rest of the ground is out of bounds to spectators. Floodlights were installed last year, to enable them to continue at Step 6, and are now embarking on their third season at that level (including the last “void” season).

As well as being very green, scenic with rather a dramatic backdrop, the ground was also remarkably peaceful, unsurprising given its secluded location in a pit away from a village that is not exactly bustling with action anyway, although that peace is regularly shattered by aircraft regularly flying ahead from their base at nearby RAF Lakenheath. It is a ground that I would certainly like to revisit on a matchday, but as I generally like to use public transport on Saturdays, and Lakenheath is not the easiest of places to reach without a car, I decided to visit today in case that is not possible for some time to come.