The first advanced civilizations of mankind were accompanied by the development of trade, which also established the oldest form of travel. Around the time of Christ's birth, the Romans were looking for the safest possible route to bring one of the greatest treasures of the time, the legendary amber, from the Baltic to the port of Aquileia on the Adriatic coast. A corridor that avoided both the unprotected expanses of the Pannonian Puszta and the impassable Alps was ideal for this purpose.

The River Deben 'Source to Sea' route covers almost 38 miles from the river’s source in Mickfield, Suffolk, to the sea at Felixstowe Ferry, closely following the Deben’s winding path through picturesque riverside landscapes.