I’m back on the East Coast for a short trip, before two family holidays in August. The plan is to spend four days walking across Suffolk from Lowestoft to Felixstowe, including a day exploring the mysterious Orford Ness. I’m walking north to south due to logistical problems caused by the train strike.
After the challenging weather on Arran, it’s great to be warm in shorts and t-shirt at 9am.
Lowestoft has a lovely beach, especially as the sand is unbroken, with only a few early risers staking out their territory.
Pretty Pakefield Church has a few sheep wandering the graveyard, keeping the grass nicely cropped.
Making my way along the clifftop from the church, I reach a dead-end. A caravan park is perched precariously on the edge of the sandstone erosion.
The beach route is tough — the shingle slope punishes ankles and knees. Perhaps I should have worn hiking boots instead of shoes. One couple appear relaxed about the erosion.
I could follow the Suffolk Coast Path inland, but I want to see if it’s possible to walk along the water’s edge all the way to Dunwich. Other bloggers mentioned problems with cliff falls, high tides, and wading across waist-deep water, but it’s a beautiful day for exploring.
The narrow isolated beach is wonderful and stretches for miles. There are signs of erosion everywhere — history abandoned to the sea.
A sign at Benacre Nature Reserve warns the beach route to Southwold is no longer possible “due to rocks” — we shall see.
A couple of miles out from Southwold, I meet a dog-walker, which is a good sign. The gorgeous dog pads across and sits in front of me, waiting to be stroked — my lucky day.
There are large protective rocks at the end of the beach before the promenade and they might be tricky at high tide. I could paddle round, but it’s a short, easy step across.
Southwold is very pretty and very busy.
The sun is beating down, so I grab a swift half of Adnams Southwold Bitter, of course, before heading back into the heat.
I have the tiny Walberswick ferry to myself. The skipper tells me she’s taken several round Britain travellers across: walkers, cyclists and kayakers. Kayakers?
Another fine wild beach leads me to Dunwich.
I turn inland, stopping to explore the remains of Greyfriars, a Franciscan friary, before pitching under the trees at Cliff House Holiday Park. My impression of Suffolk so far is lovely sandy beaches and pretty villages.
Walk distance: 17 miles.
Total distance: 2,086 miles.