Elmer's Big Parade

What larks! This was the invite from Joyce...

"Monday 8th July come and join us for a leisurely day in Ipswich visiting ALL 50+ elephants and some 'learning herds'. See more here https://www.wildinart.co.uk/wia-event/elmers-big-parade-suffolk/ We can car share from Bury St Edmunds Sky Liner way Sports Centre at 9am and be ready to walk at 10am from Westerfield Roundabout (A1214) in parking bay that is just 100 yards on the left hand side of the road (before 253 Valley Road). We will walk down Westerfield Road to the junction of Park Rd and Manor Rd to start the 'hunting' in Christchurch Park. I intend to start with Elephants 9,8,7,6 and leave numbers 10 + 11 until the end. We will stop for a short lunch break on the Waterfront so bring sarnies or take the opportunity to purchase something there. 

We might have another afternoon stop in the Town Centre for coffee/ice cream etc. I guess we will try and be back at the cars before 4pm."

This was our route around the full set of of 55 elephants, some of the learning herds and even a couple of pigs.

Here are just a few of my photos...

This is the official map and our planned sequence, which we almost followed.

Our first elephant was in Christchurch Park; #9 Wild Wilmer by Lissie Hollis, depicting the wildlife of the Suffolk Broads.

Here are a few more of my favourites....

#6 Suffolk Masters by Emma Graham, a celebration of the work of some of the county's finest artists, including Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable and Maggi Hambling. The latter's iconic seashell sculpture on Aldeburgh beach is featured here.

There were a couple of pigs on display from the 2016 Pigs Gone Wild trail. Here's one of them.

#55 Eleplant by Deven Bhurke is an aubergine, or eggplant as the Americans call them.

We stopped in Holywell Park for a morning cuppa and a team photo.

#49 Umbrelephant by Jenny Leonard with a design inspired by the rounded shape of Elmer's back - what fun to put a business-like elephant in a suit under a big, bold, colourful umbrella.

#46 Nauticel by Julia Allum features a patchwork coat of blue sky and maritime signal flags. The challenge with this one is to work out the hidden name. Answer* at the end of the post, if you want to know.

We loved #45 Welliephant by Helen Smith. Here the puzzle is to find the odd wellie that hasn't got another matching one somewhere.

#42 Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, created by David McKee and painted by Michelle Turton, the story of which is the inspiration for the whole event.

We walked along the river to get to our lunch stop outside the station.

...where we found #28 Poppy by Laura Bearsell-Moore showing some beautiful Suffolk landscapes and wildlife.

#32 Elephantom of the Opera by Emma Graham was Sarah's favourite. It is inspired by the musical by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.

We passed by the statues of Cardinal Wolsey...

...and Giles' Grandma, which both also featured in yesterday's Wolsey Waddle. Today I had more time to take better pictures of them.

#22 Earnest Edmund by Mik Richardson is another celbration of Suffolk life featuring a number of landmarks that were fun to try and recognise.

We called in at Elmer HQ, where we found #19 Suffolk's Elefantasia by Glynn Thomas, another beautiful depiction of Suffolk. There is even a souvenir book about it explaining all the scenes. There are 9 well-hidden clues to solve to win the chance of owning one of Glynn's etchings. My favourite.

While I was in the HQ shop, I bought the wonderful Souvenir Guide describing all of the elephants and the learning herd - talking of which here is a picture of some in the Buttermarket, LH #8.

I couldn't not include  #5 Nellie by Emma Graham, packing her trunk as she says goodbye to the circus.

#11 Elmer Armstrong by Mik Richardson is a celbration of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon.

From here it was but one or two small steps for man to our final elephant, #10 Eleanor the Adventurer by Jode Dye.

But only 10 in the photo and me behind the camera. Where was Sarah? She was too busy smelling the roses.

What a lovely day out. Thanks Joyce for organising it and Roland for showing us round so efficiently!

You can find loads more of my photos here on Flickr (yes I photographed them all) and more details of our route here on MapMyWalk.

*The one view of the Nauticel I didn't take was of the rear, but reading around from the back of the left hand side we have IS and then on the other side CS, so I'm guessing the name is ISAACS, the sponsor of this elephant.