Reinterred: Shotley Gate Walk

Today we did a linear walk along the Orwell River side of the Shotley Peninsula from Shotley Gate back to the Suffolk Food Hall.

This was the invite from Joyce.

"Monday November 18th. I phoned the Suffolk Foodhall and we can park there. I will try and make a purchase before or afterwards for their kindness. Park/meet in time to cross the road for the bus at 9.26am bus to Shotley. We should arrive at 9.51am in Shotley. There used to be public toilets here but I can’t confirm. Our walk back will include some of the Orwell Estuary, Shotley Church, Pin Mill, Woolverstone Church (toilet here). I am also going to take us close to Freston Tower and then a bit of verge walking to miss out Freston Woods. Don’t forget the field crossing back to Suffolk Foodhall which could be muddy. Come prepared for all weathers! Approx 10 miles."

This was our route today,

We took the 9:26 bus from the Suffolk Food Hall to Shotley Gate as planned and walked back. It arrived at 9:29 and those of us with bus passes hung back in getting on until after the clock had ticked past 9:30 so we got our ride free 😀 and were walking by 9:55.

Here are some of my photos.

Looking downriver from the Food Hall car park.

The Orwell Bridge is close by.

Waiting for the bus.

The start of our walk - The Bristol Arms.

Shotley pier.

Shotley Marina.

Looking across to Felixstowe port.

Looking the other way you get a marshy landscape.

We could see Shotley church, where we would have our drinks break.

Taking photographs, as usual, leaves me with some distance to make up on the rest of the group.

But the views beg to be photographed.

We passed Shotley vineyard. It is open for visitors on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Somehow we've never walked here on a Friday.

Inside St. Mary's Shotley Church.

Outside is the poignant and beautifully maintained naval war graves.

The Royal Naval Training Establishment, H.M.S. Ganges was based at Shotley from 1905 until 1976. As a result, an area (called the Naval Reservation) was set aside in Shotley (St. Mary) Churchyard for navy burials. There are 201 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war here (8 of which are unidentified) and 34 of the 1939-1945 war (2 of which are unidentified Royal Navy Seaman and 2 of which are Merchant Navy seamen from the S.S. Skagerak). In addition, there are 13 German burials of the 1914-18 war, 1 of which is unidentified. Besides burials, the plot also contains the "Submarine Enclosure," with a memorial to the officers and men of H.M. Submarines and the graves of many, particularly from "C 16," "E 4" and "E 41."

We continued along the River Orwell.

A first view of the Orwell Bridge.

We saw a flock of geese at the start and here is another.

The river edge was crowded with oystercatchers.

We enjoyed walking through Cliff Plantation with the sunlight streaming through the autumnal coloured leaves.

There were plenty underfoot too.

Our lunch stop was at Pin Mill and some of us visited the Butt and Oyster.

Here are the casks behind the bar. A seasonal treat of Adnams Old Ale for me😀

The tide was as high as I'd ever seen it here.

We had a clamber across a couple of boats to reach the rest of the group.

The drive through the sea water wont have done this car any good!

We passed Ipswich High School...

...and St. Michael's, Wolverstone Church.

A new path for me...

...passing the curious Freston Tower.

There is a legend that the tower was built by "Lord de Freston" in the 15th century for his daughter Ellen, so she could study a different subject on a different floor six days of the week: the 1st floor was dedicated to reception, the 2nd to tapestry working, the 3rd to music, the 4th to painting, the 5th to literature and the 6th to astronomy, complete with instruments for taking observations.

There is much evidence against this legend, such as documents apparently referring to the construction of the tower within the twelve years preceding 1569, and it is likely that the tower was constructed by Edmond Latymer as a lookout over Freston Reach of the River Orwell.

It is now owned by The Landmark Trust and is available as a holiday let.

Passing the tower we reached the river edge.

Unfortunately there was a ditch that made the route along the river impassable so we had to retrace our route and go along the road for a bit. This is the view looking down the river as we turned back.