Today we did a walk for the dog days of Twixmas and a start to our alphabetical sequence of walks for 2025.
We walked from Aldeburgh to Thorpeness and Sizewell and back via different paths. This was the invite from Joyce.
"Sunday December 29th. The forecast is looking good for tomorrow and I have had approx 20 people show interest in joining – this is wonderful. We will meet at Munchies Café/Deli 163-165 High Street Aldeburgh at 9.15am for refreshments. We may get seated or have to have a take- away. However, if you have travelled from afar then it’s nice to sit, have a drink, use the toilet before setting off. If you want to skip this part, then do join us at 10am outside Munchies . We will head to Thorpeness and I wasn’t going to stop but let’s play that by ear tomorrow. There are public toilets here but will they be open?
We then press onto Sizewell and an alfresco lunch stop here. There are a few benches but I am hoping it will be pleasant enough to sit on the ground/beach. The Vulcan Arms is open for drinks from midday. It is a 10.3 mile circular walk. Some of you have asked if you can invite friends….do invite them if you know they can walk the distance comfortably. You may need sunglasses/peaked hat as the sun is in our eyes on return route. Why not enjoy fish n chips at the end or some sales shopping on the lovely High Street. "
This was our route today, going anticlockwise.
Here are a few of my photos.
We arrived at Munchies on time at 9:15 only to be told we couldn't go in because the café was full!
I went in to say hello to everyone else...
...and Dawn and I had our coffees outside and then went for a bit of a circumambulation of the High Street.
!0am and we are assembled to start the walk - 18 of us today.
We walked along the sea front through Aldeburgh and then on to Thorpeness.
There a plenty of fishing boats and shacks selling fish along the sea front. One time when I came to Aldeburgh on my own, I saw a fox on the beach here. No time to search for the photo today, alas. [
Update: I found my photos. It was in March 2015. See here.]
We admired the seagulls on the top of the hotel.
We passed
Maggy Hambling scallop sculpture, a memorial to Benjamin Britten and with a quote from his opera Peter Grimes ‘I hear those voices that will not be drowned’, but didn't stop.
It was a grey day but stayed dry and for most of the time there was no wind, so it was quite pleasant for walking.
The
House in the Clouds (which is available for holiday let) can be seen from quite a distance away. They must have great views.
We spotted a chaffinch flitting to and fro,
The view back towards Aldeburgh was a bit misty. With the lack of wind the mist lingered and the sea was very calm.
Anyone for ducks and drakes?
Nick found this bone. We wondered what it was.
A google Lens search suggests it's the thoracic vertebra of a cow or a horse, (see
here) but could it be from a dinosaur? I think not.
We arrived at the famous Thorpeness Emporium. Sarah told us here mum used to work here for a number of years.
I had a look round but couldn't see it. They used to have this sign on display...
Here we met up with Tania who walked with for a short while.
The tower at the Country Club is covered in scaffolding at the moment.
Our route crossed some heathland.
Another view of the House in the Clouds.
We descended to the beach.
We had our packed lunches here.
No danger of adders today. It's way too cold.
On our way back now, passing the Vulcan pub.
A brief gap in the clouds appeared, but that was the only blue sky we say today.
There are plenty of pig farms around here.
We came to and started following route of the
old railway line from Saxmundham to Aldeburgh. Part of the line remains in use for nuclear flask trains servicing Sizewell nuclear power station. We wondered what this building was.
We stopped to look back at Thorpeness...
and across to the scallop statue....
Oo look a train of walkers on the railway line.
We went this way, past the fire station...
...to see if we could see
Orford Ness. Through the murk we could just about make out the buildings of
Cobra Mist,
originally the site of an experimental Anglo-American military
over-the-horizon radar, then more recently a broadcasting station for
the BBC World Service.
We could also see the martello tower..
...and the boats on the River Alde.
Nearly back now, we passed the Aldeburgh Music Room..
This was the official end of the walk.
Some went to walk round the High Street..
...but we had done that earlier so returned to our car via the sea front... and spotted a seal!
...and returned to the car park, noticing the animals watching over us.
A lovely walk. A shame we didn't get the sun in our eyes on the way back, but we stayed dry. Thank-you Joyce for organising and leading it and to the others for the additional company.
You can find more details of our 10.2 mile route
here on MapMyWalk (or download a GPX file
here) and see more of my photos
here in Flickr.
Other related walks you can find on my blog include:
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