Today I tagged along with Joyce's Weekly Walks group for the start of their walk and a few hours of leisure in Southwold.
Today's walk should have been from Westleton via Dunwich Heath, but the devastating wild fire there meant that wouldn't be possible - and may not be possible for the foreseeable future. So a change of plan....
This was the invite from Joyce.
"Tuesday August 4th We have permission to park at Blythburgh Church, Church Lane IP11 9LL. You should find that signposted off the A12 in the village. It’s a huge car park and the toilet inside should be open. I would suggest arriving for 9.45am so we don’t miss the bus. We walk to the bus stop on the A12 and catch the 99A 9.55am bus to Southwold. The bus will drop us at North Green at 10.05am. I have booked a table at The Community Café near St Edmunds Church, Southwold called The Canteen. After drinks, we will walk back to Blythburgh. We can walk the coast or inland – whatever you fancy on the day. Lunch will be on Walberswick Green. The tearooms and pubs should be open but please bring packed lunch. The walk will be between 8-9 miles which will be enough as we can take our time and have a mooch in Southwold too. It should be cooler at the coast.
Once back at our cars, we have to have a look around Blythburgh Church….it’s known as The Cathedral of The Marshes. It’s got Angels in the ceiling, a fascinating Kennedy memorial - it’s a Suffolk beauty."
Here are a few of my photos.
The ceiling and angels were indeed beautiful.
All assembled, we waited at the bus stop for the 99A bus...
...and waited, and waited. Eventually we gave up on it arriving and resorted to Plan 'B' - take 3 of our 4 cars to Southwold instead.
It was just a short walk from where we parked to the Community Café.
After some delicious freshly made lemonade we were ready to start the walk.
I liked the fancy organ case.
The pulpit and lectern are very ornate.
The seats here had interesting carvings.
We passed the Southwold Museum. It would be opening at 2pm.
I kept with the group down the High St, until we got to here, where I left them to the rest of their walk and turned to the sea front.
A lovely warm sunny day and the height of the holiday season - the beach was busy and there were plenty in swimming.
I walked along the cliff top.
The Sailors' reading room.
This is an impressive sandcastle!
I stayed here for an hour or so, having a couple of beers and some lunch while I did the crosswords I had brought with me. Eventually I had had enough of all the kids in the pub - they almost outnumbered the adults, and left for a bit of walk.... 10 minutes at a time between rest stops. I got down to the promenade and just had to get as far as the pier, didn't I?
I enjoyed seeing the mural of George Orwell again...
...before walking along the pier.
I waked along to the end and enjoyed the see breeze. I was unable to take a selfie here, though.
The view from the end of the pier.
Returning, I passed the lifeguards' hut with this display. A sea temperature of 20 degrees? I wished I'd brought my swimming trunks!
The ice-cream shop was busy, but I resisted the temptation.
But my leg was getting quite tired now, so I retired to the café at the Adnams shop for another beer and to do the rest of my crosswords.
No. Dawn wasn't with me - this is a photo from a previous visit. We had arranged that she would message me when she got back to Blythburgh. My phone appeared to have signal, but I got no messages. Thinking maybe she had no signal I head back past the church to the car.
Once there I got a text message saying she was on her way... but it turned out to have been sent 25 minutes earlier and they had got back and Dawn had gone looking for me. I sent a couple of messages and Joyce arrived in her car - they'd been trying unsuccessfully to message me and she had come to help look for me! Time for me to get a new phone, I think.
Thank-you Joyce for organising and helping reunite me and Dawn at the end. Sorry I missed the rest of the walk - it sounds like it was a great one. You can see more of my photos
here on Flickr.
Other related posts on my blog include
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