Bawdsey Quay

Last night was hot. This morning was hot. Today will be hot. Enjoy it, Marge. Park me somewhere shady please. Ben who we met at North Sands in Cornwall is in Scotland, and watching his YouTube video Bejan van last night it looks like we definitely have the best of the weather in the south. 

We would only be driving a few miles today so stopped off at the Tide Mill in Woodbridge checking out the boats for sale at Andy Seedhouse.

Then took a look in the Longshed where a resurrection of a ninety foot kings burial ship is taking place by The Sutton Hoo Ship's company. We were fascinated and talked a while with one of the craftsmen. How long it will take to complete? Who knows. What we do know is it will take some skill and patience to build this Anglo-Saxon ship. 

It was lunchtime when we arrived at Bawdsey, where the first operational radar station was built in 1937 and is open to the public. Arriving at the quay space was tight and we squeezed Marge in on the end of the parking. Fortunately, John found the owner of the car in front of us and they moved up so we could edge Marge up a little. Our view from the van across the river Deben was beautiful. Down on the beach a couple, no spring chickens grilled themselves. Obviously not wanting too many tan lines the man whipped off his swim shorts, flipping himself onto his front. Thank goodness. Sensing he was drawing a little too much attention the shorts went back on. But not for long. Oh no, he's taken them off again! That wasn't all, the man then began tucking the lady's bikini bottoms in, somewhere! Vanity. Not everyone wants to look like a Liquorice Allsort like you Angela! Thanks Marge. 

Late afternoon we ventured out of the van, the sun still very warm, and walked to the shingle beach overlooking the north sea. Sea kale grew wild amongst the shingle ruffled by the sea breeze.

Five o' clock some idiots arrived, men old enough to know better stumbling around like fools. There is talk here that the vans are to be banned from overnighting. Why, would you rather have a load of drunken yobs spoiling this beauty spot, than decent people who keep themselves to themselves? Marge always attracts these people so we had to move a little further down.

As a ripe peach of a sun began to go down, pigeons cooed as they cooled off in the nearby trees. The view was stunning, the boats bathed in a soft glow of orange. What a sunset!

Woodbridge

We have found both Norfolk and Suffolk very laid-back counties, the people friendly, showing no individual animosity to the van owners. Yesterday evening one of the members from the sailing club stopped to admire the roof tent set up of the youngsters next to us. Unheard of. 

This morning, what a view! The glassy surface of the river Alde reflected the boats sat upon it perfectly. And once again the sun was shining. We were in no rush to leave Aldeburgh, so walked back into the town to buy some low alcohol cider from the Adnams shop, also cheese and a baguette for our lunch. Angela felt a little 'heady' from too much sun yesterday so made sure she wore her sunglasses and kept in the shade as much as possible. Returning to Marge most of the other vans had left including one which had the wording 'mountain expedition' van on it. We think you may be in the wrong county, no mountains around here. Thank god! Nice isn't Marge? Just a few gentle gradients after all that suffering, we put you through in Devon and Cornwall. 

Our first stop today Thorpness just three miles away. A pretty little place of character built in the early 1900's as a holiday village.

The architecture mock Tudor and Jacobean. It is thought that J.M. Barrie gained inspiration for, and wrote Peter Pan here, therefore the town is also referred to as Neverland.

Built around the Meare where you can hire one of the colourful boats or canoes to while away you time on the water, visiting Peter Pan island where the swans nest. Ducks and ducklings, geese and goslings, swans and cygnets jostled for everyone's attention and food on the water's edge. We decided to eat our lunch a little further away under the shade of a tree. Norfolk dapple, brie, tomatoes, onion chutney, a white baguette (naughty), and fruit. Very English. Very civilised. No wildfowl in sight.

The windmill and the 'house in the clouds', a converted seventy-metre-high water tower, dominate the village. To stay a night at the house in the clouds tonight £950.00! Sleeps around seven people. Bargain!

With no time to linger we moved on to Snape Maltings, an art complex on the river Alde. The heat was building and we were glad of the breeze that blew through the reeds off the river. Everywhere is very dry and dusty. But we mustn't complain. Since Stratford upon Avon we have enjoyed good weather, and we know this being England it probably will not last. 

After driving along narrow winding roads to Shingle Street only to dismiss the overnight stop, we decided to move to Woodbridge where after waiting for some cars to leave, we have secured the corner spot in the parking area beside Buttrum's windmill.

There is another van here with us, the couple are on their way to Scotland. The breeze has picked up and the air this evening is a little fresher so we are hoping for a more comfortable night's sleep. First we need to check out the nearby Chinese take away. 

Aldeburgh

Just after ten last night we walked back to the seafront to see the supermoon. Stunning. Beautiful. Incredible. What a sight. Like a huge blood orange. 

After some grocery shopping this morning we left Southwold, but we'll be back someday. around an hour later we arrived at Aldeburgh where we parked alongside the approach road to the sailing club.

We were in need of a shower, having not felt comfortable to take one outside houses worth a million pounds plus with a painter up on the scaffolding above Marge. It would have been a right peep show. Shocking! O.K. Marge.

So, all settled we washed ourselves and our clothes and then walked alongside the shingle beach as far as the sculpture of a scallop by Maggie Hambling at the far end of the beach. Then into town for ice cream. Well, why not? 

All this walking and ice cream eating was tiring so we returned to Marge to read and rest. Today has been very warm and Angela feels a little affected by it. Our park up is lovely, with a beautiful view across the marshland.

Thank you to the sailing club for allowing the vans to park here. Sausages on the grill and talks with our fellow overnighters with whom we watched a huge canvas of a  sunset completed the day.

This is our eighty first blog of 2022, and three hundred and ninety third since we took up campervanning, we can't wait to travel on to many more places so we can write more. Are you up for it, Marge? 

A young couple pulled up behind us on an adventure in a roof tent.

Southwold (Day 2)

No dawn chorus this morning just the cry of seagulls, the noise from the refuse collectors and the chatting of the painters working on the properties around us. We were tired having waited until after eleven last night to draw our blinds as not to draw too much attention to Marge, then awake at seven to open them again. A small price to pay for a free overnight spot with sea view in a nice town. The town slowly awoke. Yet more tradespeople arrived. Most of the properties here seem to be second homes or holiday lets. The give-away, shutters and blinds drawn. A property here is a sound investment, the prices high. 

We had decided to stay in the area walking out locally to catch the passenger ferry to Walberswick passing on the path a sculpture of a nightjar, one of twelve nightjar and moth sculptures to be found along the Sandlings Walk between Southwold and Ipswich.

They do like a sign in Southwold and the jetty at the ferry proved this.

Eight of us squeezed on the little rowing boat and we were across the other side of the tidal river Blyth in minutes. We sat in the shelter of the sand dunes, dozing, reading and reflecting on life.

Along the coast we could see the imposing Sizewell nuclear power station. The sea rolled in and the wind blew the marram grass which brushed against our legs in the breeze. Mid-afternoon the tide retreated leaving a deflated foil balloon on the beach which John picked up. One less item to harm the sea life. Rested from an easier day we took the ferry back across and after dropping our rucksacks back at Marge walked into town for another drink sat in the sunshine outside The Sole Bay pub. 

Tomorrow we will leave Southwold and head further down the coast, so this evening walked out onto the seafront just across from Marge for a last look out to sea. The wind cool, but the sun still warm we happily strolled past the pretty cottages. The evening sky is clear, streaked with just little whisps of light cloud so tonight we will probably see the full moon, a supermoon in all its splendour.