Nature through the eyes of my camera

(Sunday 31st March - 2.7 miles. Route taken: Sea wall & marshes. Time taken 1hr. 45min) I was looking forward to this section of the walk as I have not walked here before. Unfortunately the weather was not as forecast and there was very heavy cloud and a strong north easterly wind. I found the going tough especially with the very uneven ground. However the wind surfers were having a great time. I felt very alone, just me and my thoughts in this very desolate place. I heard the occasional call of an oystercatcher and a skylark. There were waders in some of the mud flats. I trudged on, battling against the wind.  During World War II the quiet marshes became an area of strategic importance for siting defenses designed to stop a Germany invasion in this part of Suffolk.  July and September 1940, saw 633 pillboxes constructed in Suffolk. Several of these can be seen on the Suffolk Coastal walk. As I walked on I couldn't help thinking about the soldiers who had spent weeks/month...

( Thursday 21st March - 2.2miles. Route taken: Sea wall. Time 1hr.15min) I have walked this part of the route before so am confident of where I am going. It is a warm day but overcast. The path on this part of the route is still very muddy and the track below is still water logged. The coastline around East Lane has, over the centuries, experienced several episodes when defense works became necessary due to the risk of invasion. Recommendations for the defense of Bawdsey were made as early as the sixteenth century. In the early part of the nineteenth century fears of invasion by Napoleon led to the building of seven Martello Towers. During World War II emergency coastal defenses were erected at Bawdsey to prevent invasions from the sea. As I passed the various lagoons on by left I thought I saw the ears of a hare along the track below me. I expected it to have moved before I was near enough to get a photo but it didn't seem to know I was about. I took one photo and then moved forwa...

(Monday 18th March - 2.2 miles.  Route taken: Bawdsey quay, through car park onto Ferry Road, School Lane and East Lane.  Time 1.10mins) I'm glad today was a short walk as it was all on the road. I took a photo looking across the River Deben to Felixstowe Ferry where I finished my last walk. I walked along Ferry Road, through the tree lined car park where I spotted a toad, and back onto Ferry Road.  Walking along the road was peaceful with just the occasional vehicle passing. It was interesting to note the changes since my last walk. Most places are now drier, and spring has definitely sprung with spring flowers and green shoots on the trees. Still some flooding The birds were chirping merrily and a buzzard was calling while gliding on the currents. I passed Bawdsey Hall which is now a retreat and hotel.  I turned right into School Lane. This is just a connecting road to East Lane and the home of the local primary school. Children from the nursery were busy having fu...

 (Wednesday 13th March - 2.2 miles. Route taken: sea front then Ferry Road and back to sea front. Time taken 1hr 10mins mins) It was a cloudy, but warm afternoon as I walked from Cobbold Point to Felixstowe Ferry. My husband, Laurence dropped me at the point and will meet me at the end of my walk. The tide was in so after walking a short distance I climbed the steps which led me along a track to Ferry Road. I continued on this road passing several beach huts until I reached the golf course where I crossed the green and walked along by the sea wall again. I found a good spot to take a photo of a Martello Tower looking through the trees, across the golf course. There were several people dotted around the golf course. The club was founded in 1880 and its 18-hole Martello course is the fifth-oldest in England. Signs of spring are showing with bunches of daffodils in bloom.    Looking out to sea I can see Bawdsey Manor in the distance. Bawdsey became the world's first operatio...

(Monday 4th March - 3.3 miles. Route taken along the sea front. Time taken 1.35hrs + 30mins walking to starting point). Today is perfect for walking. Light cloud with sunshine and no wind. It is 9.55 and I am about to start my walk from Landguard Point. The Point, one of the driest places in Britain, contains a 33 acre Nature Reserve of vegetated shingle which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.  To my left I can hear the noise of machinery and lorries coming from the Port of Felixstowe. It is one of the largest container ports in the country. I walked away from the nature reserve, through the car park and passed several holiday caravans before walking back to the sea front. There are a number of people out enjoying the best of the weather after several days/weeks of rain. I headed towards the pier passing the children's play area and the gym equipment. (I'll not stop here today). The latest addition to Felixstowe, The Seashore Village, is now open and contains twenty-sev...

  Monday 11th March One new customer joined us today along with the local community police office who popped in to see how we all were. Sixteen sat down for lunch. The session went well and everyone appeared upbeat on such a miserable morning. It is interesting to note how one week several soups are served and then another it is beans on toast or scrambled egg on toast. The apple crumble and custard was a great hit with every person having a portion. Many favourable comments and thankyou's were made for producing it. Keeping an eye on the scrambled eggs Items bought Cut loaf, rolls, soup, milk, butter pats, custard powder, chocolate biscuits. Review of session A small table was placed in the hall for dirty crockery so people wouldn't wander into the kitchen. This worked well and meant washed crockery wasn't getting mixed up with crockery waiting to be washed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------...