Nature through the eyes of my camera

  Tuesday 15th September Walberswick and Westwood Marshes Another beautiful day to follow a Gill Moon walk, this time along the dunes of Walberswick, through to Westwood Marshes. Dunes at Walberswick We crossed one of the old wooden bridges and headed for the dunes. Walking along the dunes we watched people arriving for a day on the beach. We passed many black beach huts and some holiday lets. Black Beach Huts Holiday Let Reaching the end of the dunes we cross a bridge and follow the river through the reeds to the marsh. Bridge across the river Before turning onto the marshes we pass the old tide mill which once would have been used to drain the land.  It was also used to grind corn for animal feed. Tide Mill Reeds ran along side the river and there were several dragonflies darting about and a family on swans were on the river. Reed Beds Exiting the marsh we follow the path which leads through a wooded area (we pass a World War II pillbox on the way) and out onto the road th...

Thursday 10th september Walton Walton became popular as a seaside resort during the Victorian era when people were able to travel by train and boat to the destination. There was a decline in its popularity after the second world war. The Naze Naze Beach Huts The Naze Tower, built in 1720, is a historic 86ft navigational tower built to aid shipping.  It  now houses a tea room, art gallery, museum and a roof viewing platform with amazing panoramic views. The Naze Tower Large parts of the Naze have eroded away over the years at a rate of 1 - 2 metres a year.  The pill-boxes from the second world war have fallen from the cliffs and now lay on the beach. Pill-boxes If erosion continues at the same rate it is likely in 50 years time the Naze Tower will be lost to the sea and the Naze might become an island. Cliff Erosion

Sunday 22nd August Dunwich Heath Having booked a slot at Dunwich Heath National Trust site I was able to stroll around the heather ladened heath with my husband, daughter and granddaughter. The heath was a mass of purple, dotted with the occasional splash of yellow gorse. My aim today was to help my granddaughter with her photography.  She has a good eye for a photo and enjoyed herself.  The image below she called a shady spot. There were beautiful clouds in the sky today. We did a circular walk and stopped at the cafe for refreshments before taking a stroll down to the beach.

Thursday 20th August Ramsholt Today we went to Ramsholt where we followed a walk from Gill Moon's book The Suffolk Coast (25 walks with your camera). It was only a short walk of two miles but as I had been having problems with my back it was far enough. Ramsholt used to be a thriving place with sailing barges arriving to unload coal and other supplies and to take away local produce such as sugar beet. It once had a school with fifty pupils. It is much quieter today with mainly leisure boats and tourists. The Ramsholt Arms (original the Ferry House) is a very popular pub overlooking the River Deben. Our walk followed the shore line of the Deben until we turned right to join a footpath onto the marshes. The marshes are used for grazing and are great for wildlife such as barn owls, marsh harriers and red deer. All Saints Church dates back to Norman times.  It was renovated in the 1950's.  It has a round tower supported by buttresses.  There are wonderful views from the chu...

Thursday 27th August Piper's Vale and Landseer Park Piper's Vale is a local nature reserve on the southern outskirts of Ipswich. It is part of the Orwell Country Park, on the banks of the River Orwell. The site has a diverse habitat with many insects, birds and butterflies. There is also a variety of wild flowers and wild fruits. Holly Blue Dock Bug Landseer Park used to be a wooded valley with a  brook running into the River Orwell.  Until the 1960's the area consisted of various mature trees, set in woodland along shrubland and wetland.  The site was then used as a  landfill site for domestic waste.  The rubbish has now been buried and the area is a public park where wildlife has now reinstated itself. Garden Spider Wasp Spider

Saturday 8th August Walberswick Walberswick is a village on the Suffolk coast at the mouth of the River Blyth. There is a long shingle beach with sand dunes behind, surrounded by marsh and heathland. A nature reserve follows the River Blyth estuary combining mudflats, meadow and marsh. Walberswick held the World Crabbing Championships for many years and crabbing is still a popular pastime for families today. Sand dunes covered in sea holly. Part of the old pier. Holiday cottage Beside the River Blythe Sea Lavender and Sea Purslane Mooring poles on the Blythe

Sunday 14th July Shingle Street Shingle Street is a small coastal hamlet situated between Bawdsey and Orford. It was originally home to fishermen and river pilots. A martello tower was built in the 19th century and later became the coastguard station. Many of the original buildings date from the 19th century although several were destroyed during world war II. Those that remain are mostly holiday lets. Although there is only a shingle beach the ebb and flow of the tide over the years, plus the wind, has created huge mounds of shingle, pools and inlets that fill and empty with the tide. One of the many pools and a fisherman's cottage. One of the shingle mounds and inlets. Holiday lets. Old fishing paraphernalia.   There are several different kinds of coastal flowers and shrubs along the shingle. Small Copper butterfly on Tansy.