The first day I just spent sunning myself on the lawn and wandering around the local lanes (finding nothing of interest!)The forecast for the next day was drizzle so I went in to Ipswich, and found a couple of lovely traditional museums, on in Cardinal Wolsey's old house, plus an art gallery with lovely Chinese works. It didn't rain though!
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| The Bragging Tree |
Next day it was back to sun, so I took a drive down to Aldeburgh (very twee), called in at the classical music venue Snape Maltings (very Radio 3), then picnicked in one of Suffolk's ancient forests. It is a lovely county.
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| Maggi Hambling - A Conversation with the Sea |
Final stop for the day was at Orford, but the reserve is only open at certain times of year and the ferry wasn't running. Pretty place though.
Next day, off to RSPB Minsmere, for a lovely morning in peaceful woods and meres. I saw 2 marsh harriers, but little else - I could hear birds everywhere in the trees but none to be seen in the lush vegetation.
Next stop Southwold, for scampi and chips on the pier - a brilliant pier with lots of odd machines and sculptures, and the famous beach huts.
Then I went on to Sutton Hoo, although the big mound shown isn't actually the one that had the treasures in. No originals there, but some reconstructions and a walk around the elevated site.
Then a drive up to the next site right on the beach just south of Lowestoft.
The site was great but the next day we were battered by a freezing wind, and I was shattered, so had a day in the van doing not very much.
On the last day, I drove over to Thetford forest, another lovely area of ancient trees, and called in at Grimes Graves, which are neolithic flint mines. You could go down one (32 ladder steps) and see the passages cut out.
