Hopton to Corton 201011

Ooops forgot the camera today.
Great walk form Hopton to Corton. Parked at the end of Beach Road, you would never get near here in the summer as only a few spaces. Walked south past all the holiday camps, along the cliff tops.
PATH IS MARKED DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF EROSION. No Route through
There is not a lot of path left and at places where there is a fence you are close,very close to the edge and a big drop, only  a metre of path, to the edge. But the views are fab. Look back and you can see Gorleston and the outer harbour with all the wind energy craft. Eventually you come to Corton where a turn to the left, a "score" leads to steps that take you down to sea wall and you can walk to Corton beach. Had to retrace my steps to walk back but I think there may be a bus.
But this path is dangerous and lots of warning signs and you are not really meant  to walk it  so beware!!

Corton Church 16 10 11

Today from Corton Church. From the church walk towards the sea and along a track which will take you to the cliff egde. Beware sheer drop! This gives you a good insight into coastal erosion as eventually Corton Church will dissapear beneath the waves. Wooden deflectors have been installed to reduce the power of the waves that pummel the cliffs and further south towards Corton beach much work has been done with large blocks of stone and concrete barriers. But note the sign warning of danger as you walk along the sea edge path.
keep walking to the end of the path and you reach Corton beach, noted for it's nude bathers.
Thsi is, I think, a fabulous stretch of coast with views of Gorleston to your left, The Pier Hotel and the Outer Harbour with its giant wind energy lego like parts clearly visible and  then to your right is Lowestoft with its own huge wind generator "Gulliver" which was the biggets wind turbine in UK when installed.
Sorry no pics, forgot the camera!

Sizewell to Thorpeness 010710

A revisit of this lovely coastal walk. Park at Sizewell car park, £1 for 2+ hours.
There is an excellent Beach Cafe where you can enjoy homemade cake or Sausage and Chips. Its been run for some time by an excellent chap, always smiling with friendly, helpful staff. There are also public loos here too.
Turn south up to the black coastguard cottages where the path starts. This takes you along the top of the cliffs with good views in places. Look back to see Southwold and it's gleaming white lighthouse. Part of the path has been lost to erosion and we all hope that access to this wonderful coastline will remain open.
By a Christian activity centre the path dips down to the shoreline which hosts a rather amazing display of beach growing plants.
Further along there is a steep gully back up to the top of the cliffs. If you miss it you can still carry on along the shore to Thorpeness.
Taking the gully back to the top  of the cliffs takes you onto a piece of grassy common. Continue southwards to Thorpeness and you look to your right. You will see the "House in the Clouds" appear. I think this is such a great and wacky local landmark.
As you walk into Thorpeness you can enjoy all the different architecture which I love. Very English and very quirky!
By the Mere there are tearooms. Coffee and cake are just so important to walkers. They can enhance a very good walk into a walk of utter delight, to be relished in our memories as we relive the experience in our minds.

There is a route that takes you back over the common to Sizewell whose huge building structure means you will never be lost around here. Some of the tracks on this route past the golf course are dry, hard gravel and you may prefer to return to Sizewell back the way you came along the seashore and cliffs.. After all the views are great.
Stuart

Winterton to Horsey Gap-21 08 09-5 Hours-198499

Winterton to Horsey Gap, Horsey windmill, Martham Broad, West Somerton and return to Winterton.
Parked on car park, £3, nice bloke, at sea front. As you go through Winterton at the North end look for the church and follow the lane west to the sea.
Cafe and toilets as well. Bonus!
8.8 Miles
Walk north from Winterton, there is a track marked on ordanace Survey but the best but slower route is along the top of the big bank which divides the sea from Broadland. As I stride, slip and slide, along this special path I am looking at the great expanse of sea and wonderful white sand on my right. On my left are the rich pastures of Broadland, virtually on the same level as the sea. All that seperates them is this sandy hill with lots of grass. To me it's amazing.
Continued along till Horsey Gap then turn inland . At the bend in teh road you arrive at turn right and then take path on left to Horsey Church. Wonderfukl tahtched building. Then a permitted footpath along a field that follows the road takes you to Horsey Mill. Tea and Toilets, seats and a view.
The next stage does involve walking south along a busy road with no footpath so take care. Get to a tiny bridge that crosses "Hundred Stream" drain. Here you can turn right off the road a nd follow path. You will see West Somerton Drainage Mill ahead and to your left marking the route you will follow to Martham Broad and West Somerton.
Turn right and follow road to next fooitpath on a bend. A series of paths and concrete private road with footpath acces will then take you atround East Somerton and on to Winterton where you can have a nice cup of tea in the cafe.
Stuart

Dunwich beach and forest-Circular Walk-1.5 hours- 9/10

Approx 4 Miles

Park on car park on Dunwich Beach, not Dunwich Heath

Walk back through Dunwich to the church.

At this junction there is a signposted bridle path, follow this.

Pass cottages on your left and you will then come to a house on your right. At a signposted footpath by the house turn right. This takes you around the garden of the house then across boggy ground over railway sleepers. I like this part.

After the railway sleepers you cross a little bridge and are in the forest. Walk on for 100 yards and turn left onto a path through the trees. Not up the hill ahead.

Follow the path through the trees and enjoy the forest.

You will come to a stone bridleway /path at right angles to your forest path. Turn right going uphill. Continue along this path and eventually it will turn around to your left around a group of trees or just beforehand you can turn left through a well defined tree tunnel. As you come out of the trees turn left along the path.

Follow path, down and up and eventually you will come to a wooden seat with a path signposted left across a small valley. Take this left turn path.

Follow path down track and across side of a field until you come through a small wooden gate with a map signpost.

Path then is either turn left or straight on. Go straight on and continue until you come to another broad stone path at right angles. Turn left here.

Follow path for 100 yards until you come to another map board and take the path to the right through trees.

You will pass by a cottage in the woods and eventually come to the other end of the bridal path where you started your walk by the church.The path is signposted. Take this path to return down the bridleway to Dunwich church.

If by the church you turn left you can walk 200 yds to a little plant nursery with a wonderful tea broom with homemade cake. You will not be disappointed!

Hope Im not telling you to suck eggs but whenever I go near a forest I always take a compass. Otherwise the terrain can be very confusing.

If you do this walk I hope my instructions are ok and don’t get you lost!!

Afterwards you can always pop over to Southwold and sample a few pints of Adnams brewed in the town.

Stuart

Holkham to Burnham Overy- 210508- 7/10-4miles

Holkham to Burnham Overy

Wednesday 21^st may 08 - 4 Miles - Ref 892440 -7/10

From the Victoria Hotel go north along Lady Ann’s drive to the beach.

Walking west along the dunes the path is not the easiest to follow, fairly uneven and you need a stick!

But all this is more than made up for by the glorious views of Holkham Bay. An enormous stretch of sand as far as the eye can see, flat to the sea. When I walked there were perhaps eight other people in view, but they were perhaps just specs, so vast is this beach. You will not forget the view!

Following on as you come to the end of the trees on your left the “path” continues along the beach. Glorious but hard work on the legs. I am glad I am a Nordic walker and had my sticks to assist in my propulsion. The wind blew the sand along by my feet as I followed the path indicated by the footprints of a party of walkers I had seen walking the opposite way earlier. A bit of Robinson Crusoe in Norfolk.

Turn left inshore at a gap marked by a footpath post to the top of the dunes, gets you puffing and then down to see Burnham Overy and Burnham Overy Mill clearly showing with its white sails.

The path gives good views across the marshes back towards Holkham and great views back seawards over the creeks, marshes and dunes.

You will find yourself greeting and being surrounded by bird watchers with their binoculars or large portable telescopes as this is a Twitcher’s paradise.

The path continues for nearly a mile to take you to the quay at Burnham Overy. The path is well made but the pebbles will make your feet ache!

So a fabulous walk for the views but not so good on the feet and legs! 7/10

Stuart