Thursday 19th April (Day 1)
Well a good day to have a short trip as today is the hottest day of the year - around 25 degrees. We were at the motorhome, loaded and off by just after 11.00am. It was then a easy sub two hour drive to Leiston and the Eels Foot Inn pub at Eastbridge where we parked on the grassed area of their car park. After a cup of tea and a snack we went for a circular walk. Along footpaths to the Minsmere Sluice and then the beach with Sizewell in the distance like a giant golf ball. We next struck north and entered the Minsmere RSPB reserve. We are not twitchers so for us it was a lovely walk with a few birds to see, whereas for most of the others it was hundreds of birds to view with a bit of a walk. Not only birds but quite a few butterflies were about. Apart from ducks and geese (both types not known) plus the inevitable seagulls, we saw: marsh harrier; chaffinch; robin; and bittern. Stopping at the cafe we sat and watched dozens of swifts fly out of the holes in the escarpment, catch insects and return to feed their young. Then we discovered that the swifts were sand martins that had flown over 3000 miles from Africa. Their holes were tunnels almost a metre in depth. (Well I never proclaimed to be knowledgeable about birds.) Back at the MH after a short rest we had a game of boules and then sat in the sunshine waiting for the pub to open. While doing so in the distance we could hear a woodpecker. It was so tranquil. 6.00pm the pub opened for the evening and this was the time were we in to secure a good seat for the evening. A few pints and a nice meal was accompanied by 'squit' night. This is held every Thursday and it is an 'open mike' type night. By 8.00pm fifteen or so people with their instruments were seated (average age 60+). Guitars, squeezebox, accordion, clarinet, bhodran, flute, ukulele, penny whistle and more. Almost three hours of sea shantys, rock / pop songs, poems and more. Great entertainment and laughter ensued. By just after 11.00pm we strolled across the grass to the motorhome with a wonderful vista of stars in the cloudless sky. A great finish to the day.
Friday 20th April (Day 2)
After a quiet night we started with a shower (nice to be lovely and warm when getting out of it) then a fried breakfast. If anything today seems hotter than yesterday. By 11.00am we were off for a walk along the coast to Dunwich which is about 7 miles each way. Along the coast we popped into a hide on the Minsmere reserve. There were hundred of birds on the lake before us. To me they looked like ducks, geese and seagulls but the twitchers, who were present in large numbers, with lenses longer than my arm and binoculars and monoculars that cost a small fortune tells another story. Back to the walk and by just before 1.00pm we arrived in Dunwich - The Ship to be exact. A much needed pint enjoyed while sat down in the beer garden. It was good for both the feet and other parts. Next we strolled down to the beach. By now the air had become hazy. When we started our walk we could see Southwold lighthouse. After seven mile walking in the direction of Southwold nothing could be seen of the town. It was still lovely and warm and we lay on the stoney beach; small stones so quite comfy. The warmth from the sun and the stones must have been comfortable as I woke myself up snoring. 45 minutes later we had an ice cream before the walk back via a slightly different route. A sit and recovery in the sun, although it was cooling down quite early. After dinner we went to the pub for a pint and then returned for a bit of tv before retiring for the night. In the pub I noticed a number '4' on one of the old beams. Well I had to ask. The landlord told me I would remember when beer and alcoholic drinks were charged differently depending on the bar you were in. So a pint in the Public Bar would be ten shillings; the same pint on the saloon might be ten shillings and three pence; The snug bar might have been somewhere in between. So with (say) a 10% tax you had to know how much was sold at what cost. Each bar was, therefore, numbered. Hence the number on the beam. He then showed me that another part of the pub had the number '1'. Apparently in the Midlands the bars were identified by letters, 'A', 'B' etc. So I will be looking at old pubs in future for more of these - sad I know!
Saturday 21st April (Day 3)
A slow start for the day as it was past 9.00am before our tootsies peeped out of the duvet. After the usual eat and shower we sorted ourselves and left by just after 10.00am. The 80 or so mile trip to Braintree was an easy drive and by 2.00pm we were home. A good break.