A Suffolk Adventure.

Posted on 26/03/2017 By

Suffolk: Enjoying the Local Delicacies.

The Adventure Club: Suffolk.

Bobby worked for the Highways Agency for nearly twenty years. During that time he made some wonderful friends that are still friends today. Eight years after he retired. Back in 2006, he suggested one evening that his friends walk with him the long way to Laurel Cottage. Over the hills and far away. Tea in the garden with Diddley.

That walk soon led to more. To long weekends away. All over England and Wales. And, memorably, to Eastern Europe. Bratislava, Krakow and so on. The group became known as “The Adventure Club”. As the years have gone by, the group has changed. Some are no longer with us. And now, we have children coming. It’s a natural progression. Always dependant on the one or two stalwarts who put all the organising effort in. Our most recent adventure was to Suffolk, and this blog tells the story of that lovely weekend.

Suffolk: The Adventure Club: Heidi (Left) and Ava (Right).

The Adventure Club: Heidi (Left) and Ava (Right).

Mum Becky and her children, Heidi and Ava, shared Bobby’s car. Stopping off for a wild adventure on the way. MacDonalds! On, on we drove for what seemed like ages. Arriving at the rented house after dark. An indoor swimming pool, games room, lots of space, and communal meals. All organised for the lazy ones. Like Bobby. I had a go at pool. Not very good.

Suffolk: Oi - one paw on the ground!

Oi – one paw on the ground!

We decided to go to Southwold the next day. Famous for Adnams Brewery and those wonderful beach huts.

Suffolk: Southwold in winter

Southwold in winter

Suffolk

Suffolk

Beach Huts on the prom.

Suffolk

Beach hut 156, named: Doris – The Goddess of the Wind.

Beach hut extravaganza. Check ITV Hub. Robson Green. Tales from the Coast. Episode 3.

Guess how much for a posh shed that you cannot stay in overnight. That people do not want to sell anyway… £60000 to over £100000!

Suffolk: Enjoying the Local Delicacies.

Enjoying the Local Delicacies.

Oh, by the way. Bertie is wearing his Sutton United scarf for an FA cup tie at Dartford that was won and led eventually to Arsenal. Fish and chips on the pier.

Suffolk.

SuffFun and games on the pier with HeidiFun and games on the pier with Heidi.olk.

Fun and games on the pier with Heidi.

Suffolk and Norfolk are lovely counties. One feature being village signs:

Suffolk: Lavenham. remembering the American Air Force bases that dominated East Anglia in the war.

Lavenham. remembering the American Air Force bases that dominated East Anglia in the war.

On the way back from Southwold, we found a very strange church indeed. Covehithe. On a wet gloomy night, with the light fading, the church and its surroundings were quite sinister. Shall we just say that nobody else got out of the car. The sea gets closer to the church each year as the cliffs erode. The road passed the church is closed as it disappears over the cliff. According to the web, a la “Thelma and Louise”. Had to buy the film, to find out what they were going on about. The story of Covehithe is best read in www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covehithe. But, suffice to say, a big church had been built a long time ago that a small population could not look after. So they took the roof off and built a small thatched church inside the big one, up against the original tower.

Suffolk: Covehithe Church(es).

Covehithe Church(es).

Suffolk: Creepy... Dracula...

Creepy… Dracula…

It was still raining that Sunday evening, so a few of us drove to Norwich Cathedral for sung evensong. What a wonderful joyous place that is, compared with Covehithe.

Suffolk: The Cloisters.

The Cloisters.

Suffolk: Norwich Cathedral.

Norwich Cathedral.

Come Monday it was time to go home. Say goodbye to the lovely landlady…

Suffolk: Lovely Landlady

Lovely Landlady

Suffolk: Some of the Adventurers in a gale, but who cares!

Some of the Adventurers in a gale, but who cares!

“Anyone fancy the longer, prettier way home?” Becky, Heidi and Ava did, and we landed up in glorious medieval Lavenham. A half timbered village straight out of another age. Home to a glorious “wool” church. From a time when Suffolk wool, like the Cotswolds, brought immense wealth to the County. But how could you show off the wealth? No Rolls Royces. I know – build a whacking great big church to outdo your neighbours. Leaving a glorious legacy and a maintenance nightmare for those charged with looking after them. If this is your thing, there are Wool Church tours in Suffolk. Here’s a site to get you started: www.suffolkchurches.co.uk.

Suffolk: Too beautiful for words. St Peter and St Paul's church, Lavenham.

Too beautiful for words. St Peter and St Paul’s church, Lavenham.

Suffolk: Lavenham High Tea - could do with it now.

Lavenham High Tea – could do with it now.

Bobby even bought a tea towel. Careful! Not just any tea towel but, as you can see, a quite remarkable map of East Anglia. Where, given its strategic position, every decent field became an airfield during the war. There are remnants all over the counties of farms with unusual shaped barns. Hiding secrets of long ago – and Spitfires… Once.

Suffolk: Bobby's Wartime East Anglia Tea Towel Map.

Bobby’s Wartime East Anglia Tea Towel Map.

Lighting a candle for Diddley.

We lit lots of candles in Norwich Cathedral. But this time, remembering a few years ago when she walked into Lavenham church, the candle was lit there.

Suffolk: Lighting a Candle for Diddley. Glorious Lavenham Church

Glorious Lavenham Church

Suffolk: Lighting a Candle for Diddley. We also lit a candle for Diddley in Norwich Cathedral the previous day.

We also lit a candle for Diddley in Norwich Cathedral the previous day.


 

The Adventure Club    


  1. Bernard says:

    Interesting part of the world…you do your research well. Enjoyable as always.

  2. Nancy says:

    What a traveller and sharer of adventures you are Bob. Looks like a great weekend.

  3. kate says:

    beautiful photos, i love Southwold and Norwich Cathedral. thanks Bob

  4. Jonathan says:

    A delightful post – we will be going to Suffolk later in the summer. I can smell the fish and chips already!

  5. Elizabeth Morris says:

    Always loved Suffolk and several members of the family came from there. Visited Lavenham several times. Amazing place. This brought back lots of happy memories.

  6. […] were and never have been fully requited. There have been some lovely holidays there. One such in this blog at Southwold. But always as extras, rather than the main […]

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