Suffolk Coast and Heath Walks. Laurence Mitchell
shorter version (Stages 4 and 5 only) of the Stour and Orwell Walk. This runs 9.30am–5.30pm every day from 25 March to 30 September; it also runs on sunny days in October and between 26 December and 1 January (www.harwichharbourferry.com; 07919 911440). The early and late sailings need to be pre-booked. It costs £5 for adults.
Southwold Pier, Britain’s only 21st-century pier, was opened in 2001 (SCP, Stage 2)
When to Go
The busiest months on the Suffolk coast are July and August, especially during the English school holiday period. Services and amenities can become stretched at this time, especially in popular resorts such as Southwold and Aldeburgh. Overall, probably the most pleasant months to walk are May, June and September, although April and October both have their merits if the weather is good. Late spring is the best time to see wild flowers, and September is the ideal month for migrating birds, although late April and May are probably better for seeing (and hearing) migrant warblers including nightingales. Characteristic shingle flora such as sea pea and yellow-horned poppy are at their flowering peak in July and August.
For walkers hiking the entire length of the Suffolk Coast Path, the main seasonal limitation is the need to use the ferry service between Bawdsey and Felixstowe (Stage 8). This operates only at Easter weekend, and then between May and October. At other times of the year it is necessary to make a very long detour around the River Deben estuary. Similarly, anyone wishing to make use of the Butley ferry on the Orford Loop alternative (Stage 6 of the Suffolk Coast Path) must undertake this section between Easter and the end of September, when the ferry is running.
None of the routes in this book is so long that it makes the limited daylight hours of winter an issue. Walking coastal Suffolk in winter has, in fact, its own, perhaps rather bleak, charm. The Stour and Orwell Walk especially is rewarding during the winter months, as both estuaries are home to large numbers of wildfowl and waders at this time of year.
What to Take
Suffolk coastal weather is generally mild, with little snow in winter and a cooling breeze in summer. As with any route, walkers should check weather forecasts before setting out to determine whether wet-weather clothing is required for that day. Substantial boots and appropriate clothing should be worn, and a small, comfortable day-pack containing additional clothing, waterproofs, map, food, drink and a camera should be carried.
In summer, insect repellent is a good idea as midges may be a nuisance along some stretches of coastline; mosquitoes can also be a minor problem in some areas of woodland. On brighter days sun cream may be necessary, as walkers are often unaware of getting burned because of the cooling effect of a sea breeze. A sun hat is also advisable.
Food and Accommodation
Food is often available at pubs and cafés close to the start and end points of many walk stages, although, as there are one or two exceptions to the rule, it is always a good idea to carry a supply of food and drink and ‘emergency rations’ in case of delay or exceptional circumstances. Places where refreshments are available are listed in the box at the start of each walk stage.
Fishing boats and bathers on the beach at Dunwich (SCP, Stage 4)
For those wishing to walk these routes in their entirety, stopping overnight along the way, there is plenty of accommodation available at the larger towns such as Lowestoft, Ipswich, Woodbridge and Felixstowe, as well as a good number of hotels and B&Bs at resorts including Southwold, Walberswick and Aldeburgh, although these tend to be in great demand in high summer and it is wise to book well ahead. The smaller villages, where some stages start or finish, tend to have far less choice on offer – suggestions are given in the box at the start of each stage. Most of the tourist information centres listed in Appendix B can help find accommodation and assist with booking, as well as provide timetables of local transport.
Waymarks and Access
All the routes are generally well signed and clearly waymarked. The Suffolk Coast Path is marked with a yellow arrow on a blue disc. The alternative route in Stages 6–7, the Orford Loop, is signed ‘Suffolk Coast Path: Orford Loop’, and the Butley ferry variation of the Loop is signed ‘Suffolk Coast Path: Orford Loop via Ferry’. The Stour and Orwell Walk is waymarked with a yellow arrow on a grey disc and the legend ‘Stour and Orwell Walk’. The Suffolk Coast Path/Stour and Orwell Walk Link is waymarked with a yellow arrow on a purple disc and the legend ‘Suffolk Coast Path/Stour and Orwell Walk Link’. The Sandlings Walk is marked with a rectangular plaque that has an arrow and a stylised nightjar symbol. Some older signposts have the same nightjar symbol etched into the wood. The text indicates where the way is unclear or signs may be hard to spot.
Safety
There are only a couple of serious dangers that walkers need to be aware of. Being cut off by the sea at high tide is a potential hazard along a few stretches of the coastal route, and it is essential that tide tables are checked carefully beforehand if the intention is to take the beach-walking option. These can be found online at www.tidetimes.org.uk or obtained from local tourist information centres.
Another potential danger is that of walking along narrow country roads where there is no pavement. The routes described in this book avoid that situation wherever possible, and in some cases fairly considerable detours are followed as a result of this. Nevertheless, there are some stages that involve a degree of road walking, and the wearing of bright outer layers in order to be seen is advisable.
Maps
Three Ordnance Survey Landranger maps (1:50,000 scale) and four Ordnance Survey Explorer (1:25,000 scale) cover the routes.
OS Landranger
134 Norwich & The Broads
156 Saxmundham, Aldeburgh & Southwold
169 Ipswich & The Naze
OS Explorer
OL40 The Broads
231 Southwold & Bungay
212 Woodbridge & Saxmundham
197 Ipswich, Felixstowe & Harwich
Using This Guide
The three long-distance walks in this guide have been broken down into manageable stages chosen for their convenient length (5–12 miles/8–19km) and, where possible, the availability of transport and facilities at, or close to, the beginning and end of each stage. These are merely guidelines, however; the suggested stages may be added together – or further divided – according to personal requirements. Suggestions have been made in the text where two stages may be combined in a single day for more energetic walkers.
At the start of each stage is a box summarising information about the route. Grid references have been given to accurately locate the start and end point of each stage – read the ‘eastings’ (the numbers horizontally across the map) first, followed by the ‘northings’ (the numbers listed vertically).
The timings given in the box are based on the speed of a walker of average fitness. The weather is unlikely to have much impact on the time taken to walk these routes, although a strong wind will no doubt slow things down slightly.
Tidal considerations are also mentioned in the box where appropriate. There are one or two sections along the Suffolk Coast Path where a high tide may prevent further advance and hold walkers up for a short period of perhaps ½hr to 1hr. Alternative inland routes are offered that can be used when it is high tide at the coast.
Each stage has an accompanying Ordnance Survey map extract that should be adequate to provide an overview of the route, but is not intended as a substitute for the relevant OS map itself,