# Coast Planning The Wash to Dartford Crossing



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Having done 5380 miles of our trip around the coast of mainland Britain see:

>Link to part 1< warning addictive and there are 6 stages some are multipart

Its time now to start planning the home run Wash to Southampton. I thought initially that we would be doing it in one hit but after you get to Lowestoft it gets very wriggly so *the plan* is now to only go as far as The Thames in the next stage.

So as usual we're looking for contributions for 'must see' coastal places and invites to tea  or meets in a pub etc etc

I guess we will start in March depends on the weather.


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## teljoy (Jul 4, 2005)

sallytrafic said:


> Having done 5380 miles of our trip around the coast of mainland Britain see:
> 
> >Link to part 1< warning addictive and there are 6 stages some are multipart
> 
> ...


Frank

You may already have done this but below Lowestoft are Southwold , Aldeburgh, Walberswick and Dunwich. All are little gems.

Terry


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## hiker (Jun 22, 2008)

Holme next the Sea to Cley is our favourite bit for walking & wildlife - RSPB at Titchwell, NWT reserves at Holme & Cley, plus all the wild places in between. 

The campsite at Burnham Deepdale is good for vans less than 7 metres, open all year, though not so hot on the filling/emptying side of things for a van (no chemical disposal)


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

teljoy said:


> sallytrafic said:
> 
> 
> > Having done 5380 miles of our trip around the coast of mainland Britain see:
> ...


I was project manager for the reautomation of Southwold and Orfordness lighthouses so I'm pretty familiar with that little bit.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Now that this trip is linked to a competition >Here<

I'll have to be careful what I say about mileages  but I reckon by google its 560 miles from the wash to the Dartford crossing and my planning mileages are about 10% - 20% under 

It will probably take 10-14 days to do, more if people continue to give tips/invites.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Someone talk to me about Mersey island and the bottom of Suffolk and Essex in general please it looks very complicated is it all Marsh?


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## elldwin (Dec 3, 2009)

Hi Frank,

My ex-inlaws used to have a static on a site on Mersea Island and we used to spend some time there. The island is joined by a causeway to the mainland and this is sometimes covered at high tide. West Mersea is a very "boaty" place renowned for its oysters. Nothing much at East Mersea apart from a country park that is a good place for a stroll along the (rapidly eroding) coast.

Barrie


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## hiker (Jun 22, 2008)

Suffolk ends at the River Stour! The east coast is much as the section you know already - shingle beaches, some grazing marsh, fragmented heathland, coniferous forest, arable farmland. Dunwich Heath, Minsmere, Sizewell (well, you're a technical type - the visitor centre's quite interesting!). Then the big tidal estuaries - Deben, Orwell, Stour. Pretty, lots of boating types, marinas etc. Woodbridge has the tidemill & Sutton Hoo. Ipswich is developing the dock area - more marinas, eateries, etc. Felixstowe on one side, the Shotley Peninsula on the other. Well-heeled, no marshes. Into Essex at Manningtree - Constable country up river there. RSPB reserve along the S bank of the Stour. The only bit of Essex we've visited is near Frinton - a CL on the Walton Backwaters while visiting some friends - network of tidal creeks, salt marsh, & apparently where Arthur Ransome based "We didn't mean to go to sea". Good walk along the sea wall in sunny weather. Once you go past Frinton & Clacton I think the more marshy areas start - I believe they're doing a managed retreat along there somewhere as the sea defences are too expensive to keep up, so the area of marshland will expand. Don't know the rest - someone else will have to take up the story - I'm surprised you've had so few replies! Anyway - we live inland in Suffolk - let me know if you have specific queries on the areas we do know (bearing in mind that we head north by choice!)


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Sorry, Frank - I meant to reply earlier, but work reared its ugly head 

We're up at the very tippy-top right hand side of Essex, just below the aforementioned River Stour. Lovely sandy beaches, great for walking and running the dog. We have a rapidly-eroding cliff, with fossils and sharks teeth and all sorts, apparently. Never seen any myself. There's a nice walk -- HERE --, but beware that the council have just put up signs forbidding the parking of motorhomes on the sea front.

Just below us we have Frinton, trying desperately to keep the nasty 21st century beyond its now non-existent railway gates, and failing slowly.

Below that is Clacton, which is not our cup of tea. All kiss-me-quick and amusement arcades. In fact, I'd pretty much skip the rest of the coast until you get to Brightlingsea, which has a good harbour and one of the finalists in the chip shop of the year competition -- Scooby Snax --.

Up the River Colne a bit is the lovely Wivenhoe, but I'd park at the station and walk in. It's very small and tight down there.

Then it's on to Colchester, that I like, but it seems prospective renters of the huge amount of multi-floored property around the river don't. Lots of car parks around -- LINK --. Biggish shopping centre, but a nice area around St. Johns Street.

Further down, Maldon and Burnham are worth a visit. There's a quite nice CL we use near Maldon (Haybridge / Goldhanger) which is a very short walk away from the sea wall, and pleasant strolls into Goldhanger (c. 1.5 - 2 hrs) where they have some good food at the -- The Chequers --. Maldon is quite a nice, boaty town.

Burnham-on-Crouch is also boaty, and there's a lovely little site very close to the sea -- blog post here --. I don't know if it's still there, 'cos it's been a while.

Further South than this is a bit of uncharted territory, I'm afraid.

Gerald


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## loughrigg (Nov 10, 2008)

Hi Frank

Alternative pubs close to Maldon are the Bell (Woodham Mortimer) and the Hurdlemakers Arms or Cats (both Woodham Walter) - all country pubs with good food.

After Maldon, the north of the Dengie peninsular is fairly bleak - which probably explains why they built a nuclear power station out there (currently mothballed, I think). Beyond is the chapel of St. Peter-on-the-Wall (Bradwell) which dates from around 650AD (built by St. Cedd) - not too easy to get to (about 1 mile walk from car park).

Burnham is a nice town on the Crouch http://www.burnham.org.uk/. Several good pubs (The Anchor (on the quayside) or the White Harte (also overlooking the river) both had good food and beer last time I was there), plenty of shops for supplies, small boatyards, large marina. If you feel so inclined, you can even take a boat trip to see the resident seal colony.

The crossing point for the Crouch is at Battlesbridge. Very small but with a quite well known antiques centre spread across various buildings (about 60 dealers, I think). Food and drink at the Barge. Now has a bypass, so easy to miss.

Not much along the south bank of the Crouch (Hullbridge towards Wallasea Island) and the roads can be narrow with tight bends. There isn't much to see at the moment but the Wallasea Wild Coast Project was launched last year. It will be the largest land restoration project in Europe, returning an area roughly the size of the City of London back to its original wetland state.

If you get as far as Paglesham Eastend, treat yourself to a meal at the Plough & Sail - owned by the Oliver family (as in Jamie) for 45 years or so, I think the licensees are his grandparents. The food is very good - I'd heartily recommend the steak & stilton pie.

I'll try to think of some more tomorrow.

Mike


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## Coulstock (Sep 2, 2008)

Sounds like you might cadge a nice B&B at Geralds !

Harry


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## SNandJA (Aug 22, 2008)

Great museum and trawler visit in Grimsby, Lowestoft Ness is the furthest East you can get in UK sadly very industrial surroundings. Sands between Lowestoft and Southwold of different colours bit like Isle of Wight Access I think at Cove Hithe.
You'd go too far off the coast for the Broads and Beccles Bungay Diss and Ely I gues...
Southwold you know (host of National Crabbing Competition!), Harbour Inn in Southwold was always pleasant (1953 flood markings on the wall) and bridge across to Walberswick (twitchers heaven nearby I think) or passenger ferry from Harbour mouth,Adnams Ales
http://adnams.co.uk/
Was the pier renovated in your time? If you are a Monty Python Fan I think the harbour entrance at Southwold is where John Cleese was pushed off the end of the pier in whilst reading the news!
but Blythborough Church is on the way back round the wiggle to Aldborough (Benjamin Britten)and worth a visit - used to be a good meal served in the pub opposite.....
Dunwich is the old town that slipped into the sea and claims you can hear the old chuch bell ringing at low tide but when I was young you'd see bones sticking out of the cliffs where the old graveyard was...

I got the feeling someone posted that either Orford or Aldburgh weren't very motorhome friendly?

Walton Frinton and Holland on Sea and Clacton on Sea for Londoners on holiday in the 1950's
Then as you say you are in and out of the various estuaries Burnham and then Shoeburyness and Southend-on-Sea (day trip for Londoners in the past)

Steve


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

I actually found Arthur Ransom's (of Swallows and Amazons fame) boat, "Nancy Blackett", in Southwold harbour after it was lost for many years and being rebuilt.


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## hiker (Jun 22, 2008)

SNandJA said:


> You'd go too far off the coast for the Broads


Hickling'd be easy to get to from the coast road....

http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/nature reserves/map-links/hickling.htm


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftoptitle-77457-aldeburgh.html


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Dont miss
http://www.houseintheclouds.co.uk/

I loved it at Thorpeness.


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## hiker (Jun 22, 2008)

hiker said:


> Sizewell...... visitor centre


I don't think casual visits are possible anymore - the original visitor centre I was thinking of seems to have closed some time ago & they decided not to replace it - a pity - sorry!


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

locovan said:


> Dont miss
> http://www.houseintheclouds.co.uk/
> 
> I loved it at Thorpeness.


Thorpness visited yesterday afternoon, very nice. We also went to Aldeburgh to get photographed next to the no 'motorised caravan' signs (what's one of them?) Even though we wanted a campsite we did not go to the one there. As far as Aldeburgh is concerned if they won't let me park they won't get my money. Simpless


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Does that mean you saw the house in the Clouds then Frank, it is facinating and you can stay in it.
Thats a Caravan Club site at Aldenburgh and at £34 per night is the dearest one we stayed in on that coast line.
Where are you off to today?


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

locovan said:


> Does that mean you saw the house in the Clouds then Frank, it is facinating and you can stay in it.
> Thats a Caravan Club site at Aldenburgh and at £34 per night is the dearest one we stayed in on that coast line.
> Where are you off to today?


Sorry Mavis missed this post. Well we have finished part 7 now and are back home but we found a super alternative to Aldeburgh, Moat Barn at Bredfield £15 a night but very superior.

Only Kent Sussex and part of Hampshire to go now, remember there is a competition to guess the final mileage - which is why I haven't mentioned how many miles it took me around East Anglia. See here:

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-80170-.html


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Try to have lunch at Felixstowe Golf club, especially on a Friday when its fresh fish day. If you continue past the golf club right down to the end there is a little fresh fish stall where the fish is beautiful

stew


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

artona said:


> Try to have lunch at Felixstowe Golf club, especially on a Friday when its fresh fish day. If you continue past the golf club right down to the end there is a little fresh fish stall where the fish is beautiful
> 
> stew


That was Felixstowe as in last Saturday was it Stew?


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Have I not been keeping up again Frank   What was last saturday mate?

stew


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

artona said:


> Have I not been keeping up again Frank   What was last saturday mate?
> 
> stew


The day we passed through Lowestoft on our way to Southwold.


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

The Felixstowe I am refering to Frank is a bit south of Southwold, Its not between Lowestoft and Southwold. 

Its at the bottom of Suffolk before you go past Ipswich and then along the A12 into Essex. A trip to see the dock development at Ipswich might be interesting for you as well

stew


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Sorry Stew last Sunday then not Saturday. I'm writing the blog at the moment jumping back and forth with the days so got confused.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Blog finished (for now) >MHF LINK<


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