Cruised down a bit of Suffolk Coast and seaside villages of Lowestoft and Southwold this morning. Lowestoft is the most easterly point in the UK. Quite low lying and on edge of the broads. Had a large coffee at the Lighthouse Diner – the level of the huge flood in 1953 – quite a way from the water. Village has a huge seawall that is part of the North Sea cycle trail and holiday parks with portacom type homes as well as traditional row houses and hotels along the seafront and a large lighthouse. Also has a couple of piers with entertainment and slot machines but modest and shut down for winter. One of the bigger industries is Birdseye Foods …a name from the past. Reasonable port with fishing and some Northsea Oil servicing.

Southwold is a beautiful village (still with pier and slot machines) with a gorgeous row of brightly painted beach huts literally on the sea front. Very cute and somewhat exposed today. Had lunch in a quaint little tearoom with old style lolly shop and handcrafts for sale. Catching little crabs is a big thing here – they like bacon and kids love to go crabbing – only tiny crabs and they are released to race across the mud back to the water.

Drove across rolling country in early afternoon to Suffolk Owl Sanctuary – through green pastures and cropping with occasional windmill, tiny villages and narrow lanes, pretty thatched houses and pastel coloured houses (occasional ochre), and church steeples poking out above trees. Nice countryside.

Owl Sanctuary is at Stoneham Barns with over 80 owls and birds of prey, meerkats and red squirrels. Owls just beautiful! Some photos to post but quite hard to catch through netting and foliage. Worth a visit.

Stayed at Creeting House – victorian Grade 2 listed former rectory built in 1856.

Link to Photos

Author: Gill

Hi. I'm fun-loving, creative, mostly energetic and a mother of 3. My interests are family, culinary pursuits (I own just a few cookbooks...), socialising and entertaining, living and always learning.