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squiz Member Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 2898 |
26th August 2017 Hiking - Walking: Hemley to Waldringfield Wind Direction: Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: Sunny and hot :) Max Speed: Distance Covered: 4.80 (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise) Friday 25th and Saturday 26th August – walks – Hemley to Waldringfield – sunny and hot! Friday 25th. Nice day in Felixstowe to start with, walk along the prom, clean some of windows and have a nice catch up with one of Mags old friends. Then at 4.15 we decide to have a night out in the camper, as it’s a busy Bank Holiday weekend we stay very local and head to one of our favourites, Hemley parking by the church which is just a short walk from the beautiful River Deben:) After our last night away at Bawdsey the other week Mag has set up the van with everything for a quick getaway. So all we needed was a bit of food and we were ready in 20 minutes! It’s only 8 miles to the quiet, dead-end that is Hemley and we had the parking all to ourselves:) We had a relaxing cuppa enjoying the weather with the corn field near us having just been cut with loads of large rectangular bales everywhere. We had a great time wildlife spotting starting with several Hares wondering where the wheat had gone. We had a fly over from a pair of Buzzards followed by a Marsh Harrier with the highlight being a Barn Owl, hunting as it got dark. Also loads of Bats. After a delicious tea of left over chicken we walked down to the Deben as the sun was setting. The high tide had made the path wet in places but we made it to the riverbank, sadly our upturned rowing boat had gone so we had lost our seat! Several boats had moored up at The Rocks opposite and a few waders were in the mud but no ginger seals this time. We then walked to Kirton Creek and back along the hedgrow footpath with loads of noisy Geese in the field! We had a nice evening in the van with the door open, Mag reading and me doing my diary, mainly bug free enjoying the last of a blackberry and apple crumble :) Saturday 26th. What a top peaceful night in the van with not a sound and woke at 6 with the sun rising over the river and a small Muntjac deer in the stubble, I quickly grabbed my little Fujifilm point and press, my nice camera is still being repaired:( and headed down to the river which was stunning - all pink and gold skies with not a breath of wind. I got very wet feet in the dewy grass! Back at the van we had a cuppa and read as it clouded over, even having a few drops of rain. It got chilly too, so had porridge for breakfast before setting off for a walk to Waldringfield at 9.20. We have biked this route before so knew the way. Past the church you follow another dead-end lane to a row of pretty little cottages with fantastic views down to the river with beautiful flower filled gardens. The lane then turns into a footpath/bridle-way, it is pine tree lined and was a hive of agricultural activity. A farmer with his young son in his tractor cab were sowing winter wheat we think and other tractors were turning the fields over with loads of hungry gulls patiently waiting for lunch! Nearing Waldringfield we pass the small farmer pond with its large pump spotting some amazing fragile mushrooms freshly grown in the damp overnight. The river was like a mill pool with not a breath of wind, sad really as there were several sailors waiting to make the most of the incoming tide! There was a class learning the ropes but it was impossible to go out on the river as you would just be pushed up to Woodbridge by the tide with no way of sailing back! We sat on several of the many benches along Waldringfield beach watching the world go by. Elderly couples loading their small tenders for a trip to Aldeburgh up the Ore (with plenty of gin and tonic :), several families crabbing, dogs fetching balls from the glassy water, people in kayaks and rowing. Then we had a nice chat to the Harbour Master who had already rescued a rather large man in a canoe who was struggling against the tide! We saw a sign by the Maybush Pub for a short circular walk out past the boatyard so decided as it was such a beautiful day, now very hot and sunny to do it. We past the lovely holiday cottages with rowers on the river and the odd boat putting their sails up in hope of some breeze! The path used to go all the way to Martlesham Creek but sadly part of it has been washed away so you have to head inland ending up back in the village but eating lots of blackberries on the way:) We then walked back the way we had come seeing horses on the bridle path and were starting to get our 5-mile legs but it had clouded over and cooled a little with the sky getting dark threatening rain! Back at the van after three hours and covering five miles we were knackered! After a salad, we had a relaxing afternoon dozing and reading with Mag doing some arts and crafts. We were entertained by the farmers collecting their large bale in a couple of ingenious machines, we were impressed! Then we left at four for the short trip home, another top night out our 109 this year – love that van :) Sadly Mondays breeze has disappeared with no wind for a week now :( Photo Gallery here |
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