Today was our first walk near the coast other than a quick stroll along the prom in Felixstowe whilst visiting my mum. We’ve been trying to keep to less busy walks after being allowed to travel and decided the initial rush might be over and it was a Monday not a weekend. We did try and pre-book the NT car park at Dunwich Heath as we’re members but the first few slots all this week were taken and we weren’t prepared to wait until 12 so decided to park at Dunwich beach car park and walk from there.
It’s a 6.5 mile figure of 8 walk that heads away from the beach and down the main street past the Ship Inn and the church. It then follows the Sandlings Walk for a short distance before turning left and crossing a minor road then heading across Dunwich Heath and picks up the Sandlings Walk again before heading east to the coast and the Coastguard cottages.
We had our first takeaway coffee here since before lockdown and sat overlooking Minsmere Nature reserve with Sizewell nuclear power station in the distance.
After a very long wait for the loos (going behind a tree or bush didn’t seem an option on heathland with a few people about!), we headed back across the heath. The heather is starting to come out, you can see the coastguard cottages in the distance.
After bearing right where we left the path earlier we then head through woods along Dunwich cliffs following the Suffolk Coast Path (the path is more inland now due to erosion) and past the ruins of Greyfriars friary back to the beach. You can just see Southwold lighthouse in the distance.
The weather was ideal, sunny, warm and a nice breeze. Not too many people about in the middle of the walk, but more than would be usual for a Monday at either end near the car parks. We often do a longer walk when we head to Dunwich as we’re often in training for a LDW so it’s a while since we’ve done this one, although we’ve done bits of it.
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