We arrived at Polstead Camping and Caravan Club site to a great welcome from the owners, Greg and Karen. They have only owned the site for 18 months and have made some great improvements, including a facilities block which was fab, only 4 weeks old and one of the nicest we’d been in so far.
First off we
decided to head to nearby Sudbury. We found a car park and took the dogs to Sudbury Common, passing some lovely old black and white buildings on the way. Sudbury Common is a flood plain which in the summer is lovely meadow land with paths and streams criss crossing it. Prince had a bit of a swim in the river before we headed into the town and had a stroll around the open air market.
Next up was Lavenham, a lovely medieval vill
age with lots of very well preserved old buildings throughout the village, we had a walk through the village surprised that a lot of the little boutique style shops were open given that it was a bank holiday Friday. We had a wander up to the square where the Guildhall takes centre stage. Unfortunately it wasn’t open to visitors today but it was nice to have a walk around. 
We’ve also visited Colchester; quite a bustling town centre with lots of your usual high street shops, we spotted a bakers with some great looking cakes, so we had to have one each! We then followed the signs for the castle; it is a roman castle which has had subsequent improvements 
over the centuries. We had a walk around the castles keep until we found a bench where we could sit and scoff our cake! Cake duly scoffed we headed into the castle gardens for a look round, lovely planted gardens and rolling lawns, which we enjoyed until we saw a no dogs allowed sign! We thought there would be no warden today so risked walking back through the park to the main entrance, which was when the warden noticed us! Phil pleaded innocence and we made our escape. When we got back to the site reception was still open, so we called in and ordered our fish & chips just in time, the site owners order the chips and we had them delivered to the van!
T
he next day we followed one of the Country Walking routes from Dedham to Flatford Mill. The area is famed as the artist Constable’s inspiration for many of his famous works, including the Haywain. The car park w
as chocca when we arrived and the footpaths were very busy, on the way we crossed a field with a lot of bullocks in it, and on one of the small footbridges we stopped chatting to an elderly lady who told us her friend once had her ribs broken by cattle in a field she was walking through (then she seemed to forget what she was talking about, so we gave up and carried on) We went to the spot where the Haywein was painted and took some photos. The
re was an exhibition of constables works in the visitor centre which we both had a mooch around before continuing our walk past Flatford locks and across the fields back to Dedham and into the Sun Inn for a drink. It was so nice we popped into the next pub, the Malborough Head, where we could only afford a half each. We managed to get some seats on the sofas by the fire. Cosy.
Next day we went out towards the coast to do another of the routes out of Country Walking
magazine, it’s a 5.5 mile loop that starts in the village of Chelmondiston. We parked on the main road and soon found ourselves out in open countryside with the farmers busy at work ploughing their fields, it was a lovely day with a few clouds being pushed along by the light wind. We carried on down a lane where we popped out by a house on the estuary, we found an ideal spot where we could sit on the grass bank with our feet dangling and we had out picnic while watching some of the yacht’s coming and going. Then we carried on to the tiny village of Pin Mill where there is a boat repairers and lots of house boats moored on the estuary. We carried on across some fields and through some woodland until we came to Royal Harwich Yacht Club which looked very posh with loads of yachts moored up in the marina. We then carried on past Woolverstone church and the very grand Ipswich High School before coming back to the village and into Tonks. We then drove down the road to the foreland where we had a 2 mile walk out on the sea front. The views were fantastic as we could see the Harwich international ferry port, with a ferry waiting to go. We also saw 4 of Trinity House’s floating lighthouses, 2 were in the estuary and 2 moored up on the other side. As we walked around towards the marina we spotted 3 massive container ships on the other side at Felixstowe, they dwarfed everything else out on the estuary and one was busy be
ing loaded while the other was being unloaded! We carried on around until we reached a beach which could be accessed by a 5ft drop. After little encouragement Princey jumped down and had a play on the beach, but then had to be lifted back up by Phil, he climbed out only for Prince to jump back in again!
We decided that we should go in the car and visit some of the local villages recommended by the campsite owners and, so we set off relatively early and headed to Kersey. This is a beautiful old village squeezed into a small valley with a ford running through its centre. We had a little walk through the village and over the ford before heading up the hill to the church, the view from the church looking down on the village was great, and a few photos later we were heading back down and driving on via the lanes to Monks Eleigh. Before we got there we spotted an English Heritage sign for St James’ Chapel at the side of the road, no sign of a chapel though, so we pulled over and got out to investigate, a small footpath took us round the back of someone’s garden with a small ancient building that looked more like a barn. Inside it was lovely with all the original beams on the roof and little alcoves where the priest would keep his stuff (or something like that). When we did get to Monks Eleigh we discovered another lovely village with a large village green where there is a restored water pump in the centre, Phil gave it a go but someone had disconnected it so that curious tourists didn’t empty water all over the place, how inconsiderate. We carried on down the lanes again until we reached Long Melford, a village/to
wn with a very wide main street which reminded us of Broadway in the Cotswolds. We stopped in the car park of the National Trust owned Melford Hall and had a little walk around the grounds, not far though as it was closed until tomorrow!
Then we headed back to nearby Hadleigh again where we parked in the Town Council car park, and followed the riverside walk which follows the River Brett, we popped out at the other end of the high street so a little walk back along there saw us get some supplies before we were back at the car and heading back.
We have now reluctantly said bye to Greg and Karen and their lovely site and have arrived at Broadlands Caravan Club site in the Norfolk Broads.
First off we
decided to head to nearby Sudbury. We found a car park and took the dogs to Sudbury Common, passing some lovely old black and white buildings on the way. Sudbury Common is a flood plain which in the summer is lovely meadow land with paths and streams criss crossing it. Prince had a bit of a swim in the river before we headed into the town and had a stroll around the open air market.Next up was Lavenham, a lovely medieval vill
age with lots of very well preserved old buildings throughout the village, we had a walk through the village surprised that a lot of the little boutique style shops were open given that it was a bank holiday Friday. We had a wander up to the square where the Guildhall takes centre stage. Unfortunately it wasn’t open to visitors today but it was nice to have a walk around. We’ve also visited Colchester; quite a bustling town centre with lots of your usual high street shops, we spotted a bakers with some great looking cakes, so we had to have one each! We then followed the signs for the castle; it is a roman castle which has had subsequent improvements 
over the centuries. We had a walk around the castles keep until we found a bench where we could sit and scoff our cake! Cake duly scoffed we headed into the castle gardens for a look round, lovely planted gardens and rolling lawns, which we enjoyed until we saw a no dogs allowed sign! We thought there would be no warden today so risked walking back through the park to the main entrance, which was when the warden noticed us! Phil pleaded innocence and we made our escape. When we got back to the site reception was still open, so we called in and ordered our fish & chips just in time, the site owners order the chips and we had them delivered to the van!T
he next day we followed one of the Country Walking routes from Dedham to Flatford Mill. The area is famed as the artist Constable’s inspiration for many of his famous works, including the Haywain. The car park w
as chocca when we arrived and the footpaths were very busy, on the way we crossed a field with a lot of bullocks in it, and on one of the small footbridges we stopped chatting to an elderly lady who told us her friend once had her ribs broken by cattle in a field she was walking through (then she seemed to forget what she was talking about, so we gave up and carried on) We went to the spot where the Haywein was painted and took some photos. The
re was an exhibition of constables works in the visitor centre which we both had a mooch around before continuing our walk past Flatford locks and across the fields back to Dedham and into the Sun Inn for a drink. It was so nice we popped into the next pub, the Malborough Head, where we could only afford a half each. We managed to get some seats on the sofas by the fire. Cosy.Next day we went out towards the coast to do another of the routes out of Country Walking
magazine, it’s a 5.5 mile loop that starts in the village of Chelmondiston. We parked on the main road and soon found ourselves out in open countryside with the farmers busy at work ploughing their fields, it was a lovely day with a few clouds being pushed along by the light wind. We carried on down a lane where we popped out by a house on the estuary, we found an ideal spot where we could sit on the grass bank with our feet dangling and we had out picnic while watching some of the yacht’s coming and going. Then we carried on to the tiny village of Pin Mill where there is a boat repairers and lots of house boats moored on the estuary. We carried on across some fields and through some woodland until we came to Royal Harwich Yacht Club which looked very posh with loads of yachts moored up in the marina. We then carried on past Woolverstone church and the very grand Ipswich High School before coming back to the village and into Tonks. We then drove down the road to the foreland where we had a 2 mile walk out on the sea front. The views were fantastic as we could see the Harwich international ferry port, with a ferry waiting to go. We also saw 4 of Trinity House’s floating lighthouses, 2 were in the estuary and 2 moored up on the other side. As we walked around towards the marina we spotted 3 massive container ships on the other side at Felixstowe, they dwarfed everything else out on the estuary and one was busy be
ing loaded while the other was being unloaded! We carried on around until we reached a beach which could be accessed by a 5ft drop. After little encouragement Princey jumped down and had a play on the beach, but then had to be lifted back up by Phil, he climbed out only for Prince to jump back in again!We decided that we should go in the car and visit some of the local villages recommended by the campsite owners and, so we set off relatively early and headed to Kersey. This is a beautiful old village squeezed into a small valley with a ford running through its centre. We had a little walk through the village and over the ford before heading up the hill to the church, the view from the church looking down on the village was great, and a few photos later we were heading back down and driving on via the lanes to Monks Eleigh. Before we got there we spotted an English Heritage sign for St James’ Chapel at the side of the road, no sign of a chapel though, so we pulled over and got out to investigate, a small footpath took us round the back of someone’s garden with a small ancient building that looked more like a barn. Inside it was lovely with all the original beams on the roof and little alcoves where the priest would keep his stuff (or something like that). When we did get to Monks Eleigh we discovered another lovely village with a large village green where there is a restored water pump in the centre, Phil gave it a go but someone had disconnected it so that curious tourists didn’t empty water all over the place, how inconsiderate. We carried on down the lanes again until we reached Long Melford, a village/to
wn with a very wide main street which reminded us of Broadway in the Cotswolds. We stopped in the car park of the National Trust owned Melford Hall and had a little walk around the grounds, not far though as it was closed until tomorrow!Then we headed back to nearby Hadleigh again where we parked in the Town Council car park, and followed the riverside walk which follows the River Brett, we popped out at the other end of the high street so a little walk back along there saw us get some supplies before we were back at the car and heading back.
We have now reluctantly said bye to Greg and Karen and their lovely site and have arrived at Broadlands Caravan Club site in the Norfolk Broads.
My claim to fame - I was talking to you as you were chucked out of the Castle Gardens!! Doesn't sound like you're ready to come back to work yet, but then will you ever??!!
ReplyDeleteKeep having fun.
Love Sar P xx