Stayed at a delightful Air bnb in Maldon last night.
This morning, my host Noel took me for a walk with the families rescue dog Flora. We explored the nature reserve behind the house down to Heybridge Basin.
I was serenaded all the way by a symphony of birdsong. Warblers in the reed beds, black headed gull on the salt marsh, with ducks and several varieties of geese on the mud flats left by the tide.
Sounded like an infant school at playtime, bird voices of all notes jostling to have their songs heard.
The Lakes were originally gravel pits and the local people are campaigning against them being commercialised. Quite right too.
On route Noel told me about Hardy, his national heritage award winning yacht.
By the Basin there is a tea room famous for being the TipTree tearoom - all their preserves made by TipTree.
Went into Maldon. The town has all the usual suspects- pretty.
No obvious Maldon salt factory however. Seems it's famous but secret. Is it even made here anymore? Do the salt water barges still come up river as they did in pastimes? Answers on a post card please.
I had a lovely morning - the sort that feeds the soul. I have little interest in big busy towns, it's the little places like this I have come to explore.
I have made an error by relying on serendipity for this trip. The East coast needs time to travel into all her nooks and crannies, her little secret places. Sadly ignorant traveller that I am, I have spoilt it by booking Norfolk tonight. I will have to deviate off the coast road and sadly take the A12... But not yet!
Belinda, my Air bnb host, suggested West Mersea, an island off the Essex coast ,reached by a causeway where one can dine on marvellous seafood. I was making excellent progress, and celebrating the fact that very few other cars were on the road, when suddenly I was brought up short by a three mile tailback. The tide was in. The causeway was underwater. I had to wait over an hour before it had receded far enough for the road to be passable once again.
My time is at a premium today so I drove round the island and straight back down the still wet causeway heading for Aldeburgh.
It turned out to be a highly musical town with pretty sugar almond coloured houses each side of a very wide high street. Lots of holiday homes to rent and plenty of place to eat there too. Pink painted houses seem to be a particular feature of Suffolk, and Aldeburgh is no exception
Cragg Sisters was a lovely little tea room on the high street, and very close to the beach. Home made scones with jam, vintage china and delicious soups, sandwiches and cakes too. Certainly worth a visit.
I didn't have long in Aldeburgh before I had to dart off, and headed on to Southwold, which I also loved. Although the 'perfume arising from the fields of outdoor reared pigs both sides of the road as I approached was pungent to say the least. I'd like to have spent longer in Southwold and may well go back at some point.
A quick supper ,and off to Norfolk and my next stop.
This is great Michaele - Thnakyou
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