This was a walk essentially around Brightlingsea and then on to Colchester. As normal this wasn’t a straight line as I followed the coasts and creeks. The day was ideal for walking with a pleasant breeze and plenty of blackberries.Once again I met people collecting blackberries and I was surprised they didn’t use them for…

The day started with a dense marsh mist. The sun gave just enough light to bring out the dew bejewelled spider’s webs. The sun gradually burnt its way through the clouds and Walton on the Naze was bathed in brightness when I reached it.There was a plethora of blackberries by the path and quite a…

This was a wild camp evening in the marshes near Kirkby-le-Soken. A steady flat walk in good weather, what could go wrong?The day started well when I met Gary walking along the sea front at Harwich he came out with my favourite phrase of my walk so far.“I speak my mind, I don’t boil my…

My first task of the day was to find “old Knobbley “ an 800 year old oak tree in Mistley woods. This venerable tree played a part in the Essex Witch trials and has numerous legends about it. It is very imposing.Then it was following the Stour to Bradfield. Here they have an unusual wooden…

A wet start to the day meant a soggy tent at the start of the day. The walk down the Stour was a good mix of river and marsh followed by stretches of oak woodland.I came across Trevor and his partner digging for lug worms in the river mud. They had driven an hour and…

I left Ipswich following the Orwell, through the dock area, I diverted to use a local laundry as there wasn’t one close to my hotel. I met a lovely lady who had just come back from six years sailing a boat around the Mediterranean and Polynesia with her husband and children. She did give me…

Today didn’t look vastly promising, a walk from Lowestoft to Ipswich, however this wasn’t the case.Leaving Lowestoft takes you through the dock area on the River Orwell. At the end of this you have to cross a railway line. The gate across this line is apparently built to stop tank incursions never mind the odd…

I had finally managed to get a room booked in Felixstowe so it was just a matter of getting on the foot ferry at Bawdsey and walking a few miles into Felixstowe.I arrived at Bawdsey just as the ferry was leaving and the pilot grudgingly waited for me as I moved gingerly down the slippery…

A short day planned to rest the knee. Going from my camp to the nearby village of Hollesly , home of the Suffolk Punch Stud.I visited the Stud and was the only one on the ‘tour’ so my guide Dee and I had a leisurely wander discussing the assorted rather splendid chesnut horses. Originally for…

I started the day with breakfast in Orford mainly because they had a nice water fountain to fill up my water bag.It was all excitement at the cafe as it was one of the waitress’ eighteenth birthday party and she was off “clubbing in Norwich” . This was delivered with the reverence of going to…