Aldeburgh - Pt. 1

Having spent the morning in Woodbridge we have now arrived in Aldeburgh. The North Sea is choppy, the wind is blowing and the rain is beating down. Bracing to say the least, but therapeutic to listen to the surf crashing onto the beach.



Aldeburgh was once an important East Coast harbour but now is a quiet resort famous mainly for the Annual Music Festival founded by Benjamin Britten, who is buried in the town. Quaint old cottages and elegant Georgian houses (another post) line the main street. It has been a dignified seaside resort since the early 19th century, but the shingle beach is popular with fishermen (another post) as well as holiday-makers.

The North Sea

Our hotel

The turret at the top on the right was our sitting room

that led through to our bedroom with a hall into our bathroom

It's warm and welcoming inside

We are about to take the lift to our room but I happen to glance across to one of the lounges. I do a double take. Sitting there having afternoon tea are 2 evangelist friends from Ohio,USA with another friend from Indiana. They were as surprised as us and as Americans do, squealed with delight.They had been attending a conference and had been taken by their host to spend the afternoon in Aldeburgh, ending up with afternoon tea at our hotel. In the past they had been guests in our home for 6 years running and we did know that they were in the country, but this coincidence seemed particularly amazing as Aldeburgh is on the coast and off the beaten track and not somewhere that you would just 'pass through'. Having checked our room we sat in the lounge with them for a while before they had to leave.

We have an unusual room, our bedroom faces the marshes at the back but then we have a corridor that leads to a small turret sitting room that faces the sea. It's my birthday and I get up and check the sea soon after dawn. After yesterday I am surprised to see it as flat as a mill pond. If the cloud breaks up it is going to be a lovely day.

After breakfast I go outside and the clouds have cleared and we are just left with a sea mist.

Looking from the back of our hotel the mist is slowly clearing and the marshes and River Alde are coming in to view.

I'm off for a walk and a beautiful day beckons.You are welcome to join me.

A power station on the horizon

The ancient lifeboat station

The modern lifeboat station

Somewhere to sit

If you double click on this you will see that it was erected to commemorate

the Coronation of King George V

Elegant loos (restrooms) on the beach

The Moot Hall. Originally this was seperated from the sea by 3 roads which have since been washed away.This early 16th century building of stone,timber and brick is a reminder of the days when Aldeburgh relied for its prosperity on trade, exporting cloth to Flanders and the Low Countries. The local council still meet in the upper part of the Moot House.

The war memorial

We have now arrived back at the hotel for coffee.It's November and we are able to sit outside without a jacket, what a blessing. One can get away from most things here, but not everything!!

When we have finished coffee I will show you some of the town,(another post). As the weather is so good we have decided to stick to the coast today but that will have to wait until after lunch and yet another post.

I left the cards at home