Summer Holiday Ideas and Contacts for Students at Farlingaye & Woodbridge Schools and Their Families
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Summer Holiday ideas and contacts for students at Farlingaye & Woodbridge schools and their families Prepared by the River Deben Association (July 2020): riverdeben.org Summer 2020 is a summer where it’s going to be hard to make plans. The country’s opening up from Covid-19 lockdown but there’s always a fear that this might not last. Maybe too easy to get negative and resign yourself to being bored for the next two months. But don’t. We live in a beautiful area and there’ve been worse things that have happened here in the past. Think of the Black Death! The River Deben Association (RDA) is a local interest group which was formed to represent all concerned with the future of the Deben. Obviously that means you. We have over 800 members and links with many local organisations as well as individual knowledge. This summer we feel – like many other people – that we want to begin to do things a bit differently. We’ve therefore introduced a new category of family membership and we’d be glad if you’d think about joining us. We know you’ll have a lot to offer, especially when we’re thinking about the environment. This long letter (it ought to be a leaflet really!) is to make a start offering ideas from us to you. But as soon as you have ideas of your own to recommend, please share them so we can improve this list in future. Emailing our magazine editor at [email protected] is a good way to start but you’ll find other contacts at the end. We often use Facebook for updates. So – two months until September – what are you going to do? And who’s going to organise it? At the time of writing most of the clubs up and down the river still unable to facilitate group activities due to Covid-19 social distancing restrictions. We’re listing as many as we can and suggest you keep checking their websites. When they feel able to open up safely, they will. Nevertheless, as one canoe instructor said, it’s very difficult to rescue someone without breaking social distancing rules! This is a major reason why clubs at this stage do not feel able to arrange non-member and beginner sessions where a lot of close-up help might be required. You and your family might have to get creative this summer, deciding your own activity – and taking responsibility for your own safety. At the end of this document we’ve included some advice from a local coastguard but the most important message is to respect the power of the river and its tides, even when it looks like a calm and sunny day. The best piece of advice we can give you if you’re on or near the river is get a tide table and learn how to use it. In every 24-hour period there are two flood tides (going up) and two ebb tides (coming down), changing the water-level 2-4 metres. This can make a big difference to your progress if you are on the river and to your access if you are beside it. You can buy tide tables or download them from tidetimes.org.uk/woodbridge-tide-times. You need to be aware (if you aren’t already) that high water at the top of the river (Woodbridge, for instance) will be later than it is at Bawdsey. (Water comes in from the sea so it takes longer to get up there – obvious really!) You’ll need to check whether times are in UT (Universal time) or BST (British Summer time = one hour later) Swimming is best on the last hour of the flood tide. If you go to the Met Office site you can check the weather at the same time. Or try a specialist wind-finder site like Windguru if you’re thinking about kite-flying on the beach. (And if you are on the beach, just don’t forget how easily a wind blowing OFF the shore can blow you off it too…) For many people the River Deben is a source of inspiration – for writing, painting, collecting things, making music. This year, for the first time, we’re running an under-18s photography competition. Details at the end. Around the River We have structured our specific suggestions beginning at Bawdsey, on the east side of the River Deben entrance. Then we follow the river in a generally northerly direction and cross at Wilford Bridge, (Melton) before turning roughly south again via Woodbridge, Martlesham and Waldringfield to Felixstowe Ferry – where foot passengers and cycles can cross back to Bawdsey, 10 am to 6 pm. As the ferry is public transport you may be asked to wear a face mask. The ferry also operates a river taxi service. For more information call 01394 282173. Entering the Deben by boat Sailors coming into the river often use this website: debenestuarypilot.co.uk. It’ll give you tide times for that day and weather information, and even if you’re on shore you might find it interesting to look at the GPS coordinates and work out what the boats are doing. You’ll see from the notes on the chart that the River Deben entrance can be a dangerous place. Don’t swim in the river here. If you plan to stay to explore the Deben staying on land we suggest you use Ordnance Survey map OS 197: Ipswich Felixstowe & Harwich. Walkers In broad terms, you can walk without trespassing from the Ramsholt Arms to Martlesham Creek along footpaths, although you will be taken inland between Methersgate Quay and Ferry Cliff just south of Sutton Hoo, and will have to walk on the pavement from Sutton Hoo to Wilford Bridge. From Wilford Bridge, you can walk all the way to the south side of Martlesham Creek, then you have to walk along Waldringfield Road (designated a quiet lane) to get to Waldringfield. After a short walk along the river path, you have to turn into White Hall, then Hemley, before returning to the river path at Kirton Creek. From there you can walk all the way to Felixstowe Ferry. The RDA member who wrote these notes says she walked the whole path in two consecutive days and each day took just under 6 hours of walking. Currently walking from Bawdsey to Ramsholt is only possible by road (and not recommended). The River Deben Association is monitoring progress to be made by Natural England as they finalise the England Coast Path route. The RDA magazine (The Deben) regularly includes walks and there are several books on the subject. A new one is due on July 31st 2020 from Nick Cottam at lifeonthedeben.com (expected cost £9.95). General Advice for Walkers When you are walking alongside the river, you are walking through someone else’s home. Many varieties of wildlife live here – especially birds – and some will be raising their young through the summer months. Please be thoughtful and if you’re walking with a dog, keep it under control. If you’re quiet enough to get close to the birds you’ll be surprised how many species you’ll see. A camera is a big plus if you want to check your identifications later. The River Deben Association is an environmental organisation. We’re concerned about the state of the river walls which protect the countryside from flooding and we’re also interested in the state of the salt marshes which are part of the river eco-system. We can’t fix things ourselves but we’re working to find Citizen Science ways in which we can all use our observations to keep up the pressure. We have an Instagram account (@riverdebenassociation) on which you can post a photo if you notice a change that seems worrying and obviously we’re all trying to keep the river plastic-free so, if you have a litter bag with you, please do your bit to help the wildlife. If photography interests you, we recommend Suffolk photographer Gill Moon’s recent book Take Only Photos, Leave Only Footprints. She’s offering some free photography walks this summer and also does workshops currently for very small numbers to maintain social distance. You’ll need to book via her website (gillmoon.com). And don’t forget our competition! If someone in your family thinks walking’s boring, you might be able to get them out and about by introducing them to Geocaching. It’s only a suggestion – we’ve got no special expertise – but if you sign up to a platform like geocaching.com (free) you’ll find plenty of locations in the area of the river. Someone in the family will need to carry a smart phone. The site’s terms of use state: ‘Although individuals under 16 are welcome to geocache, their parents or guardians must own and manage their accounts.’ If cycling’s your preferred form of exercise you’ll have to stick to the tracks and lanes. The paths along the river walls are narrow and in some places erosion is a problem – and, as with any other footpath, cyclists aren’t allowed. But don’t worry, use the map (OS 197) and you’ll find plenty of good routes which will enable you to cycle down to the river for a refreshing stop-off. Bawdsey Bawdsey Beach (coast): We’re short of sandy beaches in this part of Suffolk so make the most of the pebbles and shells and go beachcombing.