Suffolk Coast & Heaths Explorer Guide The Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB The Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is one of Britain’s finest landscapes. It extends from the Stour estuary in the south to the eastern fringe of Ipswich and north to Kessingland. The AONB covers 403 square kilometres, including wildlife rich wetlands, ancient heaths, windswept shingle beaches and historic towns and villages. Kessingland Lowestoft Key to Map Beccles AONB area Explorer Guide Visiting Kessingland Kessingland Additional project area Lowestoft Towns and villages A145 Ordnance Survey Explorer Map No. 231 Key to Map A12 Woodland Beccles (Southwold and Bungay) AONB area Heathland Halesworth Additional project area Kessingland Main roads Southwold Car: access via the B1437 from Towns and villages A145 Railways/stations A12 River the A12. Woodland Blyth HeathlandSuffolk Coast Path/Stour Blythburgh Walberswick and Orwell Walk HalesworthA144 Public transport information: Main roads Southwold Railways/stationsSandlings Walk River www.suffolkonboard.com or call Blyth Dunwich Suffolk Coast Path/Stour Blythburgh Sailors’ Path A1120A144 Walberswick 0845 606 6171 and Orwell Walk SandlingsYou are Whealkre Minsmere Dunwich Sailors’ Path A1120 You are here Framlingham Minsmere Lowestoft Tourist Information: Saxmundham www.lovelowestoft.co.uk Framlingham Leiston Saxmundham 01502 533600 Leiston Snape Wickham Snape Aldeburgh Market River Wickham Aldeburgh Southwold Tourist Information: Market River Alde Rendlesham Alde A12 Rendlesham www.visit-sunrisecoast.co.uk A12 River River 01502 724729 Orford OrfordOre Ore WWoodbridgeoodbridge Orford NessOrford Ness Sutton HooSutton Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB Hoo 01394 384948 Ipswich North Ipswich River North A14 Deben Sea www.suffolkcoastandheaths.org River A14 DebenBawdsey Sea A14 Trimley St Mary/ Bawdsey River Orwell A12 A14St Martin Alton Water Trimley St Mary/ Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB Park River Orwell OS Licence info. © Crown copyright A12 A137 St Martin Shotley and database rights 2012 Ordnance is a partner of the BALANCE Alton Water Felixstowe Park River Stour Survey 100023395. project, part-financed by the ManningtreeA137 Shotley Harwich European Union through Mistley Felixstowe River Stour the Interreg IV A 2 Seas Manningtree Harwich Crossborder Programme. Mistley Three wonderful walks exploring the coastal village and Parish of Kessingland. Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Research, text and some images by Simon Peachey. Printed on Recycled FSC, ECF, Carbon Balanced paper. Printed on Recycled FSC, ECF, text and some images by Simon Peachey. Research, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Kessingland lies on the north Suffolk coast within the Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Kessingland Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The Parish includes coast, cliffs and productive farmland. Suffolk Coast & Heaths Explorer Guide Fossils of extinct mammals and evidence of very early human activity have been found here. 4 Sir Henry Rider Haggard (1856 - 1925) Highlights of Kessingland is famous as the author of best selling novels King Solomon’s Mines, the Allan Quatermain 1 The Hundred River Valley was once Adventures and She. He had a holiday home the location of the port of Kessingland. At the in the village called Kessingland Grange. The time of the Norman Conquest, Kessingland house no longer exists, but it was located at was one of the richest coastal towns in Suffolk. the end of Rider Haggard Lane. Over the centuries, the sea blocked the mouth of the Hundred River with tons of shingle and trade became Many of his novels were influenced by impossible. The valley is now a peaceful place of the time he spent in South Africa, where he worked for the colonial marshes and farmland. government. His character Allan Quatermain is said to be the template for the film character Indiana Jones. 2 The Wind Turbines are a striking, if very controversial feature of the landscape. The 125m Kessingland Beach is high structures were erected in 2011 and supply a designated Site of Special enough power for 3,000 homes. Although they Scientific Interest (SSSI) due provide green energy, local opinion has been divided. to its geology. The cliffs include freshwater deposits St Edmund’s of gravel, clay and sand which Church is one of were laid down between the finest in the region. 600,000 and 700,000 years A notable feature is the ago. Fossils of sabre toothed huge tower, which was built cat, hippopotamus, steppe in the 1400s as a beacon mammoth and rhinoceros have for fishermen working off been found in this layer. the coast. A ship’s wheel The discovery of flaked flints indicates is attached to the pulpit, very early human activity. The recognising the village’s link cliffs are unstable, so please with the sea. keep away when you explore the beach. Images: Front cover – Kessingland Beach. A. Hundred River Valley – once home to a thriving port. B. Wind Turbines – a The sand dunes on the beach controversial addition to the landscape. C. St Edmund’s Church are covered in Marram Grass. – the huge tower was a beacon for fishermen. D. Rider Haggard Lane – Kessingland’s famous resident is remembered. E. Sand This has long roots which help to Dunes – a feature of the beach. F. Marram Grass – helps to stabilise the dunes – Michael Dietrich/Imagebroker/FLPA. prevent the sand from blowing. These three walks explore Kessingland’s quiet countryside and Kessingland beautiful coastline, taking in some lovely views on the way. Suffolk Coast & Heaths Explorer Guide © Crown copyright and database rights 2012 Ordnance Survey 100023395. B1437 Countryside and Cliffs Kessingland A Stroll to the Sea Countryside Views Dogs are 5 A Road welcome, please Tangham 4 A12 B Road keep them under Forest C Road Nutgrove B1437 control and on Wood 1 ‘Highlights’ Location lead as advised Wild 2 Parking Wood 3 Start Public House Settlements Wooded Areas Blackcap Marsh Wood Africa Alive St. Edmunds Church 1 Distance Distance ‘Countryside and Cliffs’ 4.6 miles (7.4 km) ‘A Stroll to the Sea’ 2.9 miles (4.7 km) Time: 2 hours 30 mins Time: 1 hour 30 mins Terrain: Paths and tracks can be muddy Terrain: Paths and tracks can be muddy after rain. Please be aware of traffic. after rain. Please be aware of traffic. We We recommend high visibility clothing. recommend high visibility clothing. The The path along the cliff is exposed path along the cliff is exposed and prone and prone to erosion. The cliffs are to erosion. The cliffs are unstable, so unstable, so please keep well away. please keep well away. A Leave Beach Car Park and turn left Turn left out of car park. After short along pavement. Almost immediately distance, turn right down Wash Lane. Keep turn sharp left down track (Marsh Lane). on lane until sharp left bend. Enter Rider This soon becomes path behind houses. Haggard Lane and almost immediately Re-join another track and keep right. B take footpath off left. Follow path into Continue past sewage works. Track countryside. At cross paths, turn left. becomes path at entrance to private Follow path, then take next path off right. fishing lake. through open Keep on path Follow path, ignoring left turn over footbridge, to T junction with track. countryside. Go straight at two cross After entrance to Griffith Turn right. At cliff and steps, turn right along path (descend steps to visit some distance apart. Shortly after tracks, Close, follow path as it goes the beach). Path runs parallel with cliff, then heads inland around garden. At second cross tracks, path joins tarmac behind hedge. Continue beyond cross paths, turn left. Follow path through trees, ignoring right split. When until main road. lane. Continue on lane houses across field. At path T track reached, turn right. along junction, turn left (to shorten Cross road and turn right Follow track between hedges and then houses. Soon after entrance to Rider pavement. Just before St. Edmund’s route by 1 mile, turn right). At Haggard Lane on right, take path left between hedge and fence. Descend Church on right, beside next path junction, turn right. take path off left steps to beach and turn right. Follow path through dunes parallel with cliffs. entrance to industrial estate. Follow path, ignoring left turn Keep At promenade, continue until road joins from right. Turn sharp right and and between fences, over footbridge, to T junction straight past houses follow road past Sailor’s Home Pub back to car park. crossing a residential road. Path joins with track. Turn right. At cliff Lloyds Avenue. and steps, turn right along path (descend steps to visit the beach). Distance At T junction at end of Lloyds Avenue, Path runs parallel with cliff, then ‘Countryside Views’ 2.1 miles (3.4 km) turn right. Continue past shops and heads inland around garden. At school. Turn left into Clare Road and cross paths, turn left. Follow path follow right pavement. through trees, ignoring right split. Time: 1 hour When track reached, turn right. Terrain: Paths and tracks can be muddy after rain. Some sections on roads. Please between hedges and Follow track be aware of traffic. We recommend high houses. Soon after Rider Haggard visibility clothing. The path along the cliff , between Lane take path off left is exposed and prone to erosion. The cliffs hedge and fence. to Descend steps are unstable, so please keep well away. Countryside beach and turn right. Follow path Code through dunes parallel with low The area has a network of footpaths and cliffs. When promenade reached, bridleways. We have shown suggested Leave Beach Car Park and turn left along continue until road joins from routes on this map. Here are a few simple pavement. Almost immediately turn sharp suggestions to help you enjoy the area right. Turn sharp right and follow left down track (Marsh Lane). This soon safely and assist our work in caring for it.