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Southwold to Kessingland via Easton Bavents and Covehithe
5 September 2009
Covehithe
June 2000
Covehithe
February 2002
rapid gullying and further cliff
recession .. also a look at Benacre.
Covehithe November 19
2004
Easton Bavents
November 2004
Easton Bavents and North Southwold
June 2006
Easton Bavents,
Southwold, Dunwich & Sizewell December 2008
Southwold to Kessingland via Easton Bavents and Covehithe
5 September 2009
1 - Southwold pier and town defences to Mr
Boggis' defences
2 - Easton cliffs and Broad to Covehithe
Broad
3 - Covehithe cliffs to Benacre
Broad and towards Kessingland
- and back
3 -
Covehithe Cliffs to Benacre Broad and towards Kessingland |
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Covehithe cliffs |
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Access to the beach
petered out beyond Covehithe Broad, as the high tide eased
towards its maximum and covered the beach, centre and right. |
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Although not part of an
official footpath route, the cliff-top is walkable and gives views of
the beach .. and of Covehithe church encases, as it is, within the
mantle of a much larger and older ruin. |
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The high cliffs of
Covehithe, predominantly of fine sand. At this point the beach was
inaccessible from above and the high tide had isolated a half-mile
stretch. People were on the beach, but could not easily exit it. |
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A lens of pebbles
to the north of the roadway at Covehithe, left, and the beach
below, which was reached by climbing down a steep gully. |
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Further progress
was stopped quite soon by the beach being lowered and the cliff
leading to a bench of clay ... |
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... that was being washed
over quite vigorously by waves! Offshore is one of the two dozen vessels
at anchor, swinging to the north and to the south with the changes in
the tidal currents. Their number has grown to about 30 vessels, and they
are full of oil, either being involved in oil transfers at sea (which
idiots sanctioned that?) or sitting out lower oil prices in speculation
of an upturn in the markets. |
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Benacre Broad
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The steep decent to
the beach had to be reversed to continue northwards - to Benacre
Broad, with its bird life and a hide. |
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Benacre lagoon lies
behind a long, if not wide, barrier beach ... and an iconic tree
marker on the beach. Behind the tree, on this unspoiled coast,
another oil tanker at anchor, riding out the markets for a
higher price! If winter gales wrecks one, however, the
coastline, and the British taxpayer will be massive losers. |
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To the north of Benacre
Broad lie the cliffs of Kessingland, that are lower than further south,
and with the clay basement more exposed. |
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One of my favourite
discoveries from the walk was a number of clay coastal features,
including a miniature sea arch, right. |
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The return to Southwold
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A short stretch of
cliff separates Benacre Broad from the lowlands leading to
Kessingland. Views towards Southwold are available, left and
centre. |
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An undermined tree
blocks the beach, left, and the abraded remains of reeds resist
removal, even at high tide, right. |
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The beach was wholly
accessible on the return southwards and had some surprises, such as the
newly-created cliff step, centre, and the row of beet exposed by the
eroded cliff, right. On the left is a jumble of fallen fragments of crag
and fine sand. |
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The extending beach
at Easton Broad, left and the cliffs of Easton Bavents to the
south. Lastly, right, the tetrapods of the defences at South
warren ... most northerly of the Southwold defences. |
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Suffolk Easton
Bavents Covehithe church Benacre Broad Kessingland coasts erosion beach
features arch clay high tide sand dunes cliffs wildlife
birds reserve Suffolk Southwold tetrapods |
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