Aldeburgh's Beach

Aldeburgh is a coastal town located to the north of the River Alde and was once a leading port with a flourishing shipbuilding industry; this declined as the river silted up and in the 1800s it became a fashionable tourist spot.

We walk via the outskirts of town and along the edge of Aldeburgh Marshes to reach the River Alde and head to the coast and what was once Slaughden; this was originally a fishing village but was lost to erosion by the sea - the only surviving building is the unique quatrefoil Martello Tower.  From here it is along the promenade to pass some of the town's landmarks; the Fort Greem Mill (a four-storey windmill built in 1824 and converted into a dwelling in 1902), the Grade II listed Aldeburgh Beach Lookout (1830) and the Lifeboat Station.  We then go into town to walk along the High Street to see some of the sights there before returning to the promenade. Later on, we returned to enjoy Adnams beer at the White Hart Inn and fish and chips (the two family-run fish and chip shops here have been rated among the country's best) -

We see the Moot Hall (a Grade I listed timber-framed building used for council meetings for over 400 years, that now also houses the local museum) and then walk up the Scallop, just beyond the town centre.  This sculpture (2003) is dedicated to Benjamin Britten, who would walk along the beach in the afternoons.

Aldeburgh is a lovely place.Read more