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" Pin Mill Holiday 2016 - Down Rive to The Clamp. "

Date & start time: Wed / Thurs  24 / 25th August 2016.          ( Map Ref: TM 206 380 )

Location of Start : Pin Mill Village, on the River Orwell near Ipswich, Uk.

Places visited :      Pin Mill, The Clamp and the evening at Chelmondiston.

Walk details :         2 mls, 100 feet of ascent, an hour or so.

Highest point :      It has to be the weather ... and the cool drink at the pub.

Walked with :        Cathy, Sam, Alexander, Ann and our dogs, Boris, Bilbo, Harry and Dylan.

Weather :                Extreme summer . . . dry and temperatures reaching 34 degrees.

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The forecast for the second day at Pin Mill is for even hotter weather. 

Our walks are local and relatively short and the woods (plus the odd cool shower at home) offer a respite from the 34 degrees on the thermometer.

After a few indoor jobs and some extra relaxation I venture out early afternoon to catch the tide.

In the last century Arthur Ransome penned some of his great sailing stories here in Pin Mill.

Look for "They didn't mean to go to sea"  as a great locally based sailing book to read whatever your age.

The River Orwell is reaching full tide.

A 3.9m tidal increase from this morning brings the water up to the edge of the track that leads to our daughter's house.

It reaches the base of the wall in front of the sailing club.

I take a stroll about the village when it is looking its best . . . with plenty of sunshine and a high tide.

The road across the foreshore also serves the boatyard on this side.

There are two yards at Pin Mill . . . King's and Webb's.

Boats have been built and repaired at the Pin Mill since at least the latter part of the 19th century. This tradition is still very much alive today

Webb's is on the other side of the Green . . .
. . . but both use the slipway and moorings on the river.

A nice looking sailing cruiser has arrived and now sits in the cradle

waiting for the tide to fall to allow it to be transferred into the boatyard using a road-going tractor.

This twin masted sailing dinghy is receiving some tender loving care.
I see both sailors are wearing brimmed hats against the strong sun.

From the pontoon I get a different view of The Butt and Oyster

 

There's a good crowd at the pub considering it is late afternoon.

The moorings are home to many coastal barges, most of which seem to be very well maintained.

Apparently the village is host to the annual Thames sailing barge race off the Suffolk east coast.

A second cradle stands on the top of the 'hard', waiting for its turn to earn a living.

The tow bar that the tractor uses can be seen this time, even though it is camouflaged with large amounts of mud.

These two lads were having a whale of a time with their canoe and surf board.

On the beach a young Irish wolf hound also ended up having a whale of a time . . .

He and Dylan enjoyed a run around

despite the long lead which I think was designed to keep him out of the water and mud.

Serious business this "messing about in boats".

It is not all fun though as this commercial fishing boat reminds us, as it sets out down river with the tide.

- - - o o o - - -

A phone picture at the end of the day captures Sam and Alexander in the other local pub awaiting their evening meal.

Full marks to the Red Lion at Chelmondiston for a lovely evening meal.

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After lunch next day we take another cool option and head through the woods,

following the river down-stream to a river-side property known as The Clamp.

The tide is out . . . so that's what is holding the moorings ropes in place !

- - - o o o - - -

 

We're following a short part of the Stour & Orwell Walk,

a way marked path and one of the many

long distance paths of the Uk.

 

- - - o o o - - -

 

Alongside Cliff Plantation

is a long established community

of houseboats of all shapes and sizes,

moored at the edge of the river.

 

- - - o o o - - -

Some are simple conversions of commercial barges.

Others are more extravagant structures . . . a real house on a boat.

.  .  . but some of the boats moored here have seen better days !

The wooden posts try to arrest the erosion caused by the continual wash of the tides.

In the woods someone has built a shelter . . . I wonder how old he or she was ?

The National Trust has a lovely challenge for children which lists 50 things to do before you're 11¾ . . . this could be one of them.

For older children there's always the new Pokémon Go !

Cathy takes the dogs down to the river's edge at The Clamp.

Out in the river this crew is enjoying the sail . . .
On the water's edge this dog is enjoying the mud.

In millennia to come someone might spot the tell-tale signs of animal footprints etched into the mud as fossils.

Cathy retrieves her phone to take a picture.

Then it's back to the screen and checking out any local sightings.

From The Clamp we head inland slightly, past a large irrigation pond.

The local ducks appreciate the salt-free water as they swim and preen.

On the top of the Shotley headland there is an unusual field crop . . . one I haven't seen grown before.

Any ideas  . . . have an extra look before you scroll down.

- - - o o o - - -

How come he can grow acres and acres of parsley

and all the seeds and seedlings I plant out in my garden always die a death !

All paths lead back to the Butt and Oyster . . . and now the tide is fully in.

More children are enjoying the water . . . Dylan also takes a short dip.

. . . some take the chance to adjourn to the table under the sunshade . . . time to stop looking at the screens now lads.

As the others return to the house, I take one last walk out on the pontoons.

The tide is creeping across the road now and the first yellow lines are hidden.

Out on the walkway Dylan has befriended two local gentlemen

who are themselves having a break from  working on their boat.

By the time we return ashore the tide has risen to cover the road completely.

Today it is no problem but at high spring tides the road can be shut here for an hour or so due to the deep water.

- - - o o o - - -

 

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon Sureshot SX220, or my Canon 1100D Digital SLR.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . .wet feet and dry shoes.

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Previous walk - 22nd August 2016 - Pin Mill and Woolverstone

A previous time up here - rd to 6th August 2010 Pin Mill Village and local Walks

Next walk - 24th August 2016 - Keyworth and Rushcliff Park