Season: winter
A cold, still mist entranced the beachgoers at Dunwich beach during this visit. The opaque light of the winter sun in the south moved fleetingly across a calm sea as children searched for hagstones on the shore. A hagstone is a stone with a hole in the middle, bored out by the action of another, wedged companion stone over time. Keep one with you to ward off witches, according to folklore.
Musician Mark enjoys his downtime after a busy working Christmas.
The atmospheric beach at Dunwich on a winter day.
Season: summer
The last of the light cast long evening shadows over the beach towards the end of a fine summer day. The sound of birds preparing to roost punctuated a tranquil scene. The sea lapped the shingle beach and a mellow light fell on the remaining couple of visitors, who scoured the shingle for hagstones. Summer had arrived at Dunwich after a late, chilly spring and the beach was a fine place to celebrate its return.
A relaxing end to the day for Alan and Pamela.
Peace and quiet in the early evening at Dunwich beach.
Season: autumn
Dunwich and Dunwich Heath, which extends back from the cliffs by the beach, offer unspoilt beauty and the chance to get back to nature. There’s a smuggling tradition here too and plenty of history, as witnessed by the remains of Leiston Abbey, the imposing walls of Framlingham Castle and the beautifully preserved keep at Orford Castle.
The beach as a positive reference point for Linda.
The scene beside the water at Dunwich beach.
To quote another man “I count no hours but those which are serene” and serenity is what I find walking the Suffolk coast, so these are the hours I count as my own..
Dunwich beach means nature and beauty in its rawest form to me. The feeling of soft pebbles, fine sand and salty water beneath my toes makes me truly appreciate the world we live in. The smell of fragrant heather wafting around the beach, mixed the misty salty air, makes for the best natural perfume anyone could wish for. The distant sound of children playing, dogs barking and the waves crashing is the most magnificent music to my ears. These few simple things are what makes Dunwich beach so beautiful to me.
Protecting the RSPB Minsmere reserve from the sea gives the beach at Dunwich a very special purpose. To walk it is a bird lovers delight. Listen, can you hear the bells of the 12 lost churches above the roar of the sea and the call of the birds? Move on to the bustling beach in Southwold and hear a very different soundscape – the delightful Victorian seaside town spills onto the beach by way of the the beach huts and pier. Eat fish and chips sitting on a bench gazing out to sea and all seems right with the world.