Languard Fort and Sutton Hoo

The approach to Felixstowe

Felixstowe Harbour

The wind was gusting this morning but the van stayed still protected by the hedges.

“Let’s go to Felixstowe,” Van-Man decided. However he drove to Languard Fort instead of the town, and found it easily by fallowing my instructions with only one “are you sure.” 
Once parked, we walked around the outside of the fort allowing Lottie to run around before going inside.

Entering Languard Fort

Inside the fort looking at entrance arch

The fort faced the sea channel so we watched the ships moving in and out of Felixstowe and Harwich. 

As we circled the fort open heath land lay to the rear delighting Lottie’s nose even though she had to stay leashed.
At last we entered Languard Fort which was in excellent condition. Its history spanned the 17^th to 20^th century. All floors and areas were accessible and there were many exhibits on display from different eras.

Buildings on the outer wall

The fort had small guns

Lottie enjoyed looking around the outside but didn’t wish to linger in the tunnels and magazine areas which were built into the massive walls. Instead she led us speedily through some of the displays. However there was so much to see including the giant cogs working the fort clock. 
It started to rain as we left the fort so we had a leisurely lunch in the van which sat out of the way in the corner of the car park then debated what to do next.

...and large ones

The clock works

We decided to try and find Kyson Hill which offered views over the estuary near Woodbridge, but there was no signage to it and the roads in its direction were single track so we abandoned it and went to Sutton Hoo instead. 

This was where the burial of a complete Viking ship was found. We arrived just as the rain began easing. By the time we had parked up the rain had stopped. 

Viking ship burial mound

Rare breed of sheep at Sutton Hoo

Sadly the new displays in the museum, including the replica of the Viking ship, were not open for viewing until the end of June. We set out on the circular walk around the burial grounds which was also home to some rare breeds of sheep. The site of the boat burial was high above the estuary below. What a difficult task to drag the boat up this hill.

The long boat sculpture (unfinished)

Bluebells on the river view walk

After looking at the full size Viking ship sculpture which was still under construction, we sat on the veranda outside the cafe having coffee. Then we went on the river view circular walk. This wound through bluebell woods which were in flower and gave good views of the river and Woodbridge. Lottie’s nose was twitching and while we surveyed the view she attached a dead branch and chewed it. The tide was out so boats lay keeled over on the mud. The sun came out making the water sparkle.

first glimpse of the river

River estuary

As we walked back towards the cafe a small herd of about ten fallow deer ran across the path behind us. Lottie swivelled round swiftly but as she was on the lead she stood and stared at them as they bounded into the undergrowth, disappointed not to be able to chase them. No there is no photo, Van_man was too slow.

Strangely Van-Man turned the wrong way out of Sutton Hoo and had to do a 360 at a roundabout to return to the campsite where we had a quiet evening.