Continuing last week’s Sunday Picture Post. On 2nd December (which now seems an age ago) we walked from Lowestoft to Gorleston via Gunton Warren, Corton Woods, Hopton Cliffs and Gorleston Beach. We pick up that walk at Corton Woods…
…and at once we’re greeted by a pond. Lilies grow here. But for now, it’s green with pondweed

2nd Dec 2020
Early December the autumnal trees offer an eye-fest

2nd Dec 2020

2nd Dec 2020
But not all is bright. Dark eternal holly grows here… and white-barked birch

2nd Dec 2020

2nd Dec 2020

2nd Dec 2020
Alas to leave the woods. But we hear the call of the sea.
Corton Cliffs. No beach-walking now until Gorleston seen here in the misty distance. And yes, that is the wreck I used for CCC109

2nd Dec 2020
I used to be scared of heights; I could not have stood here and taken this photo. But I wanted to show you have vulnerable this cliff edge. This isn’t rock, this is compacted sand, (not sandstone)

2nd Dec 2020
Looking down, looking back, a beach inaccessible by foot…

2nd Dec 2020
… and looking ahead, we see the old sea defences. We used to walk atop that when we walked from Gorleston to Lowestoft. Ha, no doing that now!

2nd Dec 2020
Hopton Cliffs looking back. I don’t know how far that walkway goes, and I don’t know if there’s a way back up at the end. But it looks mighty wet, most off-putting. BTW this is close to low tide

2nd Dec 2020
Hopton Beach. Imported granite blocks now provide protection and divide the sandy beach into bays. The sun continues to peep out from the clouds in a creamy-white light

2nd Dec 2020
Hopton Cliffs looking toward Gorleston. This is where we’d usually regain the beach (and clamber over those rocks). But today there’s so much spray in the air, good sense said to stay up top. But the path takes us away from the sea. Don’t fret, we’ll soon be back, and it’ll be like we’ve entered another world…

2nd Dec 2020
Gorleston Beach and a pool left by the tide. Great for kids to paddle in but today only the gulls care to brave the misty weather. And that red-topped post? That’s all that remains of one of the many groynes that used troop up this beach… swallowed one and all by the sand.

2nd Dec 2020
If you see the movie Yesterday, you’ll see people crowded along here. No, didn’t happen, that’s movie magic. Signage in big white letters (not really visible here) warns of Danger Keep Off. Want to know why? Look behind it…

2nd Dec 2020
Low tide. Sea not at turbulent.

2nd Dec 2020
And finally a close-up of a turnstone!

2nd Dec 2020
The Highland Knight, a regular visitor here, is now leaving port. We wait and watch it pass

2nd Dec 2020

2nd Dec 2020
as does this young Herring Gull

2nd Dec 2020
So sad, our walk is done. I hope you enjoyed the sights, and understand better how our coasts are ever-changing
Next week’s walk… let me take you northward from Great Yarmouth. And we’ll start an hour before sunrise