Southwold is a small seaside town in Suffolk, East Anglia. In the sixteenth century it was a very busy fishing port but that was taken over by Lowestoft a little further up the coast. Now the town is a small seaside resort close enough to attract weekend visitors from London. It is what you might call genteel with some beautiful buildings, a sandy beach and a harbour.
Brightly coloured beach huts line the beach. These small wooden boxes are a popular attraction and can often be hired for the day or the week. They are used for shelter or changing in and out of your swimwear. They don't have running water or electricity but some have bottled gas so hot drinks and food can be prepared.
The original Southwold Pier dates back to 1899. It was built as a landing stage for passenger ferries. It doesn't have the usual brash and gaudy attractions of other piers I have visited just a collection of plain white buildings which house a cafe and a very unusual arcade.
Also on the pier is this water clock made to promote the recycling of water in 1984 and still in good working order. It's a real Heath Robinson type contraption as on the hour the water overfills the bath at the top and then moves down to the next level where the men drop their trousers and pee into the toilet.
Under The Pier Show has a number of whacky hand-made machines designed by Tim Hunkin. This one is the Mobility Masterclass and you have to try and cross a motorway with a zimmer frame.
Watch a Jane Fonda workout, while the bed does the exercises for you.
Here you can sit in the chair and travel on holiday, moved by the magic carpet. After a manic flight and coach ride you arrive in a tropical paradise and get a brief suntan from heatlamp.
Stand on the treadmill and hold the dog's lead and go for a walk.
There were numerous other machines including whack-a-banker, the Booth of truth and Brainwash. All very silly but they brought a smile to people's faces.
From the end of the pier you had a good view of the town and the lighthouse. More about the town in my next post.
I love the rent-a-dog sign. Years ago my sister wanted to go for a walk on a windy beach and wanted to ‘rent’ a dog for the occasion. Needless to say…
ReplyDeleteI love the waterclock too, so ingenious.
I hope you aren't dissing Brighton and Blackpool Piers.
ReplyDeleteIt is controversial as here beach boxes are privately owned and might cost $200,000 to buy which would not come with any land title. Owning a private building on public land. Hmmm.... They would not be allowed to have gas beyond a small bottle for lighting or a barbeque.
I guess the clock is accurate.
Under the Pier show sounds great.
Southwold is not a town I have heard of. I look forward to seeing more.
Amazing place! I love the little huts for rent.
ReplyDeleteTerrific shots.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun place to visit.
ReplyDeleteI've never visited Southwold and it has always been on my 'places to visit list'.
ReplyDeleteWill I get there? I don't know ... I enjoyed your post and photographs.
All the best Jan
I visited Southwold a number of years ago. I think it was to see a special bird species but so far back I can't remember. The bird reserve near the town is quite famous. I do like that dog walker.It made me smile.
ReplyDeleteWonderful beach photos ~ great place to visit ~ Xo
ReplyDeleteLiving in the moment,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Suffolk has some lovely beaches, but visitors probably don't want or need enormous cities for their holidays. The pier is not over flashy, the beach boxes are attractive and the hotels weren't all built last week. I miss family holidays on the beach.
ReplyDeleteThose are some different sorts of arcade games. Nice looking beach. Did you get your feet wet?
ReplyDeleteThe beach is fabulous and the contraptions along the way a giggle.
ReplyDelete