Soon after discovering the joys of Adnams beer at the tender age of 20, my pals and I pledged to make a group pilgrimage to Southwold (home of the aforementioned sacred beverage) to take the Adnams Brewery tour. We were never organised enough to get it together in those days though and another 30+ years would elapse before I eventually took the tour in 2013 - and it's well recommended if you ever find yourself in the area, but then I would say that wouldn't I? On Saturday, my 56th birthday, I fulfilled another similarly long-held ambition in the very same seaside town, when Mrs S & I climbed the iconic Southwold Lighthouse. The 113 steps to the top, spiral up around the internal wall of the structure, with just a handrail to separate you from the void. Mrs S, who isn't great with heights, had a very big wobble half way up (and a pretty much continuous wobble all the way down at the conclusion of the visit), but we made it and were rewarded with excellent views, in spite of the general miserableness of the weather on the day. (Click on any photo to enlarge)
Looking up at the climb and looking down towards the pier.
In the distance, Dunwich & Minsmere and down there............
..........the Adnams brewery. It must be time for a pint.
Today we took ourselves off to Southwold for a
refreshing blast of sea air, a chippy lunch
and a pint of Adnams, beer of the Gods. As I
wandered back from the bar after ordering the
aforementioned feast, I had the sudden
sensation of having been poked in the eye,
even though I hadn't - a very odd feeling.
When I reached our table Mrs S's expression
spoke volumes. A vessel must have popped and
the white of my right eye was already becoming
blood red and fairly unpleasant to look at.
There is little better, after such a fine
lunch, than an invigorating walk along an out-of-season beach, when the wind is howling and
the waves are crashing into shore a few feet
away. Bracing is the word and it really does
remind you that you're alive, even if you are
wearing sunglasses to hide an unsightly, bloody
eye.
