Thorney Island

Reed beds on Thorney Island, the location of our afternoon walk.  It was a beautiful day, icy to start but then warm in the sunshine.  The island has a circular walk around its edge - a expedition we plan for another day.  

As well as being an RSPB reserve, the British Army have a base here and it is used by the SAS.  Part of the way along the walk we met a razor wire fence which stretched out into the sea and locked gate with an intercom and surveillance cameras. In order to continue along the public footpath we had to press and button and wait for the gate to be unlocked.  It felt rather eerie!  

The island has an interesting history including being used as an RAF base (with a now disused runway) and in 1980 it was a temporary home to hundreds of Vietnamese families who had been accepted into the UK.  In 1985 it was apparently used for the Thorney Island Heavy Gas Dispersion Trials!  

We returned home to have a cup of tea and our first slice of the Christmas cake! Delicious!