Thorpeness & The Dolphin

In 1910 Stuart Ogilvie bought the hamlet of Thorpeness and set about transforming it into a private fantasy holiday village. It is a delightful place for jollity and relaxation, with all the mock-tudor and sturdy brick ones heart could possibly desire, dominated by the mere which presents numerous further opportunities for watery jollity and fun. For any pedants amongst us, I feel I should point out that the windmill is or rather was in fact a wind pump, supplying water to the adjacent water tower, otherwise known as the house in the clouds.

There appears to be a trend emerging amongst the Jolly Boys walks, that being the appearance of public houses en-route and hence The Dolphin in the title. The pub appears a short walk beyond the track alongside which the windmill can be found and was known to us to have a generous sunny garden. We duly arrived at the 'please wait here to be seated' sign and before long a member of staff arrived to inform us that she wasn't sure she had tables available for 'just drinks'. I narrowly missed the opportunity to quiz her as to whether the Dolphin pub is in fact a pub or a restaurant, because an eagle-eyed member of our party informed her of the vacant tables in a shady corner under the trees.

'Oh we don't use those' she retorted, 'too much tree debris falling on diners.' So, we happily sat, shaded, neither dining nor being trouble by debris.

Aldeburgh lies a couple of miles south along the coast, from where we caught a bus back to Leiston in the heat of the afternoon, the air conditioning was welcomed by all.