Orford Ness

An early start this morning to drive up to Orford in Suffolk to catch a ferry across to Orford Ness. I was booked onto a crossing on Wednesday originally, but that got cancelled yesterday so I was lucky enough to grab one of the last spaces for today instead.

It’s a strange otherworldly place. It has been used since the First World War for weapons testing by the military, closing at the end of the Cold War. Since then it was sold to the national trust who now look after it. Visitor numbers are restricted (which I didn’t realise until a couple of weeks ago) as the site is likely to contain unexploded stuff (it’s ok, they checked the paths that you have to keep to), but they’re also letting it be gradually reclaimed by nature so there’s lots of nesting birds etc.

Some interesting displays to explain the history, some weird looking buildings with a lot that you can’t get anywhere near except on special guided tours, and a lot of walking on concrete paths and gravel. And no shade - so I found it really hot and felt a bit ill by the time I’d finally got to the house I’m staying in. I’d like to go back on a guided tour of some of the other areas sometime, or take a photography tour which would be interesting. But very glad to have got there this holiday.