Saturday 11th March 2023

I was asked a few weeks back, if I fancied meeting up with friends, Simon and Cam for a few bears and a crawl round Ipswich.

Seemed a great idea, but checking Network Rain this week, I found that there were replacement buses out of Liverpool Street to Whitham and out of Cambridge. The first added an hour to the trip to Ipswich, the second, 90 minutes.

Jools said she would enjoy a trip out and a walk around Manningtree, so we could go in the car, I would drive up, she would drive back, and we would both have some exercise and I would meet friends.

Perfect.

Although we had planned to go to Tesco first, in the end we had breakfast and set off at half seven, eager to get some miles under our belts before traffic really built at Dartford.

Up the A2 in bright sunshine, it was a great day for travel, but also I thought it might have been good for checking out orchid woods back home. But a change is always good, and it has been nearly 9 years since Simon invited me for a tour round historic Ipswich, showing there was almost as much history there than in Norwich to the north.

Into Essex before nine, and arriving in Ipswich before ten, we decided to find somewhere for breakfast first before going our separate ways.

A large breakfast later, we split up, and I went to wander north to St Margaret's church, which I had been into on that trip 9 years back, but my shots not so good.

I found many interesting places in-between the modern buildings and urban sprawl, timber framed houses, Tudor brick and much more beside.

Sadly, St Margaret was locked. I could see the notice on the porch door, so I didn't go up to see what it said.

I wandered back, found St Mary le Tower open, so went in and took over a hundred shots, soaking in the fine Victorian glass and carved bench ends, even if they were 19th century and not older.

The clocked ticked round to midday, and so I made my way to the quayside where I was to meet my friends.

Simon lives in Ipswich, but Cam and David had come down on the train from the Fine City. We met at the Briarbank Brewery Tap where I had a couple of mocha porters, which were very nice indeed.

We talked of football, churches, breweries and all sorts of squit. And how to speak Norfolk. And Suffolk. Liverpools latest setback at Bournemouth was playing on the TV above us, though we paid it little attention, other than to remark that the home side were 1-0 to the good at half time.

From there we went to the Dove where we had two more beers as well as lunch.

And finally a walk to The Spread Eagle for one final beer before I walked back to Portman Road to meet Jools at the car.

Jools drove us back to the A12, and pointed the car south. As we drove, dusk fell and rain began to fall. Not very pleasant. But at least traffic was light, so in an hour we were on the M25 and twenty minutes later over the river and back in Kent.

Rain fell steadily as we cruised down the M20, past the familiar landmarks until we were back in Dover. Where we had to make a pit stop at M and S, as we needed supplies, and something for supper.

Not sure that garlic bread and wine counts as a meal, but did for us, so at half nine, we climbed the hill to bed.