adventures in aldeburgh

Just back from our week in Aldeburgh, and the weather didn't let us down. We basked in warm autumnal sunshine nearly every day.

This time we stayed in a larger cottage called, quite appropriately for Aldeburgh, Pebblebeach:

Owned by Angie and Simon Lewin of St Jude's Gallery, it featured gorgeous prints and fabrics by Angie (and other British printmakers) as well as fabulous midcentury modern furniture:

But unlike our last holiday by the sea, we spent more time outdoors than in.

I was quite enamored with the seagulls, until I saw how menacing this one looked in stop-motion!

And just for Val, here's a picture of the famous scallop shell. The 12-foot-high sculpture was designed by Maggi Hambling as a memorial to Benjamin Britten. Installed on a deserted beach just north of Aldeburgh, it's been a source of controversy ever since. Locals seem to either love it or loathe it:

In addition to walking along the sea, we also trekked through the fields and forests surrounding Aldeburgh. The RSPB maintains some super sites and trails. Indeed, one of the things we love most about this part of Suffolk is the landscape's diversity. You can ramble along the sea and through marshes, fields, and forests all in the same morning--and we did--but boy do those pebbles make for tough walking!