Mistley Quay Café Breakfast Meet
&
Ride out to Naze Tower, Walton-on-the-Naze

Sunday 11th September 2011

When one is organising a Club Meeting, the weather plays an important part.

At the beginning of the week the forecast for today was not encouraging, suggesting blustery winds and heavy showers.

However, on the day all turned out well with a windy day but sun as well.
Ten people met at the Mistley Quay Café and enjoyed a good breakfast. I heard later that another group had mistakenly met at the Mistley Animal Farm Café just up the road – we used to meet here occasionally but today’s venue was clearly stated in the calendar and on my information sheet on the East Anglia Website!

The Mistley Quay Café is run by Richard and Ester Brunning and all the food is freshly cooked on the premises. They lay on various functions throughout the year.

When all had finished breakfast we assembled on the quay and kitted up for the ride-out to the Naze Tower, some twenty miles away.

The route was on a twisty road alongside the River Stour with glimpse of this broad river through the trees and gaps in hedges.

At Ramsey Crossroads we rode straight across through to Great Oakley and along the other side of the peninsular dividing the River Stour and Walton Backwaters.
The Walton Backwaters is designated an area of Special Scientific Interest and was clearly visible at several points along the road.

Entering Walton-on-the-Naze we entered the Naze Tower Car Park and stopped to purchase parking tickets – I had informed all riders to do this as I had a premonition a parking warden would check our bikes – I had, to no avail, tried to negotiate a special rate with the Tendring Council, so they knew we would be there!

After parking we walked to the cliff edge and gazed down at the recently completed Naze Sea Defences. Huge granite boulders from Norway had been piled up along the base of the cliffs and a walkway created for the public to walk safely along the foot of the crumbing cliffs. Hopefully this will delay the erosion which has for many years gradually been eating away the cliffs – a great source of fossils!

This photo from the top of the Naze Tower clearly shows the granite boulders and path.

We all then walked in to the Tower where some of us paid the reasonable fee to ascend the spiral staircase to the top. On the way up are several floors, each displaying art in various forms.

The views from the top of the Tower are stupendous with the whole of Felixstowe Docks clearly visible. To the south, Walton Pier stretches out in to the sea and behind it the newly built Wind Farm on the Gunfleet Sands – see photos below.

Bikes seen from top of the Tower.

Twizzle Creek with marina behind

Walton Pier & Wind Farm

Felixstowe Docks

After light lunches we went out to our bikes and found a parking attendant placing penalty notices on them. We had all kept our tickets in our pockets and after producing them he cancelled the penalty notices!! My premonition had been correct!

An enjoyable day starting with an excellent breakfast and after a gentle ride-out, ending at a delightful spot for lunch.