East Anglia Branch Visit to Orford Ness Lighthouse

• Date Saturday, September 9, 2017
• Venue Orford Quay

Overview

Saturday 09th September, meet at Orford Quay 10:30am for 10:45 departure

The East Anglia Branch is delighted to invite all its Fellows, Members and Students to participate in a visit to Orford Ness Lighthouse in the pretty coastal village of Orford, Suffolk.

Located on Orford Ness, the former secret military site, a visit to the lighthouse is a memorable experience. Partners and families are also welcome.

The Lighthouse which was decommissioned in 2013 due to the threat of coastal erosion is now in private ownership and is being preserved so that the wider population can experience its unique atmosphere and spectacular views before its ultimate collapse into the sea.

Our guided  visit to the Lighthouse entails a short river crossing from Orford Quay to Orford Ness on local pleasure boat "Regardless",  and then an approx 40 minute walk across The Ness to the Lighthouse itself. Although this visit is specifically to the Lighthouse the walk across The Ness itself is equally fascinating. Now a National Trust site, The Ness is where in the late 1930s radar was first developed, it was home to The AWRE (Atomic Weapons Research Establishment) and it was where "Cobra Mist" a 1960s U.S early warning system was installed. Shrouded for years in Cold War secrecy Orford Ness was inaccessible to the public until relatively recently. Now managed as a nature reserve, the mystery of that era can still be felt amongst the decaying buildings and remote melancholy beauty of the landscape.

Numbers for this visit are limited and therefore we will allocate places on a first come basis. The maximum number of persons we can accommodate is 25. Our intention once the visit is over is to retire to The Jolly Sailor for lunch.

The volunteer group that runs the lighthouse like a "donation" of £5 per person to enter the Lighthouse and the return boat fare across the river is £3 per person.

We hope to see you for what should be an enjoyable day trip.

Notes: Limited vehicle transport is available across the Ness for those less mobile. Sadly dogs are not permitted on Orford Ness.

Contact for Event

Please advise if you wish to attend by 2^nd June 2017 by email to cath.jackson@cnshipping.co.uk / ICS@GrangeShipping.co.uk