David & Caroline Callow, Pennant 8

*The bleak, beautiful power of Benacre *

We have always had an affinity with this part of the coastline having taken family holidays to visit our parents here for the last thirty-three summers. In particular, we love the stretch from Ness Point to Southwold- there’s so much of interest and it is constantly changing. Benacre feels so wild and remote as we climb the hill (usually into the wind!) and stop at the brow to turn back and admire the wide stretch of the North Sea. The breadth of the view is stunning, and it is clear why there are many WWII naval lookout posts here. The neatly trimmed hedgerows are stark against the blue sky and look as though the wind has permanently bent them to its will, into grotesque shapes.

I remember Paul (Caroline’s Dad) taking Barney, his border collie, for walks along this stretch of the coastal path. He would return with stories of what he had seen and found, and descriptions of how the coastline was constantly changing shape: the power of the sea taking bites out of the cliffs with ease. We loved to walk through the sand dunes in the Benacre Nature Reserve with our children, often jumping out to surprise us.

Our dream is for our grandson Leo to come for walks with us here just as Paul’s grandchildren did with him. The lineage and continuity would be most sweet. We dream that generations in future will respect the coastline and admire its majesty and power. We must protect and preserve it for future generations to enjoy. To gaze out into the great breadth of the North Sea allows us to reflect on how small we really are.