Four Days in Suffolk - Day 3

On or second full day we had a pleasant duty to perform. Getting the Christmas presents for our friends. I have no worries about detailing it here because after years of getting the same presents none of them will be greatly surprised. We headed to the Shawcross vineyard. As we arrived a rather distracted woman also arrived, in order to avoid an accident I let her go in first, so while she was being served, we were ushered off to look at the vines.

I have no idea whether 2016 is a good year or not, but I was impressed with the yield on most of the vines.

They grow quite a few varieties, and it was a pleasant walk around the edge of the vineyard, although not at all challenging. On returning to the shop we sat outside while the tasting was prepared.  All the wines were good, but as is always the case, the final selection was a compromise.  Jo and I have very different tastes.  We had tried six different wines and then placed our order.  Having loaded the boxes into the car we were offered coffee, which was a welcome refreshment, and it being a pleasant morning we sat in the yard for a while longer.

We then drove to Framlingham to see the castle.   I thought that I had visited all the English castles, but cannot remember ever seeing this one before.  It is an impressive place, so we picked up the free audio guide and climbed the stairs for a walk around the wall. 

 When we arrived we had parked in the shade in the overflow car park with the coaches.  The castle was full of school children, most of whom were enyoing the good weather and playing on the steep banks.  I assume the trips were 'educational', but in reality just being in the castle is educational, and hopefully will spark a lot of questions.  The castle building has a fairly unusual history, as can be seen from the houses built inside the walls.  They now house the exhibition.

There is no cafe in the castle, but you can come and go as you please, so we wandered down into the town to get some sandwiches to take back to the castle to eat.  We passed plenty of places where we could have stopped, but there seemed to be no take-away until we got to the Co-op.
A short walk around the town, then back to the castle to eat our sandwiches.

After lunch we took a longer walk around the town, and came across some Alms houses, we also walked through the meadow under the castle, which it is believed was once flooded, and provided fish as well as defense.
 

Later we drove to Southwold and strolled along the sea front, and through the town.  We ate fish and chips from the Sole Bay Fish Company - by far the poshest take-away fish and chips I have ever had.  It came in a custome made bag, which was lined to keep the food warm and included a slice of lemon.  They also offered us some of their home made tartar sauce.  Sadly though, no protection from the gulls that constantly swooped overhead in the hope of a chip.  A lovely evening on the top of Southwold cliffs.