A quick guide to Photographing Alderton

Alderton is a peaceful village on the Deben Peninsula surrounded by some lovely countryside and just a short walk to the coast with its historical Martello towers. The village itself is charming with a main street, a small shop and a good pub. It also has an interesting church which looks beautiful in the spring surrounded by buttercups.

Photographically Alderton’s main attraction is its proximity to the coast. Park in the Recreation Ground car park which is located just off Watson Way. From here walk alongside the bowling green to join the footpath to the beach. This is a lovely walk with views across the fields. There is a small footbridge half way along where some nice shots are available looking along the water towards the Martello Tower. This view is especially good in May when the cow parsley is blooming.

Upon reaching the sea wall there are several options for photography. In spring the beach is the main attraction. It is covered with a range of flowering plants which form a colourful carpet over the shingle. White sea campion and sea kale flower first and are joined by yellow horned poppies and sea peas. There are some lovely shots looking along the beach towards Shingle Street and in the other direction towards the Martello towers and East Lane.

If you follow the Suffolk Coast path along the sea wall towards Shingle Street you will find a row of concrete tank blocks leading across the beach towards the sea. This make an interesting foreground feature and works well at sunrise.

The saline pools at the back of the beach look wonderful in the autumn when the glassworts that grow around their edges turn a vibrant shade of red.

Photographing Alderton – seasonal attractions

Alderton is especially noteworthy for its vegetated shingle beach which is at its most colourful in middle to late May.

The saline pools are best visited in the autumn when the water levels have received from their summer lows and the glassworts around their edges are most vibrant. Sea asters also flower in late summer and by autumn form a carpet of fluffy white seed heads. These can look very atmospheric on a misty morning.

The pools are good for wildlife and avocets can often be seen here along with turnstones, oyster catchers and other waders. In winter look out for short eared owls.

Photographing the Suffolk Coast

If you would like to find out more about the area I have published a “Guide to Photographing the Suffolk Coast” which can be purchased below.

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Gallery of Alderton, Suffolk