Continuation of Alderton to Ramsay

I only posted half of that day. The second ferry from Felixstowe to Harwich involved a 45 min. wait, but there was a convenient cafe.

Mixed road and river dyke walking brought me to Great Oakley. No camp site, no B and B, but there was a pub, but no accommodation. I employed the often successful tactic of providing a challenge for the regulars round the bar. Eventually, a little guy suggested The Castle pub in Ramsay who he thought permitted occasional campers. Although some distance by road it was only about twenty minutes by footpaths. The guy said, "just say Little Andy the plasterer sent you". Well it worked.

I camped in the back garden. The pub was run by two Essex body builders, brothers I think, with tattoos all over, and a dear old mother - it was just like Eastenders in the country. I ate there and the evening crowd drifted in for a singer coming on at 9:00 (long after my bedtime). What a noisy shrieky lot they were, but it was all good fun. The food was good, thoughtfully prepared with attention to detail throughout. Whitebait, pork steak with well balanced cream and mustard sauce, and an originally presented caramel and and vanilla cheesecake, and all for £14.95 - the best value on the trip.

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