Old fossils on meander along Stutton Ness
By Derek Davis
20th Oct 2021 | Local News
The Shotley peninsula is not exactly fames for fossil hunting, although the occasional woolly mammal tooth and prehistoric bones can be found on our Stour and Orwell foreshores.
Probably the best, if little known, area for all the family to make such discoveries are in the Pleistocene cliffs at Stutton Ness which yield elephant bones, teeth and tusks, deer bones, and molluscs.
This is especially prevalent where Eoscene London Clay is exposed on the foreshore west of the Stutton beach, especially by the cliffs after storms and high tides.
Youngsters can pick out bones and molluscs from the beach, while the more serious fossil hunter will sieve for the Pleistocene deposits which are found to the east, in interglacial deposits in the low cliffs on the north bank of the Stour estuary.
Even without stopping to hunt for fossils, or beach-comb in general, the walk starting at Stutton Community Centre is a joy, all year round.
After parking in the area set aside for a walkers, we turned left out of the centre, crossed over and took the private road down towards the Manor Farm business centre, kept left at the fork to go past a far house and The Old Piggery and stayed on the public footpath until we reached the slope down to the beach, marked by a tyre used as a swing.
The beach offers views along the Stour towards, Mistley across the river, and the looming docks of Felixstowe in the distance beyond Harkstead and Shotley.
Using steps to cut up back the cliff, then continuing to walk west along a narrow path with beautiful terms to one side, and an open Conservation Area to the right, until we reached Stutton Mill farm with a tennis court and gardens showing it was time to follow the right of way back up to Manor Fram.
We passed a gorgeous Silver Birch tree is full colour, that was after the guinea fowl and black swans and farmers collecting their crop of red onions.
Eventually reaching the main road, a right turn and a few yards later back to the Community centre and we were back after a steady 90 minute stroll.
The organised walk is part of series of strolls run by OneLife Suffolk in order to promote healthy lifestyle in conjunction with Active Suffolk, Babergh council and local walking groups.
- Scroll right on top image for more pictures
[L]https://shotleypeninsula.nub.news/e/shotley-stroll---bristol-hill-to-shotley-gate[L] Join the Shotley Stroll today - full details here...[.L] With Shotley Open Spaces, part of the Walkers are Welcome Group.
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