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CHESTNUTT COTTAGE VISITORS' COMMENTS 
(A special 'Thankyou' from us for the photos and drawings in our visitors book and for lists of birds/ wild life / flora seen whilst on holiday. We are delighted to have them. )

SEVEN REPEAT BOOKINGS !!! Seven families who visited our  Cottage for the first time in  2009 have  re-booked  in 2010 !!!   
What better recommendation could they give?

CLICK HERE to  see our cottage and hut details.

Entries below have been sent to us by visitors to  Chestnutt Cottage  2008/2009/2010
Our visitors' book is in Chestnutt Cottage ( waiting for you to add your drawings/photos/comments / lists/ suggestions.)
 

SUMMER 2008 - We let our cottage for the first time in 2008

'Great to have safe, dry, locked storage for our bikes.'
'Good bird  life from and to Benacre Broad.'
'We'll be back'

'An excellent position for varied routes to and from the pier and the harbour as well as into Southwold. Who needs a car - except to get here?'

'Chestnutt Cottage is as described and just as we imagined it would be.. We loved it here.'

'Highlights of our week-
Bird watching at Benacre Broad, The Hen Reed Beds, just along the A1095, 300 metres north of Wolsey Bridge, Minsmere Bird Reserve.'
'Eating fish bought at the harbour and a SUPERB steak and kidney pie bought at White house Farm, Sotherton or from Southwold Thursday Market. The farmer's wife / pie maker's uncle lives next door to Chestnutt Cottage!'
'Sitting in the beach hut and watching the children play in the rising tide.
Finding our way in and out of the maze at Somerleyton.'

BIRDS seen whilst on holiday in Reydon

Avocet
Barnacle goose
Bearded tit
Bittern
Black pheasant
Blackbird
Black-headed gull
Blacktailed godwit
Canada goose
Cettis warbler
Chaffinch
Collar dove
Common tern
Coot
Cormorant
Gadwall
Goldfinch
Grebe
Green finch
Grey heron
Greylag goose
Hedge sparrow
Herring gull
Kestrel
Lapwing
Little egret
Little tern
Magpie
Mallard
Marsh harrier
Mediterranean gull
Mute swan
Oystercatcher
Pheasant
Purple heron
Redshank
Reed bunting
Ringer plover
Robin
Rook
Sand martin
Shelduck
Shoveller
Starling
Swallow
Swift
Tufted duck
Willow warbler
Wood pigeon
Wren
 

'Not the best English summer but  a really good holiday ...enhanced by having a dry, warm house to return to from the rain!'


'Walks to Walberswick,up and down the promenade and around the town.Went up the lighthouse.'
'Nic got endless practice skipping stones into a very calm sea.
Breakfast at the hut marvellous.'
'A hedgehog supervised us as we put out the recycling bins.'

'What luxury! We're here for Latitude and coming back to this peachy place each night, how lucky are we! Thankyou so much.'

'Another 2 great weeks in Southwold, despite the weather. Thankyou.'

'We have had a lovely week here in Southwold. Having use of the beach hut has been brilliant for us, because our children wanted to go to the beach every day, come rain or sunshine- and we have seen both.'

'We have been crabbing in Walberswick and had a fun time at the Maize maze, whicjh is well worth the visit if you have children. We all would love to come again.'

'The beach hut proved to be the most perfect place for a nursing Mum and a 2 yr old. They have had a fantastic time at the hut and enjoying  the beach. It has been lovely to come back to Chestnutt Cottage.' 

'The few days that we lost to the weather, we visited 'Africa Live' and the 'Anglia Transport Museum', which had Amelia enthralled and Elliot entertained.'

'What a fantastic base for a family holiday. Thankyou for making it so special.'

'Had a fabulous time, loved the beach hut and all the fab pubs. We recommend fish and chips at The Red Lion, washed down with a pint of Adnams. Also, the Tim Hunkin 'Under the pier" Amusement arcade on the pier.'

SPRING 09 - Incredible weather - of rain was there none! Really, really relaxing. Included in the programme, three sessions of lounging around at the beach hut, pretending to passers by that we actually owned it! We have been so comfortable at Chestnutt Cottage - just ideal- planning the next visit.' We had a great time.  Thankyou.

'Thanks for a lovely stay. Everything you need is here.'

Great location, lovely time, fantastic beach hut, everything we could need, what more can we say?

SUMMER 09 - Absolutely wonderful place. Thank you so much for a sanctuary in which to get away from it all (apart from a teething one year old!) walking across the field to the pier for a fish and chip supper and The Harbour Inn , both highlights as well as the circular walk to Walberswick. On our last day the sun shone in all its glory and the beach was fabulous. Thanks for treating us to some of your very inspiring artwork. We thought we would leave you some of our own. We will be back!!

'We had an absolutely wonderful time, weather great and beach hut fantastic and we have  lovely memories to take home. See you again soon.'

'
Practical house- lovely time here- The Hut is GREAT - will come back.'

'Had another lovely week in Southwold. The beach hut feels like "home". very sad to be leaving. Thankyou.'

'WOW we got fantastic weather every day! House great - the hut was just
amazing - wonderful memories  created. We had a wonderful family holiday. Kids loved the SU Beach Mission. Thanks.'

'We've enjoyed having the house as a base for our 'Southwold' week. Every possible sea-side activity has been experienced- from the beach to the Punch and Judy at the pier, sailing off Sole Bay, crabbing festival at Walberwick and of course summer theatre  (twice). A wonderful time had by all.'
'A lovely , homely base for a seaside holiday. Excellent beach and beach hut. Enjoyable meals at fish and chip restaurant an special celebration  one at The Swan. We so enjoyed too, the fish suppers from the harbour fish shops.'

'Lovely house and fantastic beach hut! We've had such a great holiday! See you next year, Southwold!'


'( phone message ) We had a lovely holiday- enjoyed relaxing and just watching the world go by. Found great places to eat - went out and about too, revisiting places we  remembered from years ago. Leaving now as I have to get to Newcastle, via Birmingham, to take part in the Great North Run tomorrow! ( completed in just over 2 hrs!!)'

'We very much enjoyed our break at your holiday house and beach hut - thank you.'

2010

'We had a great week with a lovely base to stay , but particularly enjoyed a thoroughly relaxing day in the beach hut- Thankyou.'

'Lovely week. Great house as a base and we loved the beach hut.'

No dramatic surprises re bird species - certainly lots of marsh harriers. Of
course we went to Minsmere and other reserves but also saw lots of hares
(which I love) and I nearly trod on a 3 foot adder!
Many thanks again....

'An enjoyable stay for all of us. Beach hut a huge bonus. Lovely cottage, Coming again, Thankyou.'

'Beach hut a revelation. Where can we buy one?'

'Very comfortable beds. Grand beach hut. Good restaurants. Very paintable harbour.  Brillant beach cafe.' ( Susies). Only one intrepid male braved the North Sea.


We are delighted to have been sent this this sketch of 'Samantha Ks' by a June, 2010 visitor.( It shows one of the picturesque fishermen's huts that sell fresh fish at Blackshore.)

Unfortunately, we cannot always rely on our British weather being kind. In 2009  these  holiday makers had really enjoyed the beach hut.

But in 2010,
'I had no idea how cold  beach huts could get when the wind is in the wrong direction! Your sign on the hut did not fare well in the torrential rain.  Southwold was, however, still absolutely delightful despite the weather and most importantly, I actually achieved my ambition to go up to the top of the lighthouse. Best regards'

(We are hoping, as soon as we can, to adapt the beach hut doors/windows so that when the wind is 'on shore'  the doors/ windows can be closed agaist the elements, leaving the sea visible through the glass  and the occupants inside the hut, in comparative comfort. However, we don't expect to be able to complete this before the end of September.)


 These 2 amazing photographs were taken of/from our hut by Vernon Bailey, when he and his family were on holiday  at Chestnutt Cottage in above ( 2009) and below (2010). He retains the copyright of his photographs.
'Another fantastic holiday with lovely weather too. Two of us swam every day and baby Grace loved the beach.'

'Great time had by all.
Only one World War 2 mine explosion at the beach all week!'
( For those of you who missed the News, crowds watched as a World War Two mine, which was discovered jutting out of the sands by a swimmer, was made safe by the bomb disposal squad. )

' We had a lovely week in your house again this year and the kids loved the Beach Mission so much that we are keen to come again for the same week next year.   Please could you put us in the diary as a provisional booking. '