Aldeburgh is one of the main towns on the Suffolk Coast which has developed into a popular tourist destination. Originally a Tudor port and a ship-building centre, it lost those industries when the River Alde wilted up. However fishing continues to this day using small boats which can be pulled up onto the shingle beach, and there are a number of huts selling fresh fish along the beach front. The town is also a noted arts centre, mainly due to its association with Benjamin Britten who lived here.

The main interest for the photographer are a statue dedicated to Britten called The Scallop, the numerous old boats on the shingle beach and a Martello Tower built during the Napoleonic era. A long shingle spit of land extends south from Aldeburgh separating the River Alde from the sea, and this provides a rare west facing location on the Suffolk Coast, suitable for evening shots.

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Location and Parking

Post Code: IP16 4NW

Aldeburgh is about 20 miles north-east of Ipswich and is about a 10 minute drive off the main A12 road, turning onto the A1094 which leads directly to the town. To photograph the fishing boats, there is free parking immediately behind the beach.  The Scallop is 0.5 miles north of the parking, so can be reached by a walk along the beach, or there is a Pay And Display car park immediately behind the sculpture. Parking for the Martello Tower is reached by driving south out of the town on an unpaved road towards the Aldeburgh Yacht Club, and parking is reached up the ramp to the left on top of the sea defences.

The Scallop

The Scallop is a sculpture erected in commemoration of Benjamin Britten who lived in Aldeburgh and used to walk along the beach.  It is about 0.5 miles north of the town and is easily visible from the road to Thorpeness. The sculpture was designed by local artist Maggi Hambling, but when it was installed in 2003 it caused some controversy as some locals believed the beach should be left in its natural state.  It stands about 4m tall and has words from Britten’s Opera Peter Grimes stamped through the shell – “I hear those voices that will not be drowned”. Personally, I found this quite moving, as the shell gives the appearance of listening to the sea to hear those faint voices.

As the shell face east, it is best photographed at sunrise, when an HDR approach will be required to gather some detail on the rear of the shell.

The Scallop is designed to be viewed looking out to sea, as the inscription reads correctly from this side. However a different view of the sculpture can be obtained by shooting from the seaward side, but it is then important that the reversed inscription is not too dominant in the image.

Aldeburgh Fishing Boats

The beach in front of the centre of Alderburgh is home to several huts selling fresh fish, and the small fishing boats that supply then are pulled up onto the shingle. There are a few older boats that make good photographic subjects.

Orford Ness And The Martello Tower

To the south of Aldeburgh, a narrow spit of shingle prevents the River Alde from entering the north sea, and instead deflects it a further 9 miles to the south. This spit of land is known as Orford Ness. Where it joins to the mainland is a Martello Tower, built during the Napoleonic wars. Today the tower can be hired as a self catering holiday home.

In front of the tower is an area of salt marshes. From here it is possible to look to the west across the River Alde where there are some boats moored in the river. This is one of the few locations on the Suffolk Coast offering a west facing view, making it a good location at sunset.

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