FLYING ADVENTURE

A hint of nostalgia by the sea…

Clacton was once one of the UK’s favourite resorts, which came to an end as cheaper holidays abroad sprung up in the 1970s. But Martin Ferid discovers there is fun by the sea…

ears ago, the father of one of my closest

Yfriends managed the nearby dairy and he used to whistle all day long. In those days, it was common for workmen to whistle throughout the day, though they don't seem to anymore. Maybe people just aren’t as cheerful or musical as they used to be? When the whistling stopped, we knew he must be out and being 100% bona fi de kids, with a pocket full of marbles and grazed knees, we’d play with the milk fl oats, shunting them up and down the yard. When we were done, it was only idoneous to put them back on charge in a bid to expiate ourselves, so they were ready for work the next Above All the fun of the seaside on Clacton Pier… or just sit and chill. Photo:

Wiki

Below Constable’s Hay Wain favourite, Flatford Mill, is well within striking distance. Photo:

Wiki

day. Being that they were already all-electric, surely electric cars were soon to follow…

Solar power was another innovation in its infancy, as even a simple calculator would only work in direct sunlight. It was reasonable to assume that the two things would come together, and solar-powered electric cars would be up and running before the turn of the century.

Well, it is still a long way from becoming the norm, isn’t it? That would need cooperation from our leaders and a worldwide commitment for the future… Maybe we’ll see some progress at COP 26 in Glasgow, just make sure that if you are fl ying in the area from the last few days of October to mid-November you are aware of the great swathes of

restricted airspace that will be in place. At this point, we normally look into our destination town’s historical make-up to see how it has evolved over the centuries, which is fi ne, except that Clacton’s history is neoteric and doesn’t go back that far. In fact, it was the Victorian era’s version of a purpose-built new town, a sort of Milton Keynes of the 1870s.

Actually, it was the brainchild of one man, Peter Bruff, an Ipswich-born civil engineer, who had the innovative idea of turning a mass of desolate farmland into a fully-fl edged seaside resort. He purchased the land, arranged the funding, built the pier and, in July 1871, the fi rst of the pleasure steamers, The Queen of the Orwell, docked alongside the pier. By 1882 he had given ‘his resort’ a never-ending boost by orchestrating the arrival of the railways.

In 1938 Billy Butlin saw the resort’s potential and opened the second of his famed holiday camps, just two years after opening the fi rst in Skegness. By the 1960s, it was not only a family holiday destination, but was hugely popular with the newly liberated youth of the day. They had cash in their pockets and mobility, taking day trips to the coast. Then, of course, there were the famous clashes between the mods and rockers, the most notorious of which was in 1964, where leather, Triton and Gold Star met parka and tailored suit, Lambretta and Vespa (the Triton was the favoured bike of the discerning ‘rocker’ and should appeal to the aircraft builder, as it was a hybrid that utilised a Triumph 650cc twin-cylinder engine and the famed Norton Featherbed frame).

Shortly after, Clacton’s heyday came to an end, as cheaper air travel made the Costa del Sol a much more attractive proposition as a holiday destination. The airfi eld is never particularly busy, but it is strictly PPR as, at 600 meters, it hasn’t worked well for some pilots from the larger neighbouring airfi elds. The perimeter hedge makes a poor substitute for an arrester wire and over the years one or two have managed to ‘engage’ with it. The simplicity and atmosphere of both the airfi eld and clubhouse give it a pleasant, nostalgic feel, reminiscent of the 1930s barnstorming days. It opened in 1958 and hasn’t changed much since, offering taildragger training as well as full PPL courses in a Piper Super Cub. 01255 424671 clactonaeroclub.co.uk/. Above left Historic Colchester and its castle is only a half hour bus ride away.

Photo: Wiki

Above right Local residents like to add a splash of decoration to their front gardens. From the air, the airfi eld doesn’t exactly jump out at you but it’s on the western side of the town, with the coast on your port side, if you reach the pier, you’ve gone too far. It’s ideal for a day trip, or even for a night or two if you plan a little exploring. A walk around the town should take no more than an hour or so, and I often go with Sian, just for ice cream or fi sh and chips on the beach. If you could see past the wind turbines, Holland is about an hour away across the sea. As Clacton lies to the left of the fi eld, nobody ever turns to the right. In doing so, a 10-minute walk will have you in Jaywick, largely considered Clacton’s poor relation. It was developed in the 1930s as a holiday resort and is fairly run down these days. But the beach is quieter and you can get something to eat at The Three Jays pub, which has its own beer garden. 1 Marlowe Rd, Jaywick, Clacton-on-Sea CO15 2PJ, 01255 428440.

The 20-minute walk into Clacton is quite pleasant but can be made more so walking along the seafront. Once out of the airfi eld, turn left and rather than follow the main road, take the fi rst ‘proper’ road on the right past the golf course (there is an earlier short dead end road), then straight ahead at the mini roundabout and the beach lies in front of you.

Along the seafront, there is an abundance of public toilets, which, if you’ll pardon the pun, makes things quite convenient, especially for those with a shorter retention period. By staying on the promenade, you’ll reach the heart of town and the pier. If so, make a point of walking through the Memorial Gardens, on the way back, which parallels the sea.

A bite to eat…

Let’s just say that you’ll not be visiting Clacton for fi ne dining, your tastes may vary somewhat to that of the good people of Clacton. I like pubs, fi sh and chips, and greasy spoons from time to time, but I also like something more appetising, using fresh ingredients. Like many small traditional British resorts, Clacton’s defi nition of gastronomy is likely to be a fry-up, a burger or a pizza. There are restaurants with extensive menus, but they tend to offer frozen or tinned out of season ingredients, likely coupled with a ‘nice’ 1987 vintage Beaujolais Nouveau.

Below The War Memorial Gardens off er respite and colourful charm.

There was a pleasant little Italian secreted in one of the side streets with outside seating, serving homemade fayre, using fl avoursome ingredients. Sadly it didn’t survive and, almost overnight, became a beauty salon where customers could soak their feet in pools of Garra rufa fi sh to have their dead skin eaten away! Toby Carvery is a good choice and about halfway between the airfi eld and the centre of town. It has a consistent standard serving roasts and is good at what they do. Outside seating is available, overlooking the sea. Marine Parade West, Martello Bay CO15 1NW 01255 425739. tobycarvery.co.uk/restaurants?search=clacton Aroy Thai is a cash-only restaurant with service that can be a bit hit and miss, but if you like Thai food, it’s worth a try. 19 Rosemary Road CO15 1NZ 01255 435599. aroythai. webs.com/

So to sleep…

You would expect rooms to be cheaper, but in truth they are not, and don’t look for accommodation at the luxurious end of the market. Many of the independent hotels and B&Bs are almost stuck in a time-warp, with tired rooms, a lack of facilities. Here are three of the better ones. Travelodge Clacton-on-Sea Central is clean and the chain maintains a certain standard throughout the country. 45 Jackson Road CO15 1JA, CO15 1JA 08719 846433. travelodge.co.uk/hotels/405/Clacton-on-Sea-Central-hotel The Royal Hotel was built in 1872 and was the fi rst in Clacton, situated just across the road from the pier, overlooking the sea. It’s in the same building as Weatherspoon’s Moon & Starfi sh pub, so it’s going to be noisy. Around £100 per night. 1 Marine Parade East CO15 1PU 01255 449978. theroyalclacton.co.uk/ OYO Pier Hotel, on the seafront, complete with some local touches, also costs around £100 a night. 1 Orwell Road CO15 1PR 01255 476315. pierhotelclacton.co.uk/

Out and about…

Over the years, Clacton has developed its own distinctive character and style, just look at how some locals have adorned their gardens. Who would have thought that you could get so many gnomes in such a small space! For a change of scenery Frinton-on-Sea, or Walton-on-theNaze are under 30 minutes away on the No. 97 bus. Then there’s the whole of Essex to explore, with Colchester as a logical starting point. Golf: The golf club is just across the road from the airfi eld and ideally situated if you fancy a hack. A half set of clubs in a shoulder bag should work quite well and, if you go, see if you resist the urge to nonchalantly mention that you just happen to have fl own in. It costs £35 for 18 holes or £45 for the day. There is an offer running on Mondays and Thursdays, with 18 holes, ham egg and chips for £30. 01255 421919 clactongolfclub.com/Home.aspx. Clacton Pier has all the fun of the fair, with an aureate glow that ‘Boycie and Marlene’ would be proud of. All that’s missing is The Nag's Head, a large cognac, a big cigar and plenty of bling. Starting with the Pavilion, you’ll fi nd a bowling alley, go-karts, a water park and amusements. There are also several arcades on the main road opposite, which my son, grandson and Sian absolutely love. I tend to get bored within 15 minutes and want to move on, so I guess it’s a bit like Marmite… Garden of Remembrance is much more to my taste, with its stunning fl ower displays. The original gardens were laid in 1921 in fi ve segments linked by a

path, with the War Memorial in the fi rst. The displays can be liminal depending on the time of year and contain annual bedding plants encompassed by mature Hollies and a Euonymus hedge. The sunken Rose Garden is bounded by mature Pines and structural Cordylines that lead to the Mediterranean Garden with shrubs, macrocarpas and mature Ilex. The Sensory Garden is in the fi nal section, a good spot for a little, pensive refl ection amongst the ‘kiss me quick’ atmosphere. Marine Parade West CO15 1QX Theatres are in keeping with what the town personifi es, leaning towards slapstick rather than cathartic. West Cliff Theatre Established on the current Clacton site in 1899. Tower Road CO15 1LE 01255 433 344 westcliffclacton. co.uk/ Princes Theatre, built-in 1931, Clacton Town Hall, Station Road, CO15 1SE princestheatre.co.uk/ East Essex Aviation Museum is in a Martello Tower, originally constructed to welcome Napoleon. The No 6 bus will get you there from the centre of town, Pier Avenue stand D, in around 45 minutes. Free to enter, but donations welcomed, as it is staffed by volunteers. Martello Tower, Point Clear CO16 8NG Saint Osyth. Colchester is about half an hour away by car or train and an hour on the No. 74 bus. Much as Clacton is a virtual new town, Colchester or Camulodunum, as it was known, has a venerable history but also the accolade of being England’s oldest city. It was the fi rst to be granted the status of a Roman Colonia by the Romans, giving its inhabitants all the privileges of Roman citizenship, and that’s saying something for a cold, wet northern outpost far from Rome, in Britannia. Simply, out of interest for those that like historical detail, before the 1st century BC, the Latin name for Britannia was actually Albion, although I’m not sure what James Thomson or Thomas Arne would have made of it in 1740.

As far as things to do and see, it is a complete contrast to Clacton, with not a slot machine in sight, although long before the introduction of ‘pound shops’, there was a little shop tucked away behind the main road. They sold bankrupt stock at prices very close to a pound, which was pretty forward-thinking for the time.

For nightlife, there are plenty of pubs and clubs, although gone are clubs like The Affair in the centre of town or the immensely popular nightclub near the hamlet of Elmstead Market. Above Clacton Airfi eld viewed from the coast.

With heritage sites, historic buildings, galleries and museums to choose from, there is plenty to see and do, with vestiges of the Roman occupation. Colchester Castle, park and museum colchester. cimuseums.org.uk/visit/colchester-castle/ Natural History Museum colchester.cimuseums.org. uk/visit/natural-history-museum/ Colchester Zoo colchester-zoo.com/ General info: visitcolchester.com/. Dedham village is lovely and a must-see place if you’re in the area, at only 30 minutes away on the No. 81 bus. Situated on the Suffolk / Essex border, it has the River Stour running through it. Many of the well-known bucolic scenes in Constable's paintings were of the local Dedham Vale area. The Tiptree Tea Rooms tiptree.com/

The Dedham Art and Craft Centre

dedhamartandcraftcentre.co.uk/ The Munnings Art Museum munningsmuseum.org. uk/ Dedham Boathouse serves brasserie-style food, where you can have a most enjoyable time, overlooking the river with lunch on the terrace. 01206 323153 thekitchenatgroup.co.uk/locations/kitchendedham. To make the day particularly memorable, take out one of the rowboats as far as Flatford and visit Willy Lott's House, made famous by Constable’s, The Hay Wain. The house looks much the same today as it did when it was painted way back when.

Boats cost £20 per hour, up to four adults. flatford/ features/willy-lott's-house-at-flatford. Maison Talbooth Hotel and Restaurant are good for a night or two of luxury and fine dining. Overlooking the Stour it’s a nice spot if you want to spoil yourself or someone special. Stratford Rd, Dedham, Colchester CO7 6HN 01206 322367 milsomhotels.com/. John Constable RA (11 June 1776-31 March 1837), painted in the Romantic Tradition throughout the area, so much so that it is often referred to as ‘Constable Country’. Among his most famous paintings are Wivenhoe Park (1816), Dedham Vale (1821) and, as mentioned, The Hay Wain (1821). Unfortunately, he never made it rich in his lifetime and, the eidetic in his work was more appreciated in France than England, which helped inspire the Barbizon school of artists. nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/john-constable Watch a flight out of Clacton video here: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLmW_xKkHF4. ■

Touring with Martin…

Martin Ferid is a Class Rating Instructor / Revalidation Examiner, specialising in advanced tuition and confi dence-building fl ights in your aircraft throughout Europe and the UK. These adventures can be taken as simple day trips or a few days at a time.

Browsing through the ‘favourite destinations’ on the website below should inspire tyro and experienced pilots alike. For amusement, try the ‘bit of fun’ section on the ‘contacts’ tab. For a confi dence boost, a biennial fl ight, or for some long-distance fl ying, we can make it fun too! Email: lightaircrafttraining@yahoo.com Tel: 07598 880178 Website: lightaircrafttraining.co.uk