The Crumbling Cliffs of Covehithe

Nowhere else in Suffolk do you feel the power of the sea so much as on this walk along the cliffs at Covehithe. Coastal erosion is threatening much of East Anglia, but here the sea is advancing at the rate of almost 10yds (9m) a year. The ground is being swallowed up from under your feet and the beach is littered with the debris of collapsed trees. This is definitely not a walk for those with a fear of heights.

Come here soon because this landscape will probably not be here in 50 years' time. Right along the coast of north Suffolk the tides are eating away at the cliffs, depositing the shingle further south on Orford Ness. This is a process which has been going on for thousands of years, part of the natural realignment of the coastline which has already seen most of Dunwich disappear beneath the waves. But rising sea levels, caused by global warming, and the extraction of sand and gravel from the seabed, to feed the demand for new homes and roads, have accelerated the erosion to the point where Covehithe will soon be little more than a memory.

The small village is dominated by St Andrew's Church, whose tall tower has long been a beacon to sailors. Built in the 15th century, when Covehithe was perhaps 2 miles (3.2km) from the shore, the church was always out of all proportion to the population of a village which never exceeded 300 people and is now down to fewer than 30. In 1672 the roof was dismantled and a smaller church was built within the ruins, using material stripped from the earlier structure. The thatched church now stands beneath the original tower, a beautiful sight but one whose days are numbered.

From the church, a tarmac road leads to the edge of the cliffs and then suddenly comes to an abrupt end, forcing you to wonder what once lay beyond. Stern notices warn you not to continue, but in fact there is a well-used concessionary path along the edge of the cliffs. Each year the path is pushed further inland as valuable farmland is lost to the encroaching tides and the few remaining houses edge closer to the sea. Try to imagine, as you walk along the cliffs, that the path you are walking on will probably not be here next year. It's not a very comforting thought.

While you're there

Take the trip up the coast to the seaside town of Kessingland and the Suffolk Wildlife Park, where 100 acres (40.5ha) of parkland are home to lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, white rhino, hyenas, lemurs and chimpanzees. There are regular talks and feeding displays as well as a hands-on 'Snake Encounter' and a safari road train for the kids. The park is open daily from 10am throughout the year.

Where to eat and drink

There are no facilities of any kind on this walk, so you need to take a picnic and eat it on the beach or among the ruins of the church at Covehithe. The nearest pubs are the Five Bells and the Horse and Groom, both in the nearby village of Wrentham.

What to look for

Take a pair of binoculars and join the twitchers at Benacre Broad, a nationally important birdwatching site. What you see will obviously depend on the season and on migration patterns but among the species frequently observed here are avocet and marsh harriers. There is a small hide overlooking the lagoon which can be reached by a permissive path.