Welcome to Southwold Scene

A Breath of Fresh Air

Southwold architect and artist Juliet Blaxland, who lives on the cliffs at Easton Bavents, has just launched a bright and breezy new website selling high quality prints from her quirky seaside paintings and photomontages. Many of these images are understatedly hilarious in an old-fashioned sort of way, celebrating a collective British stoicism in the face of everything going slightly wrong. Swimmers are cold, picnics are wet, chips are stolen by seagulls, but still everyone claims to be "Having a wonderful time!". For a more reflective mood there are also some atmospheric, almost abstract, depictions of the empty beach at night and in winter. Commercially published postcards from the series are currently for sale at typical seaside postcard shops countrywide, including in Southwold. Ideal for jollying up spare rooms, holiday houses and coastal businesses, A3 signed prints from more than 60 of these refreshing pictures are available at the gloom-busting price of £15 each, from www.julietblaxland.co.uk.

The Southwold - Walberswick Ferry
A book by Dani Church and Ann Gander

Ferrywoman Dani Church is a familiar sight as she rows locals and tourists across the River Blyth, but few people realise that there is a fascinating history behind the service, going back to at least the 13th century. Now Dani, with the help of author-publisher Ann Gander, has put together a book telling all about the history of the ferry and of the ferrymen and women who have worked the route.

Read more about the story of the Southwold-Walberswick ferry.