River Alde

The River Alde is a river in Suffolk, England, with a source near Laxfield in the same area as the River Blyth. Initially a stream, it becomes tidal and widens considerably when it reaches Snape. It meanders east past Aldeburgh, after which this part of the river was named. [ Theo Clarke and Nick Sinclair, "Ebb & Flow River Heritage Walks" (Ipswich: Leveretts, 2008) ISBN 978-0955995804.] The river becomes the known as the River Ore as it approaches Orford [Ordnance Survey - Leisure Series Map 156] where it once entered the sea; however the mouth of the river has now been pushed some five miles further south as shingle has accumulated over hundreds of years after which it splits to form Havergate Island and is joined by it tributary, the River Butley, before reaching the sea at Shingle Street.

The lower reaches of the river passes through marshland and shingle or sand beaches. The shingle spit that blocks the river, Orford Ness, is now some 10 miles in length and is owned by the National Trust, [cite web|url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-orfordness.htm|title=Orford Ness National Nature Reserve|accessdate=2007-12-29|publisher=National Trust] previously being a secret military base where tests with radar were carried out [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/suffolk/content/articles/2006/05/24/orfordness_feature.shtml|title=The mystery of Orford Ness|accessdate=2007-12-29|work=BBC Suffolk] . The main area through which the River Alde flows is open countryside in private ownership, much of it arable farmland.

The tidal reaches (below Snape Bridge) are within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, as well as being a Site of Special Scientific Interest [cite web|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/livingwiththesea/project_details/good_practice_guide/shingleCRR/shingleguide/Annexes/Annex06Orfordness/Index.htm|title=Guidance for the Management of Coastal Vegetated Shingle|accessdate=2007-12-30] , a designated Special Area of Conservation [cite web|url=http://www.jncc.gov.uk/protectedsites/sacselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0030076|title=Alde, Ore and Butley Estuaries|accessdate=2007-12-30] and a Special Protection Area [cite web|url=http://www.suffolkcoastandheaths.org/text.asp?PageId=91|title=Suffolk Coast and Heaths - Caring for the coast and its special wildlife|accessdate=2007-12-30|publisher=Suffolk Coasts and Heaths] . An RSPB reserve, Boyton Marshes, is situated between the River Ore and the River Butley. A pressure group charity, the Alde and Ore Association exists to "preserve and protect for the public benefit the Alde, Ore and Butley Creek rivers and their banks from Shingle Street to their tidal limits"cite web|url=http://www.aldeburgh-uk.com/aldenore.htm|title=Alde and Ore Association-Protecting Aldeburgh’s River|accessdate=2007-12-29] .

During Tudor times, the river served as a port from which four ships were launched to fight against the Spanish Armada. The river no longer serves as a port but as an area for yacht club members to gather to sail.

External links

* [http://www.jncc.gov.uk/protectedsites/sacselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0030076 Joint Nature Conservation Committee - Alde, Ore and Butley Estuaries]
* [http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-orfordness.htm Orford Ness National Nature Reserve information at the National Trust]
* [http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/b/boytonmarshes/index.asp RSPB - Boyton Marshes]
* [http://www.aldeburgh-uk.com/aldenore.htm The Alde and Ore Association]
* [http://www.aldeburghyc.org.uk/ Aldeburgh Yacht Club]
* [http://www.orfordsail.org.uk/ Orford Sailing Club]
* [http://www.slaughdensailingclub.co.uk/ Slaughden Sailing Club]
* [http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/b/index.asp Boyton Marshes guide] from the RSPB

ee also

*River Ore
*Suffolk Coast and Heaths

References