The series has been created to celebrate one of our literary heros, Arthur Ransome, who died 50 years ago in 1967. He wrote many books in the Swallows and Amazons series but one of the most relevant to the area is “We didn’t mean to go to sea” which has its opening set at Pin Mill.
Look out for bonus information which can be found inside some of the caches. See We didn’t mean to go to sea - Bonus
There is a series of 10 stamps to collect along the way too. Collection leaflets can be found in cache 1.
The cache series will take you along the river following extracts from the story.
We didn't mean to go to sea - Sinbad
The chicken coop, with that soaking wisp of fur on it, was already astern of them when Roger shouted, “It’s alive!”
“It can’t be.”
“I saw its pink mouth.”
“It can’t be.”
“And then as the chicken coop lurched away astern, all four of them saw that pink mouth open again, just a little, as if the kitten too weak to shout, were whispering a cry for help they could not hear.”
“We must save it,” cried Titty
John was already hauling in the mainsheet.
“Mix up some more milk,” said Titty “Sinbad’s ready for another lot.”
“Sinbad?” said Roger doubtfully, standing between the two cabins, with a foot against a bunk on either side, steadying himself with both hands.
“Shipwrecked sailor,”said Titty. “Poor little Sinbad.”
[Quotes and images from We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea by Arthur Ransome Published by Jonathan Cape. Reprinted by permission of The Random House Group Limited]
There is a regular bus service from Shotley to Chelmondiston (Mon-Sat) if you would like to make this a linear walk. Click
here to see the time table.
Caches have been placed with funding support from Suffolk Coast and Heaths, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and with kind permission of of the land owner and the environment agency.