Dylan takes us up the Stour (pronounced by him as
“Stoor” –and as a local who are we to
argue with him?) Harwich’s history of defensive
buildings, Service occupation & recreation is described in
lurid detail before we enter the beautiful Harwich church to the
sounds of the Naval Hymn.
We then enter the upper reaches of the river and the change in
scenery is pointed out; the 18th and 19th Century extraction of
sulphur from iron pyrites nodules gathered on the beaches is
described. Off Mistley Dylan gets a private aerobatics display
which he doesn’t appreciate (others might) before he has
a go at the local Council for closing the quay. The trip up river
is brought to a close by the railway bridge at Manningtree and we
turn back down the other side of the river, passing the Royal
Hospital School, Shotley and the site of the old RN Training ship
HMS Ganges before turning into the Orwell.