Do you recognise the view?

We can't spend a week in Constable Country and not visit Flatford Mill.  

So we did all the touristy things, photos of the mill itself, the lock, the bridge, Willie Lott's cottage etc.  Then we went for a rather nice walk, taking in a bird hide overlooking a small lake, where we struggled to decide whether a large bird perched in a tree with his back to us was a heron or a cormorant (see 1st extra).  Definitely a cormorant - decision made with the retrospectoscope and the photos!  

We walked on round a large field called Gibbonsgate - probably a corruption of Gibeon's Gate - I did wonder if it had originated from the local gibbet.

There were some lovely oaks with interesting shapes and lovely fresh bronze coloured leaves.  And distant views of Dedham church tower (2nd extra) which I thought made an interesting photo, without realising that Constable had the same thought, and often included it in paintings, even if it needed to be "transplanted" for effect.

Lunch at the National Trust tea room was basic - their baked potatoes were definitely well below the standard of those provided by the cafe at yesterday's venue.  And with less interesting toppings.

We drove back through East Bergholt, where I jumped out to get some photos of the church (3rd extra), which has a fascinating history.