UK’s answer to Area 51 that’s now a peaceful seaside attraction
AN abandoned former military research base in the UK is now one of the most protected natural landscapes in the country.
Atomic bomb technology and experimental radar are among the advanced military weaponry and defensive technology that have been tested out at the site since it was established in 1913.
It's for that reason people have nicknamed the site "Britain's Area 51".
Yet, people no longer come to Orford Ness to put new arms through their paces.
Instead, they come to enjoy its seaside location and take in the natural surroundings, now managed by the National Trust.
It's a 12-mile stretch of beach that divides Suffolk from the sea, although it's not strictly an island as it is attached to the mainland.
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Nevertheless, it's filled with eerie reminders of its former life.
Nuclear weapons laboratories can be seen scattered throughout the peninsula, which otherwise is a quiet and peaceful place for a coastal walk.
One of the former military buildings has since been repurposed and turned into the Island of Secrets exhibit for visitors.
While it does provide a lot of information about what happened at Orford Ness, it also sums up its history by saying: “What went on here may never be fully known . . . many former employees will still not talk about it."
Getting to Orford Ness requires a boat trip and it can only be accessed at certain times during the year.
It's currently closed, but is set to reopen to visitors on March 29 next year.
Military history is far from the only selling point, with plenty of wildlife, including sheep, hares, Chinese water deer and plenty of birds among the animals found on the islet.
The National Trust website describes the spit as an "internationally important coastal nature reserve, with a fascinating 20th-century military history".
It goes on to say: "Thousands of men and women served their country by working on top-secret projects on Orford Ness.
"They were responsible for an astonishing series of developments in weaponry and defence systems that proved vital to the outcome of world conflicts.
"Despite their resourcefulness, brilliance, perseverance and courage, their achievements have gone almost unrecognised. But now, at last, they have been remembered with a memorial stone on Orford Quay."
The island isn't the only thing drawing tourists to the area either, with the village of Orford more than worth a visit in itself.
The Crown and Castle in the village picked up East of England Small Hotel of the Year Gold Tourism Award for 2022-23.
Meanwhile, the toy-town cottages and village pubs that line the streets of the tiny town are cute enough to adorn the front of any postcard.
The pastel-pink Pump Street bakery, whose chocolates and Eccles cakes are famous throughout the country, is the peak of the town's quaintness.
Elsewhere, the historical interest continues throughout the village, with the unique Orford Castle dating back to the 12th century.
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Meanwhile, this secret beach can only be reached through an abandoned World War II village.
And this living Victorian town in the UK is like going back in time.