Pakefield Heritage Earth Cache EarthCache

Pakefield is located around 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the centre of the town. Although today it forms a suburb of the urban area of Lowestoft, it was until 1934 a village and parish in its own right. Pakefield lies along the North Sea coast. The former parish church, All Saints and St Margarets, is located on the coast. 

Pakefield became a site of national archaeological importance in 2005 when flint tools over 700,000 years old were unearthed. This was the oldest evidence of human occupation anywhere in the UK, until flint tools at least 800,000 year old were discovered further up the coast at Happisburgh in 2010.

Coastal erosion has been an issue in the area for a number of years,^[although this may have begun to stabilise

The map image shows how erosion occurred between 1882 and 1955.

To claim this cache you will need to take a walk along the newly laid out cliff paths taking in the highlights of the heritage of Pakefield. The footpath you need to follow goes from the Arbor Lane caravan site to the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) building, passing five themed display boards – these are entitled Pakefield from 700,000 years ago, Pakefield on the edge, The Church in the fields, Pakefield’s lost homes and Pakefield’s Postcards. You will need to stop at each of these to gain the information that is needed for you to log this cache.

This is suitable for wheel chairs but the walk will take you up and down a couple of steep ramps so please bear this in mind! I have biked this route a number of times and walk it often.

Please EMAIL the answers WHEN you log this failure to do so will result in logs being removed, please answer the following they can be found by looking around you and gathering information from the boards along your walk:-

1. From looking at the pictures on the board and reading the information how have the cliffs changed over the years when you look towards Kessingland.
2. Records in 1901 suggests how many acres were eroded?
3. Since 1902 how many houses here were broken up by the sea or dismantled in preporation for the sea to wash them away?
4. What will you find on the beach below that is a recognised method of improving coastal sustainability?
5. From looking over the beach now what is the above helping to maintain and why do you think that is?

It's not required to claim the find but it would be nice if you could take a picture along your route