Aldeburgh is a famous seaside resort and has lots of beautiful Georgian buildings. The Suffolk coast is largely unspoilt and you can walk from place to place along the beach and sea fronts.
Aldeburgh is known as the home of Benjamin Britten, who founded the Aldeburgh Music Festival. This has achieved international fame and occurs in June at the Snape Maltings concert hall.
Local fishermen still sell fresh fish from huts on the beach.
Southwold is a classic luxury seaside town, it has a working lighthouse, a beautiful pier, multi-coloured picturesque beach huts and many delicious eateries and restaurants.
Across the river by ferry or footbridge is Walberswick, lesser known but a true hidden gem and must be explored.
Framlingham is famous for its 12th century curtain-walled castle, owned by English Heritage who run fascinating tours of the buildings and walls. It was here that Mary Tudor was proclaimed Queen of England.
Framlingham is a pretty market town with a range of shops and has a beautiful Mere, or lake, which is a haven for wildlife.
Orford has it all, a castle, a historically significant church, the Crown and Castle Inn run by Ruth Watson “Hotel Inspector” , other delicious eateries in the town and access to Orford Ness the formerly secret military test site, now a nature reserve.
The castle is a five floor intact keep run by English Heritage, the tour is a must, including the bedchamber of visiting monarchs.
Woodbridge is a bustling market town with a long nautical history and lies on the River Deben. The tide museum is a famous local attraction. Close by is the site of the Sutton Hoo Saxon burial grounds.
Thorpeness is a quirky mock Tudor town which was designed and built by a Scottish barrister Stuart Ogilvie. It is home to the fantastical “House in the clouds” which conceals the original water tower.
A lovely Meare in the centre has tea rooms close by and is a relaxing place to while away a warm afternoon watching the ducks.
Dunwich has a fascinating history and was once a bustling port until coastal erosion ruined the natural harbour. Currently a great place to start a coastal walk with dogs (or without), close to Minsmere and the nature reserves.
The fish and chip restaurant next to the beach car park is welcome after a large dose of sea air.
The beach at Covehithe is a peaceful stretch of sand backed by the crumbling golden cliffs. To the south is Benacre Broad, a brackish lagoon and conservation area.
Nearby are the ruins of the medieval St Andrews Church which is a church within a church!
What can we say about Mismere RSPB reserve that has not already been said by Chris Packham during the 3 years that the BBC’s Springwatch was based there? If you want to know about nature and bird watching then this is an internationally important centre for conservation and nature.
For fans of the recent film "The Dig" this is the real place where it all happened just a few minutes down the road from us. Sutton Hoo is run by the National Trust and holds information and reconstructions depicting the unearthing of one of the largest hoards of Saxon burial treasure ever found.
Snape Maltings concert hall is the venue for the Aldeburgh Music festival started by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears in 1948. It also has a diverse range of musical events throughout the year.
Alongside the concert hall is a complex of shops, restaurants and galleries full of antiques, these are housed in many sensitively renovated historic buildings that originally formed part of the maltings itself.
Open from March to October the Long Shop Museum depicts the industrial revolution history of engineering in Britain. There are events and fairs through the summer for all the family to enjoy.
The award winning brewery and distillery offers tours and events showing how their products are made. There might even be the odd tipple involved!
There are many beautiful gardens to visit in Suffolk, here’s just one close by to whet your appetite for all things horticultural. Open May to September.
Thorington Theatre has many events including musicals, plays, opera, comedy, live music and much more. It has a licensed bar, picnic area and plenty of parking. It also has wheelchair access.
Just a short 10 min drive from Kelsale Holiday Cottages up the A12.
If you'd like to see a display of birds of prey in flight and hunting then the Stonham Barns Birds of Prey Centre is the place. Established in 2001 as a rescue centre, informational talks and flying displays of different raptors are run to educate the public about these beautiful birds.
There are a growing numbers of wineries around the Framlingham area producing popular English wines. Shawsgate allow free diy tours and admit dogs on leads.
Iken Canoe is a small and friendly canoe, kayak and stand up paddleboard hire centre based on the stunning upper reaches of the Alde estuary between Snape and Aldeburgh, close to the Suffolk coast.
There is golf a plenty in Suffolk, I have had very favourable reviews of the Aldeburgh course by previous visitors.
Find your ideal fishing retreat here: Go Fish
There are many cycle routes in Suffolk, the quiet roads and beautiful countryside (not too hilly) providing ideal days out on two wheels.
The peace and quiet makes Suffolk a fabulous walking county, the varied countryside from coast to rural offers many delights.
Suffolk is a big horsey county, everything from the Suffolk Punch to the thoroughbred racing horses at Newmarket.
For those who fancy a day out on horseback:
Image provided by www.horseracingphoto.co.uk and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License
Email kelsaleholidaycottages@gmail.com or call (+44) 07952 782 101
Benstead
Main Road
Kelsale
Saxmundham
Suffolk
IP17 2RD
