Rural Suffolk and The Suffolk Coast

No part of Suffolk is more than five hundred feet above sea level, and many of its pastel-painted and half-timbered villages are tucked away in miniature valleys. Its coast is mostly shingly, and much of the county feels
as if it’s on-the-road-to-nowhere. It’s a secretive place, which creeps up
you, and its charms are subtle.

The county divides conveniently into two halves: east and west. The east is
generally flatter, with easy access to the seaside, the west is more soft
and rolling.‘Must-sees’ in the west might include part-medieval, partly
half-timbered Lavenham and so-pretty Kersey.

The Grove Cottages, near Lavenham and Kersey, are among our own Suffolk favourites. Sympathetically converted, and charming in themselves, they make a fine touring base for rural west Suffolk and beyond. Also near Lavenham is Mortimers Barn Holiday Cottage, a cosy retreat with outdoor heated swimming pool and tennis court.

The Suffolk-Essex border is pretty if you strike it right: all watermeadows
and lazy riverscapes. If you go to Dedham and Flatford you’ll recognise
hay-wainish views, reminiscent of John Constable, who lived here for part of
his life. Some of the most-loved Suffolk holiday cottages include the
beautifully situated properties, with great views, at Gladwins Farm at Nayland.

Unmoved by the fact that Felixstowe people are traditionally rude about
them, the inhabitants of Ipswich regularly travel the eleven miles to their
very convenient seaside resort. The older, residential part of the town
tries hard, especially with the sub-tropical floral gardens next to the
seafront Spa Pavilion. There’s a slightly raffish pier, a permanent funfair
and a beach that, though shingly, has substantial patches of sand. And
there’s a breezy edge-of-the-world quarter at Felixstoweferry, and a
passenger ferry to the far side of the River Deben. On this side of town,
beyond the golf links, there are two good pubs and lots of yachts. Suffolk
Cottage Holidays have a gem of a coastal cottage that’s both by the mouth
of the Deben and by the sea: Bala Cottage.

In concentrating on the east, drive via the A12 to Woodbridge. From there,
go up to Orford and then, negotiating the River Alde via Snape, to
Aldeburgh. Though it has a couple of substantial Victorian or Edwardian
hotels facing the North Sea and not flinching, Aldeburgh is not particularly
known for its restaurants, though we like The Lighthouse, and the fish
and chips in a famous old establishment in the high street can be superb.
Among the most desirable cottages in or near Aldeburgh we’d include
Swallow Cottage and Kingfisher Cottage, at Friston, and Westdene, at
Thorpeness. All are with Mrs Jane Good (Holidays) Ltd.

In fact, along with Suffolk Secrets and Suffolk Cottage Holidays Jane
Good has some of the most sought-after coastal cottages in Suffolk.

Another Aldeburgh cottage to consider is stylish Cissy’s Cottage: it’s
almost more-Aldeburgh-than-Aldeburgh, as it’s close to Snape, the principal
venue of the Aldeburgh Music Festival.

From Aldeburgh, it’s nice to drive or even cycle via the tucked-away
pink-washed village of Westleton to Dunwich, Walberswick and Southwold, all
of these dotted with the sort of Suffolk holiday cottages that adorn
chocolate boxes or pictorial calendars. A particular gem in Westleton is Middle Cottage. We also recommend a detour to Framlingham so as not to miss that exceptional small town and the ancient castle that dominates it. There are several very appealing holiday cottages near Framlingham, such as Wood Lodge.

Must-sees should also include Orford: a fabulous visitor-friendly Norman
castle, with inspiring views from its battlements, a famous seafood
restaurant and boat excursions from the charming quayside. Among the Orford
holiday cottages to look out for is the gorgeous Quay View, in the hands
of Suffolk Cottage Holidays.

Dunwich is worth visiting more for what’s not there than what is. You need
to bring your imagination along with your windbreak and your sandwiches.
This was once a thriving medieval town, with several churches, and a fish
and vegetable market where there now is a car park. We might choose one of
the National Trust’s Holiday Cottages, Bridge Farm Cottage, as our base:
it’s a Suffolk coastal cottage that really is just a short walk from the
sea.

Dunwich is one of the most famous victims of coastal erosion in Britain. The
church has gone, and so have the graves. It is a poignant place from which
to gaze into the grey waters of the North Sea, and wonder if there is
anything in the old superstition that on certain winter nights you can hear
the sound of submerged church bells ringing under the waves. Another
Dunwich cottage readers of The Good Holiday Cottage Guide have recommended
is Little Dingle Cottage, sleeping 12. One of those sought-after big
Suffolk houses - it’s no less chic and charming for that.

Southwold is a genteel resort, fanned by sea breezes, a famous inland
lighthouse, and the stubby end of what was once a fully fledged pier. It is
an all-year-round place that is just as appealing in the winter months, when
the water lashes the proms and slams on to the shingle. Pretty,
pastel-painted Shrimp Cottage is one of our favourite cottages in
Southwold, Right by the beach: it is on the books of Suffolk Secrets.

Another charming Southwold holiday cottage we know is Dreamers Cottage.

Inland and to the south west, Framlingham Castle dominates its little town.
You can walk around it, above the surrounding lush green fields on the
seemingly precarious walkway. Leave time for meandering around the church
and peeping into or browsing around the antique shops in or off the market
square. One of our favourite cottages near Framlingham, which is also among
the best Suffolk cottages we know (a super garden, an open fire and a full
set of the Encyclopedia Britannica!) is Wood Lodge. Another Framlingham
cottage we know and like is Margarets, in a wooded, very quiet location. A
rare example of a Suffolk cottage with a swimming pool.

Perhaps 20 minutes’ drive from Framlingham, Woodbridge is a jewel. I have
never met anybody who has not been captivated by it. It is mostly red brick,
pantiles and flint, with an easy-on-the-eye mix of architectural styles.
There are antique shops, teashops, picture galleries, trendy fishmongers,
second-hand bookshops and, down near the quay, even a ship’s chandler’s. In
and around the town, comfortable Woodbridge cottages can be found via Mrs
Jane Good (Holidays) Ltd and Suffolk Cottage Holidays.