Quezi

Beach hut at Southwold (photo by by Martin Pettitt CC-BY)

Suffolk has a wonderful mixture of historic villages and towns, pastoral countryside, long shingle beaches, and the unique areas of outstanding natural beauty found in the wetlands and ancient heaths known as the Sandlings.

Why not start with a walk on part of the Suffolk Coast Path from Walberswick to Dunwich? Starting at Walberswick walk through the marches of Walberswick National Nature Reserve with its reedbeds managed for wildlife such as the bittern. Then through ancient woodlands and onto the small village of Dunwich. These few houses are all that remain of a medieval town which now lies just off the coast under the sea. The sea is still eroding the cliffs and the Friary at the top of the cliffs is steadily losing the battle.  For the ghoulish, you can look on the beach and find human bones which have come from a graveyard lost to the sea.

Visit Sutton Hoo with its Anglo-Saxon burial mounds and reconstruction of the Sutton Hoo ship and replicas of the priceless and beautiful objects found when the site was excavated in 1939 (the originals are in the British Museum). The site covers 245 acres and also has views of the River Debden estuary and several walks.

Still on the Anglo-Saxon theme, try West Stow, a recreation of an Anglo-Saxon settlement. The reconstruction is based on archaeological exploration of a settlement found nearby in the late 60s. Families will enjoy exploring the village and discover how the Anglo-Saxons lived. All the houses can be explored and on certain days there are guides who can describe the occupants’ day to day life and give demonstrations of crafts.

Another dip into history can be found in Lavenham, possibly England’s finest medieval town with over three hundred listed buildings, most of them timber-framed from the 15th and 16th centuries. The most important is the Guildhall built in 1530. Now in the care of the National Trust, it also houses a museum which is a useful introduction to the town before you start to explore it. At the end of the High Street on a hill is the church with its imposing tower. It is known as a ‘wool church’ as it was built from the wealth of the wool trade.

Finally, if the kids need to burn-off energy, then visit Southwold. If I say sandy beaches and a new pier, don’t be put off, it’s not tacky. Southwold, with its gaily coloured beach huts and charming architecture, is a splendid and stylish place to visit. Nearby is the small harbour where you can catch a ferry to Walberswick. Isn’t that where we started this article?