Local Walks
1. Just down the road left from Wainford Mill House is the Long Distance Footpath The Angles Way – or drive to Bungay Staithe to follow The Angles Way for a 2-3 hour walk up on Bath Hills to Earsham (possible pub lunch) then back via the Waveney footpath to Bungay for high tea at The Old Bank or The Earsham Street Café.
2. Drive to Broome Heath and enjoy a half-hour stroll across the heath and round the fishing lakes to
The Artichoke pub in Broome, for an excellent beer or lunch – very popular so can be a good idea to book, depending on the day. Alternatively drive on to
The Olive Tree in Ellingham for a generous bowl of pasta and good wine the Italian way and then it’s a short drive back home through pretty Ellingham Mill.
3. Walk the
River Chet from the little marina in the pretty town of Loddon to the north east – interesting church and mini-museum in the tower. Plenty of choice for lunch or dinner or even a film or play maybe at Loddon Mill…
4. Drive to
Beccles – another pretty Suffolk market town, market
on Friday; interesting church with separate tower, sometimes open for a view over Beccles town. Walk through the churchyard and down steps into Puddingmoor. There’s a lovely open air Lido here next to the river or sit on the terrace of the
Waveney Hotel and watch the boats and ducks go by.
5. If you park the car in the car park along Puddingmoor and walk out to the Beccles/Bungay road (turn right at Elizabeth and Raleigh on the carved town sign), you can pick up the
Angles Way just beyond Roos Hall on the right, and walk west to the Locks
Inn at Geldeston – music programme, mostly Sundays – then catch the
Black Dog ferry back to your car, or vice versa.
6. Drive south to
Halesworth, another market town with pedestrian shopping, good independent shops including
Focus Wholefoods, a town park leading on to the Millenium Green, cycle path (to the coast, eventually); walks beside the Blyth and the
Hooker Trail celebrating famous plantsmen William Hooker and his son Joseph, in turn the first two directors of Kew Gardens. (In Wenhaston, two miles coastwards, is
Woottens Plants, the plantsperson’s dream nursery).
The Cut arts centre has a full programme including films on Wednesdsay evenings – light pre-film supper available – a lovely café space and art gallery, all housed in another old maltings.
Coastal walks
7 Walk the prom at Southwold, south across the beach or dunes to the Harbour. Then follow the path past the fishing huts, fish and chips, fresh fish restaurant (take your own drinks), café, or on to the
Harbour Inn and there note the level of the tide last winter, and in 1953 in particular. The bailey bridge just on from the Harbour Inn takes you across to Walberswick –
the Bell Inn for good pub food and Adnams; for a more special meal
The Anchor in Walberswick high street will suit.
8. After
fish and chips in the beach cafe at Dunwich, visit
the museum to see how 24 churches have disappeared under the sea. You can then walk through the ruins of Greyfriars Monastery, into Dunwich Forest and on to Minsmere Cliffs with a bird’s eye view over
RSPB Minsmere. Walk back towards Dunwich on the beach, then climb up wooden steps to (another quirky lunch venue) and return via the Forest to
The Ship Inn, Dunwich, your Admans is waiting.
9. If you want to walk but the weather says no, drive to the award-winning
Time & Tide Museum at Great Yarmouth – nice little café too – you won’t be disappointed; GY also has its
Sea Life Centre; candy floss, kiss-me-quick hats and ghost train etc. The swimming pool has a wave machine – swim looking out on to the beach and the North Sea and be glad the water’s warm!
Further afield
10. Aldeburgh, Snape, Woodbridge (for sailors and walkers alike), Sutton Hoo; Norwich – good shopping, and very good museum/gallery in the
Castle; Elm Hill,
The Playhouse,
Cinema City for art films and good food in the bar/crypt.
In Bungay
Good fruit and veg and fresh fish market at the Butter Cross on Thursdays from 7am.
Don’t miss the 1950s haberdasher’s ++ experience at Wightman’s in the centre of Bungay plus a look at Bigod’s castle and excellent coffee, cakes, soup etc at Jester’s next to the castle.
Fisher Theatre good for coffee and lunch, see full programme of theatre/film etc events at this restored Georgian theatre, at Wainford Mill House.easteas
