Suffolk // Part One
We are super lucky to have a seemingly endless list of beautiful places to visit right on our doorstep along the North Norfolk coastline. But that doesn't mean that we don't sometimes crave a little escapism further afield.
The team and I have fallen under the spell and majestic beauty of Suffolk over the last few years. Amongst the main draws for us are Southwold with its iconic lighthouse and beautiful painted beach huts. Walberswick with its pretty village green and beautiful beach, Aldeburgh with its rugged pebble beach and quintessential independent shops, and Orford - the prettiest Suffolk village you ever did see and home to the iconic Pump Street Bakery. The list really is endless! We got our heads together and came up with a few our our favourite 'must do's if you're thinking of visiting and in this instalment (Part One!) we're focussing on Southwold because there is just SO much to say.
Southwold
Where to start with Southwold? It has just about everything you could think of for a quintessential seaside town and a seemingly endless list of eateries and independent shops. Plus of course the promenade, pier and rows of idyllic beach huts.
Exploring
Set just on the outskirts of Southwold in the pretty village of Reydon, it really is a unique experience. We've all heard of pick your own fruit, but this is the first time that I've come across pick you own flowers.
A licensed café, Old Hall Southwold is a welcoming place for all. Providing locally sourced, freshly prepared home cooked food using exciting local ingredients. You can either eat in and enjoy the views over the reed beds, or takeaway to eat as a picnic on one of the many beautiful walks.
We'll go into detail on Walberswick in part deux, but did you know that you can walk to Walberswick from the harbour in Southwold? If you follow the coast all the way to the end of the town, you can hop on a boat across for a modest sum and then enjoy all that Walberswick has to offer too.
Eating and Drinking
Everyone likes to indulge a little whilst they're on their holidays. Whether its a mini break, a day trip of a full blown week or two away, its part and parcel of letting your hair down and shunning the usual routine. There are so many great places to eat and drink in Southwold that it was super hard to narrow it down to just a couple but we tried...
An absolute gem - and just what you would expect from the name. Established in 2015, by the award winning Sole Bay Fish Co it is hands down Southwold's finest take away. It serves all the classics and more, cooked in their traditional batter and beef dripping.
If you're on the look out for a traditional seaside pub, this one ticks all of the boxes. It's about as traditional as you can get and just a stones throw from the seafront too. They also serve great food, so it's a win win!
Serving the most DELICIOUS freshly baked sourdough bread, morning pastries, savouries, sweet treats and coffee to takeaway. From their small beginnings in Southwold they now have a central bakery and bake-school in Darsham and bakery cafes in Aldeburgh, Norwich, Blakeney & Holt. I can't tell you how pleased we all are that their success has enabled them to branch out nearer to home in to Norfolk too!
Shopping
We all just love the range of independent shops available in Southwold. From stationers to homewares, clothing and traditional style sweet shops... it's a dream. We've linked a few of the current faves here for you...
Roundup
I think between us, we could chime on about Southwold all day long. It's such a charming place with such magical undertones. I could sit and watch the waves crash against the pier for hours on end. The shops and the eateries are fantastic but for me, its the coast line, dunes and beach-huts that really soothe my soul.
We'll tell you all about our other favourite Suffolk places in the next Edit.
