Suffolk Coast & Heaths Explorer Guide The Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB The Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is one of Britain’s finest landscapes. It extends from the Stour Estuary in the south to the eastern fringe of Ipswich and north to Kessingland. The AONB covers 403 square kilometres, including wildlife rich wetlands, ancient heaths, windswept shingle beaches and historic towns and villages. Southwold Visiting Southwold Lowestoft Key to Map Beccles Ordnance Survey Map No. 231 AONB area Explorer Guide (Southwold and Bungay). Kessingland Additional project area Lowestoft Towns and villages A145 Easy access via the A12 and A1095. Key to Map A12 Woodland Beccles Plenty of parking. AONB area Heathland Halesworth Additional project area Kessingland Main roads Southwold Public transport information: Towns and villages A145 Railways/stations A12 River www.suffolkonboard.com or call Woodland Blyth HeathlandSuffolk Coast Path/Stour Blythburgh Walberswick and Orwell Walk HalesworthA144 0845 606 6171 Main roads Southwold Railways/stationsSandlings Walk River Southwold Tourist Information: Blyth Dunwich Suffolk Coast Path/Stour Blythburgh Sailors’ Path A1120A144 Walberswick www.visit-sunrisecoast.co.uk and Orwell Walk SandlingsYou are Whealkre Minsmere Dunwich or call 01502 724729 Sailors’ Path A1120 You are here Framlingham Minsmere Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB Saxmundham Framlingham Leiston 01394 384948 Saxmundham www.suffolkcoastandheaths.org Leiston Snape Wickham Snape Aldeburgh Market River Wickham Aldeburgh Market River Alde Rendlesham Alde A12 Rendlesham A12 River River Orford OrfordOre Ore Southwold Explorer has WWoodbridgeoodbridge Orfordness Orfordness been produced with Sutton HooSutton Hoo the generous support Ipswich North Ipswich River North of Gough Hotels. A14 Deben Sea River A14 DebenBawdsey Sea 01502 722105 A14 Trimley St Mary/ Bawdsey River Orwell www.southwoldpier.co.uk A12 A14St Martin Alton Water Trimley St Mary/ River Orwell A12 A137 St Martin © Crown copyright and database Shotley Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB is Alton Water Felixstowe rights 2012 Ordnance Survey River Stour 100023395. a partner of the Balance project, ManningtreeA137 Shotley Harwich part-financed by the European Mistley Felixstowe River Stour Union through the Interreg IV A Manningtree Harwich 2 Seas Cross-border Programme. Mistley Enjoy two fascinating walks around the seaside town of Southwold. Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Research, text and some images by Simon Peachey. Additional route checking by Mary and Tony Bishop. Printed on Recycled, FSC, ECF, Carbon Balanced paper. Bishop. Printed on Recycled, FSC, ECF, checking by Mary and Tony Additional route text and some images by Simon Peachey. Research, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Southwold is an interesting town on the Suffolk coast, with many fine buildings, Southwold a traditional pier and a long promenade. At Southwold Harbour, the River Blyth Suffolk Coast & Heaths Explorer Guide flows out to sea past colourful boats and black painted sheds. Highlights of Southwold 4 The Marshes are part of the Suffolk Coast National Nature 1 Southwold Pier, with its wooden Reserve. They are an important buildings, traditional amusements and home for birds such as bittern, gift shops, evokes seaside holidays of the marsh harrier and heron. The past. In 2013 the Pier was bought by Gough Marshes were claimed from the Hotels and remains a family run business. River in the 19th century when Gough Hotels will build on the success of flood defence banks were built. A D the previous owners and in time develop the pavilion into a luxury Art Deco style hotel to 5 Southwold Harbour is used by transform the business into a 365 days a year a handful of fishing boats and many enterprise. pleasure craft. In the early 1900s there were over 100 working boats and a fish 2 The Lighthouse was built around 1889 market and processing unit. The Harbour E to guide ships entering the River Blyth and Inn has a line on the wall showing the to warn of dangerous shingle banks along height of the floods in 1953, a reminder of the coast. It remains a working lighthouse the vulnerability of coastal communities. B today, although remotely controlled from Near the river mouth, the 1893 Alfred Harwich. During the summer, it is sometimes Corry life boat is displayed in a traditional open to visitors. boat shed. 3 The Town of Southwold has many fine Georgian, Regency and Victorian buildings. Fire 6 Gunhill Cliff provides a panoramic destroyed the town in 1659 and the numerous view of the coastline. For this reason, ‘greens’ of Southwold are thought to have been left it was chosen as the place to locate as fire breaks. The Church of St Edmund is one of the town’s defences. The cannon were the finest seaside churches in England. presented to Southwold by the Royal Near the lighthouse is the Sole Bay Inn. The name Ordnance in 1746. recalls the Battle of Sole Bay fought off Southwold in 1672, part of an on-going war with the Netherlands over trade and naval superiority. F Images: Front cover - Southwold Pier. A: Southwold Pier - Southwold is well known for its brewing industry. traditional seaside fun (Southwold Pier Ltd). B: The Lighthouse - an iconic feature of Southwold. C: Strawberry Clover - the Adnams has brewed beer in the town since 1872. pink seedpods are visible in late summer (Darren Underwood). To find out more about the town’s history, visit D: Bittern - elusive marsh dweller. E: Southwold Harbour - home to a small fishing fleet. F: Gunhill Cliff - the cannon have C Southwold Museum in Victoria Street. a fascinating history. These two walks visit the elegant seafront, the Southwold traditional harbour and the open marshes. Suffolk Coast & Heaths Explorer Guide © Crown copyright and database rights 2012 Ordnance Survey 100023395. Busscreek Botany The Three Marshes A1095 Marshes Marshes 1 2 Buildings and Boats beside the Sea Busscreek 3 Harbour, Marshes and Marshes a Bracing Beach Southwold A Road B Road Woodsend Marshes C Road 4 Bridleway/ Foot Path 6 Town 1 ‘Highlights’ Location Marshes Parking Squireshill Marshes Water Tower Squire’s Hill 5 Havenbeach Seasonal Ferry Crossing Robinson’s Marshes Marshes Caravan Park Walberswick Southwold Golf Club Town Marshes Wooded Area B1387 Marshland Settlements N Some walks take 1000ft 200m you onto or across public highways. Please be aware ‘Buildings and Boats of traffic. Distance beside the Sea’ 4 miles (6.4 km) Turn left, towards Walberswick. This 2 hours Time: is the track bed of the Halesworth to Terrain: Paths and tracks, which can Southwold Railway, which closed in 1929. be muddy after rain. Section of beach walking. This walk takes you onto public Just before the river bridge, turn left. Follow the footpath alongside the highways. Please be aware of traffic. river to join the unmade road through We recommend high visibility clothing. Southwold Harbour. When the road A turns sharply left, leave it and cross the Start in front of Southwold Pier facing car park. Walk over the dunes onto the inland. Turn left and follow the path beach or follow the wide grassy area beside the railings onto the low cliffs. behind the dunes. The path continues past greens and elegant houses. When you reach the first beach huts, look for the Gunhill Beach Café. Take When you reach South Green (signed) the path beside the Café that turns turn right. Walk inland across the grass right and leads up Gunhill Cliff. Walk until you come to a large green. Cross B through the gardens beside the railings the road and head towards the post and drop down to the promenade. box. Continue past the post box into a Continue along the promenade to the short dead-end lane. At the end, take D Pier or explore the town. the path between two flint walls. As the path turns left, continue ahead on the footpath. ‘Harbour, Marshes and Distance C a Bracing Beach’ 2.8 miles (4.5 km) Follow Follow ‘Buildings and Boats beside the Turn right at the road. Time: 1 hour 30 mins the road past a car park Sea’ Walk until you reach the post box. Terrain: Well surfaced paths entrance. Turn left at the Turn left at the post box and follow Countryside and tracks. Section of beach junction along Godyll Road. the road as it drops downhill. At the Code walking. This walk takes Follow the road past attractive bottom, where the road turns left, keep you onto public highways. The area has a network of footpaths and houses with Southwold Common straight ahead on the footpath towards bridleways. We have shown suggested Please be aware of traffic. on the left. Soon another big Southwold Harbour. routes on this map. Here are a few simple We recommend high visibility suggestions to help you enjoy the area green opens up on the right. When you reach the road at Southwold clothing. safely and assist our work in caring for it. Continue along the road as it Harbour, turn left. When the road turns Follow the Countryside Code: bends to the right. When you sharply left, cross the car park and walk Plan ahead and follow any signs come to the T junction, cross Leave things as you find them over the dunes onto the beach or follow the road and turn left towards Protect plants and animals, control fires the wide grassy area behind the dunes. and take your litter home. the two water towers, using the Dogs are very welcome, but please keep mown path alongside the road. Follow the beach (or grassy area) them under close control at all times and and promenade back to the Pier. on lead as advised. Soon, a grass path leads off Thank you. diagonally across the green, Find out more about the Countryside Code: heading just to the right of www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk Images: A: South Green – one of many greens in the town.