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, in the north, to Kessingland. It covers 403 square kilometres, including wildlife rich wetlands, ancient heaths, windswept shingle beaches and historic towns and villages. Sailors’ Path Visiting Snape & Aldeburgh Lowestoft Key to Map Beccles Ordnance Survey Explorer Map No.212 AONB area Explorer Guide (Woodbridge and Saxmundham) Kessingland Additional project area Lowestoft Towns and villages A145 Easy access via the A12, A1094 and Key to Map A12 Woodland Beccles B1069. Plenty of parking at Snape. 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 Aldeburgh Tourist Information: Blyth Dunwich Suffolk Coast Path/Stour Blythburgh Sailors’ Path A1120A144 Walberswick www.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk/tourism/tics and Orwell Walk SandlingsYou are Walkhere Minsmere Dunwich or call 01728 453637 Sailors’ Path A1120 You are here Framlingham Minsmere Contact: Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB Saxmundham Framlingham Leiston Tel: 01394 384948 Saxmundham www.suffolkcoastandheaths.org Leiston Snape Wickham Snape Aldeburgh Sailors’ Path Explorer Market River Wickham Aldeburgh Market River Alde has been produced with Rendlesham Alde A12 Rendlesham the generous support of A12 River River Suffolk Secrets Ltd. Orford OrfordOre Ore WWoodbridgeoodbridge Orfordness Orfordness Tel: 01502 722717 Sutton HooSutton www.suffolk-secrets.co.uk Hoo Ipswich North Ipswich River North A14 Deben Sea Snape Maltings Information River A14 DebenBawdsey Sea A14 Tel: 01728 688303 Trimley St Mary/ Bawdsey River Orwell A12 A14St Martin www.snapemaltings.co.uk Alton Water Trimley St Mary/ River Orwell A12 A137 St Martin Crown copyright. All rights reserved Shotley Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB is Alton Water Felixstowe © 2012 Suffolk County Council. River Stour Licence number 100023395. ManningtreeA137 a partner of the Balance project, Shotley Harwich Mistley Felixstowe part-financed by the European River Stour Union through the Interreg IV A Manningtree Harwich 2 Seas Cross-border Programme. Mistley Walk in the footsteps of the seafarers who travelled from the Suffolk coast to the village of Snape. 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 The Sailors’ Path follows a beautiful route between Snape Maltings and Aldeburgh. The Sailors’ Path Path is named because sailors would walk the path between Aldeburgh and Snape. Two Suffolk Coast & Heaths Explorer Guide shorter routes in this Guide explore Snape Warren and the marshes and village of Snape. 4 Snape Warren Nature Reserve Highlights of the Sailors’ Path an area of heathland, grassland and scrub is managed by the RSPB. It provides a habitat for many birds, including 1 Snape Maltings rises above its surroundings nightjar, woodlark and yellowhammer. like a great ship. Local businessman Newson The higher parts of the Reserve give Garrett built the Maltings in stages from 1846. panoramic views across the Alde estuary. The railway arrived in 1859 ensuring that the E Maltings remained a viable business until it A 5 The coastal town of Aldeburgh is a closed in 1965. popular place for holidays. In medieval The Aldeburgh Music Festival was established in times, the town had a successful 1948. In 1967 The Maltings was converted into shipbuilding industry. Fishing has also a concert hall. Snape Maltings has since become played an important role in the town’s an internationally famous venue for music and economy. Aldeburgh still has a small fishing the performing arts. fleet and fresh fish can be bought from huts on the beach. As well as the concert hall, the Maltings offers shops, places to eat and boat trips along the F One of Aldeburgh’s distinctive buildings River Alde. B is the timber framed Moot Hall. The Hall dates from the 1500s and was built as a market place and meeting room. Aldeburgh 2 The River Alde has one of the most beautiful has attracted writers, artists and musicians. estuaries on the east coast. The river flows Writers Wilkie Collins and Edward through wide marshes and low hills under a huge FitzGerald knew the town well. Aldeburgh Suffolk sky. In the past, barges transported goods Festival founders Benjamin Britten and to and from Snape Maltings. The barges moored Peter Pears lived in the Red House. Another at Snape today are used for pleasure trips. resident was the poet George Crabbe, C born in 1754. His poem, ‘The Borough’, was inspired by the town and its fishermen. It 3 Snape Marshes are managed by Suffolk became the basis for Benjamin Britten’s Wildlife Trust. They are a vital wildlife habitat, opera ‘Peter Grimes’. combining marsh, reedbed and wet woodland. Images: Front Cover – Across Snape Warren on the Sailors’ The freshwater dykes are home to otter and Path. A: Saltmarsh & Mudflats Alde Estuary M Watson. B: The Family of Man – Barbara Hepworth’s memorial to Britten and Pears many kinds of insects and plants. The marshes are at Snape Maltings. C: Saltings and river, Alde estuary. D: Walking grazed by cattle to create the right conditions for G alongside wildlife – Snape Marshes. E: Yellowhammer. F: Family Fun on the estuary – Tony Pick. G: Aldeburgh Moot Hall – A D wildlife. distinctive seafront landmark. This Guide features the Sailors’ Path between Snape and Sailors’ Path Aldeburgh and two shorter routes from Snape Maltings. Suffolk Coast & Heaths Explorer Guide Crown copyright. All rights reserved © 2012 Suffolk County Council. Licence number 100023395. Meadowpiece B1069 Oakyard Covert Covert Decoyhill Covert A1094 Thorpeness Decoy Raspberry Horseshoe Gatehouse, The Snape Wood Covert Covert House in the Sailors’ Path Clouds & Cottages Sizewell Nuclear B1122 Power Station Black Heath 4 Wood 3 Ash Covert Snape Black Heath The Red Warren House 1 Snape Maltings 2 The Sailors’ Path 1 ‘Highlights’ Location 5 Views Across the Heather Iken Church Aldeburgh Snape Stroll Parking Optional Longer Route Urban Settlements Some walks take N A Road Heathland you onto or across 1000ft public highways. B Road Wooded Areas 200m Please be aware C Road Aldeburgh Golf Club of traffic. Distance Distance ‘The Sailors’ Path’ 6 miles (9.5 km) ‘Views across the Heather’ 3.5 miles (5.5 km) Time: 3-4 hours (allow time for return bus journey). Time: 2 hours Terrain: Well-surfaced paths and tracks. Terrain: Mostly well-made paths and tracks. Return Includes section beside busy road and path from Snape Warren floods at very high tides. road crossings. Take great care. We Some walks take you onto public highways. Take recommend high visibility clothing. great care. We recommend high visibility clothing. Leave Snape Maltings, turning right A Follow the Sailors’ Path route to Snape Warren directly after bridge. Here you pick up car park. Turn sharp right along a tarmacked lane, signs for the Sailors’ Path, which guide signposted ‘Aldeburgh’. you all the way to Aldeburgh. Pass cottages and continue over heathland and On reaching the main Aldeburgh road, beside woodland to a metal kissing gate on right. follow Footpath to the right. Pass the Go through gate into Snape Warren. Red marker D entrance to Aldeburgh Golf Club (which posts guide you across the warren. is on other side of road). Follow road into Cross track and go straight ahead. Path follows wire fence. The posts lead Aldeburgh. across a lane before entering woodland meeting a well-trodden footpath. Turn left. The footpath provides fine views of the River Alde and Iken Church. Pass through gate to leave Snape Warren. Turn right to follow the edge of the saltmarsh. Soon after entering woodland, rejoin the path back to Snape Maltings. B C Distance ‘Snape Stroll’ 2.5 miles (4 km) Optional Follow the Sailors’ Path to Snape Warren longer route woods. When you enter the woodland, Countryside turn left. At next junction, take path to left (allow extra 30 minutes) Code to walk along the edge of marshes. At end The area has a network of footpaths and of path turn right along track. If path is very Cross road beyond Golf bridleways. We have shown suggested routes Club entrance. After first on this map. To help you keep safe, enjoy your muddy, retrace to previous path. Turn left to reach houses turn left onto walk and to assist our work in caring for the the road and turn left. Walk along road to village landscape, we have a few simple suggestions: metalled track (Golf Lane). to re-join the route. Be safe – plan ahead and follow any signs At “The Red House” fork Turn left into Snape village. Cross straight left onto Footpath. Cross Leave things as you find them over the main road to continue between Protect plants and animals, control fires and two fairways (beware of golf houses on to open countryside. take your litter home balls). Cross road and enter Dogs are very welcome, but please keep them Just before a flint walled cottage take the under close control at all times and on lead as Warren Hill Lane. When lane path left. Follow straight path to track and ends follow path. At track advised. Thank you. turn left. Continue on Find out more about the Countryside Code: turn left and immediately E track to main road, www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk right.