Walking In Suffolk

Suffolk is a county steeped in history, and its coastal and countryside scenery has long been a source of inspiration to artists and writers. It’s the ideal place to walk and unwind, with a diversity of landscapes and an impressive network of routes, all well waymarked and easy to follow. Whether you are a local or a tourist enjoying a Suffolk cottage, you are sure to enjoy the selection of walks below.

The Angles Way runs along the border of Norfolk and Suffolk in the beautiful Waveney Valley, while shorter circular routes off this path lead to some of the area’s lesser-known villages.

The Suffolk Coast and Heaths area – designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on 1970 – extends from the Stour estuary in the south to Kessingland in the north and is a low-lying area of astonishing variety, a mix of shingle beaches, crumbling cliffs, marshes, estuaries, heathland, forests and farmland. There are three long distance routes here: the 50-mile Suffolk Coast Path from Felixstowe to Lowestoft; the 60-mile Sandlings Walk between the eastern fringes of Ipswich and Southwold, linking the remaining fragments of beautiful Sandlings Heath; and the 42-mile Stour and Orwell Walk from Felixstowe to Cattawade and Manningtree, around two of the most beautiful estuaries in East Anglia.

Suffolk is famous for its gentle landscapes. Along the river Stour south of Lavenham is 'Constable Country', forever associated with the painter’s most poignant works. Walks between Sudbury and Flatford capture the essential 'Englishness' of the scenery – Flatford is the location for one of Constable's most famous paintings and is now a major tourist attraction, while upstream at Sudbury is the birthplace of another great English painter, Thomas Gainsborough.

To discover a totally different aspect of Suffolk, take a walk in The Brecks, once an ancient heathland. The landscape today is a result of the sandy soil and the winds that have blown across it over the centuries – twisted trees, open heaths, huge horizons and a variety of habitats are to be found in this 370 square miles, with Brandon a good base from which to step out.

Norfolk Country Cottages

I think it’s safe to say that spring is well and truly here after the glorious sunshine that blessed Norfolk l­­­ast week. Norwich is as cosmopolitan as it is historic and there is no better way to really get to know the city than by spending a couple of days in one of the Norwich apartments that are right in the heart of the action.

Personal weekend highlights include cheering on the Canaries at Carrow Road on a Saturday and shopping – Norwich was recently voted one of the top 10 places to shop in the UK! Followed by afternoon tea down in Tombland, and then catching an evening show at Norwich Theatre Royal.

A leisurely stroll along the Riverside on Sunday mornings does wonders for the ‘night before’ feeling while Castle Museum is always a fascinating way to spend a few hours. Perfect finished with a coffee and pastry in one of the many chic cafes along the beautiful cobbled streets. There really is a never-ending list of things to see and do in the city!

Norfolk Country Cottages has holiday apartments available for breaks in Norwich.

Or perhaps you would rather book self catering in Norfolk with a more rural twist and perhaps just pop into Norwich City occasionally...if so then just browse all our cottages in Norfolk. For more information visit www.norfolkcottages.co.uk

A Cottage in the Country regular, Diane from Cambridgeshire who has booked with us again...........

‘You might like to know that the reason we came back to you was that it was so much more pleasant and easier to deal with you than it is with the bigger companies (i.e. Cottages4You, etc) and we always get a personal response with no inflexible rules.’

Local knowledge really does help!

'I booked the Coach House (C414) with yourselves for a 3 night stay recently at short notice and just wanted to say THANK YOU for suggesting it as an alternative when our first choice wasn’t available. The village is beautiful and in a good location for visiting other villages, towns and for some great walks. The accommodation was of an excellent standard in a very lovely setting and the food at the local pub was very good, all in all it was just what we needed for a wonderfully relaxing weekend. Kind Regards Lisa'

A romantic break in the Lakes for less!

Lazy days in front of cosy open fires, spectacular winter walks, indulgent local produce and unforgettable views...what better way to celebrate this Valentines Day than with a romantic cottage holiday in the Lake District. And it’s not too late to surprise your loved one! Lake District self-catering specialists Lakelovers have a number of late availability deals available for the week commencing 12^th February. Take your pick from quaint country cottages with decadent interiors, elegant farmhouses and convenient town centre accommodations. You’ll find a range of discounts at http://www.lakelovers.co.uk/breaks/breaks.shtml. Why put it off until next year?

Norfolk Country Cottages

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and it seems as though spring is just around the corner here in Norfolk. At times like this it’s lovely to wrap up warm, load the dogs in the car and drive us all to the coast for a lovely walk… even for those of us who live here, every day feels like a holiday in Norfolk!

Traditional resorts are a favourite destination for this sort of outing – it’s lovely to look at the colourful Cromer cottages that line the little streets between town and beach. Many of the nicest properties along the Norfolk coastline are pet-friendly holiday cottages so my canine companions often get the chance to make new pals as we wander around… East Anglia really is a welcoming place for humans and hounds alike!

If you want wide-open walking spaces, then Wells next the Sea and Brancaster boast huge beaches where you can really stride out along the sands. Again, you’ll find plenty of choices here for a Norfolk cottage holiday – and the big skies for which this part of the country is so famous.

If you’re looking for somewhere to blow away the cobwebs and wave goodbye to winter, then do consider a Norfolk self-catering holiday… perhaps I’ll see you on the beach sometime soon!

Visit http://www.norfolkcottages.co.uk/ for more information.

Suffolk Secrets

This weekend marks the end of Farmhouse Breakfast Week, and I’m going to make the most of the chance to celebrate the wealth of healthy breakfast foods found in Britain with a short break in Suffolk.

With a group of friends, I’ve booked a Suffolk cottage for a couple of nights… we can’t wait to get out in the countryside for some long walks. And the really great thing is that we’ve found no shortage of dog-friendly cottages in Suffolk, so no-one will be left out of the fun!

Westleton cottages were suggested as a good place to start our self-catering cottage search, and we found plenty to choose from. We finally settled on one which will accommodate six adults and two dogs quite comfortably – there’s even a barbecue if we feel brave enough to cook up our hearty start to the day outdoors!

From Westleton, we plan to follow the signposts for a lovely walk of around 45 minutes across heathland to historic Dunwich, where there are yet more pretty cottages – no doubt our next Suffolk holiday will be planned while we’re there! – plus a fabulous pub and beach. Alternatively, we could walk a little further across a different, more hilly heath, and get to the RSPB’s famous Minsmere reserve – there’s lots going on there at this time of year so our binoculars and cameras will be ready to capture some of the action.

All that walking is going to work up a healthy appetite, so I’m packing lots of ‘roomy’ clothes to allow for those hearty breakfasts (and evening meals!) that will keep our batteries charged. Full English anyone?

Visit http://www.suffolk-secrets.co.uk for more information