Suffolk Tour

AcousticDave

Hi All
I am in mind to do a cycle holiday in Suffolk next year, say of 5 day duration covering about 30 miles a day. Having never been to Suffolk can anyone give me some ideas on routes, wether NCN or coastal long distance paths or whatever and any web sites that might help.

Thanks in advance

Dave

mossycp

You could try here http://cyclebreaks.co.uk/suffolktours.htm if you want a supported holiday. Never used them so no opinion on how good the tours are.

Also try here http://www.cycle-n-sleep.co.uk/local%20routes/suffolk/suffolk%20main.htm

http://www.suffolkcoastandheaths.org/index.asp
http://www.visit-suffolk.org.uk/index.cfm
http://www.visiteastofengland.com/home/index.html?_lang=en&_area=356336&_subArea=356372&_item=357666&_id=365248

There are several NCN's that go through Suffolk (route 1 and 51 I think). Check sustrans. There are also several maps of signposted cycle routes (see links from the site above).

There are also a number of routes in the routes section of this very website. Try searching for Ipswich, Woodbridge or Bury St Edmunds.

Where are you intending to be based? or are you planning on travelling to a different base each night? Suffolk has a wealth of quiet lanes and beautiful villages. Lavenham, Kersey, Clare, Cavendish to the south are typical Suffolk postcard villages. Historic Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket to the west. Ipswich, Woodbridge, Felixstowe to the East. Beautiful coastal villages heading North such as Aldeburgh and Dunwich. Rendlesham and Tunstall forests around Snape are good as well. Such a lot to do and see in Suffolk you won't fit it all in in 5 days!

AcousticDave

okay thanks for info
I dont know where to start from as i have never been to Suffolk, I saw it on Coast, BBC2 last night and thought it looked wonderful.

mossycp

I haven't seen last nights Coast yet but I did record it. You may have guessed I'm Suffolk born and bred and proud of it!

The Suffolk coast is indeed wonderful, running down from Lowestoft to Felixstowe. Most of the coast is pebble/shingle. It's very heathy towards the North with tranquil seaside towns like Southwold, Aldeburgh, Orford all worth a visit. If you like the coastal stuff then I would stay somewhere like Woodbridge or Framlingham which are within easy reach of the coast and heaths routes. There are some good offroad trails in Rendlesham and Tunstall forests. If you like birds and wildlife then Minsmere is the place to go.

You could easily start in the west of the county such as Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Moulton, Ashley, Cheveley then travel on to Lavenham, Kersey, Glemsford, Long Melford maybe take in Constable country at Dedham, East Bergholt and Flatford then up to Ipswich, Felixstowe, Woodbridge, Orford, Aldeburgh and Dunwich then back west to Bungay, Halesworth, Framlingham, Debenham and Eye

The Visit Suffolk site seems to be pretty good once you've mastered the navigation
http://www.visit-suffolk.org.uk/attractions_group.cfm?section=Walks%20Cycling%20and%20Horse%20Trails

john ponting

http://www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/leisure/637.asp


whoops - I should have read in detail - this seems like a duplicate link. I just spoke to a delightfull lady at Suffolk Council and she is sending me a set of short rides that can join together to form a trip.

andymiller

I'd echo what mossycp says. Though depending on where you are originally starting from you could go to Felixstowe and then follow the coast (but check whether the ferry across the from Old Felixstowe is running), before turning south to go inland somewhere around the border with Norfolk.

Cunobelin

Sustrans / NCN "Hull to Harwich" route has a stretch from Fakenham to Harwich.In the second half there are two legs, an inland route through Loddon, Bungay and Peasenhall to Woodbridge and Ipswich. This then splits at Blaxhall to take a coastal and inland leg.

THe inland leg is via Woodbridge and Colchester and the coastal leg along through Aldeburgh, Orford and Felixstowe.

The two could be combined into a circular route.





(From www.cycle-n-sleep.co.uk)

There is also a CTC East Anglian circular route which goes through Dunwich and Aldeburgh.

All superb cycling, but - beware the ferries. Most are only small boats and can be time consuming when busy and loaded touring bikes can mean splitting groups into several journeys. Also some have seasonal running, always check in advance.

From my own experience, I would probably do something like....

Train to Halesworth
Use the Hull to Harwich route to :
Woodbridge, Ipswich, Colchester along the river to Wivenhoe and Harwich.Ferry to Lowestoft, along the coast to Orford


Now deviate and cary along the coast to Aldeburgh, Thorpe Ness, Southwold, Dunwich, and LOwestoft. Turn inland to Beccles and follow the NCN back to Halesworth.

Alternatively Use Norwich, and follow the NCN down to Halesworth and on, returning via Great Yarmouth and the Broads.

AcousticDave

thanks for all reply folks, lots to go there.
Cheers

Cunobelin

This is a rich historic area with places lik
e the Bawdsey research which brought out Radar, the superb churches, missing villages and the lies.

There are also " tourist areas" such as the otter sanctuary near Bungay.

mossycp

Unfortunately the otter sanctuary at Bungay is now closed to visitors. A huge shame cos I love otters! Nevertheless, it's a nice area with plenty of rolling countryside, beautiful churches and picturesque villages to see.

Bawdsey Manor is somewhere I really should go. You never seem to go to the plaes that are right on the doorstep do you?! :?

El Gordo

I grew up in Felixstowe but moved away about 15 years ago. I did an Audax down there a few months back and remembered just how nice it is for biking. The roads are very quiet and the gentle rolling (not flat) countryside is just perfect for relaxed touring.

I feeling all nostalgic and a bit jealous now.