Roadtrip - the Norfolk and Suffolk Coast.
Seven Days exploring this peaceful part of East Anglia.
Find calm by the coast.
As south Norfolk morphed into north Suffolk I reflected on how the further into the trip I got the more peaceful and less urgent I felt. This road trip was unlike others where I was rushing to pack everything in - see the sights but also feel the atmosphere. Here, in this part of East Anglia, you can just be and take things as they come. The nature of driving along the coast means that you will see everything because it just works out that way logistically. Your shoulders drop a little and you get swept up in the cheerful, slower vibe Suffolk offers.
Starting off in Norfolk the weather was cold and icy but as I made my way down the coast things got a little milder and Monty and I settled into life on the road for this trip. As I passed each place I felt the nuanced differences with each town and county with Suffolk having a noticeably slower feel to it than Norfolk. What had bought me on this trip was a commission in a Diss and it just so happened another client had got wind I was travelling to the area and asked me to collect a series of locations along this coast so it worked out beautifully.
I’d not long had the gas hob fitted before setting off on this journey and because of covid there was a National gas shortage so I travelled with an empty gas bottle in the van - or so I thought. As I got back to Brighton and found a place to fill it the man there informed me it was half full. Whoops. So meals were all cooked on my Trangia for this trip which made things a little slower but felt it was fitting for the location.
5 days was perfect for this trip but halfway through I had a commission south of Norwich so cut out Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft so extending the days to six/seven might be an idea if you’re planning on fitting those in too.
Starting Point - Wells Next the Sea.
It was a clear but incredibly blustery day as I took the drive from Leicester where I’d been visiting family to Wells Next the Sea. In contrast to the year before this was an incredibly cold April and the shops were still all shut from lockdown #3 so I knew I was in for a slightly different trip than may be experienced on the same route another time. Wells was deserted as I arrived and it being mid afternoon I parked the van up and hit the causeway with Monty in hope of finding a sandy beach and some space to walk. All my opes were fulfilled with a gorgeous walk along the beach towards Holkham (which I hear is lovely in itself) and back through the tranquil woodland. It was an invigorating start to the trip - see more here.
Day 2 - Stiffkey Marshes and Horsey Gap.
I woke up in a chilly Wells and headed to the Wells beach car park to fill the water tanks and utilise the large toilet block and have an early morning beach run with Monty before planning out the day. I heard whispers of a village a short drive away with a rather wonderful general store so I went to investigate. Just a quick drive away is Stiffkey Marshes and Stores - I loved it here. Parking in the car park at the marshes Monty and I ambled slowly West and then into Stiffkey Village. It was a different day and the sun shone, the chill in the air was still very present but the iciness has softened and Monty lapped up some sun rays while I took in the beautifully styled shop and bought a few bits for the van as well as a grabbing a slice of cake which was just perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea while relaxing in the car park back at the van with a copy of Oh magazine from the stores. See my full Stiffkey post here.
I was heading to Diss for stay over ready for my commission with The Space the next day that evening but was determined to see some seals before leaving the Norfolk Coast. I was just out of the window for when dogs were allowed at Blakeney Point plus you see the seals by paying for a boat trip here but I had read that you can see seals along the beach at Horsey Gap all year round with dogs on a short lead. It was an incredible drive to Horsey Gap from Stiffkey and one you should take slowly. I’m usually one for a podcast or upbeat music while driving but I was suddenly struck for a need to listen to something incredibly minimal and beautiful - the imitable Poemme served this purpose beautifully and I was heaven cruising along these beautiful coast roads through a heavily agricultural landscape. I did stop in Cromer en route - it was fine but not really for me so moved on.
The seals were incredible, I felt emotional seeing them. See more about them here.
Day 3 - Benacre, Kessingland, Blythburgh and Southwold.
Phew, I sure packed it in on this day. Leaving Burston in the morning with a recommendation of a walk round Blythburgh estuary Monty and I took this peaceful walk as a perfect introduction to the calm shores of Suffolk.
And while the step count was already pretty good for the morning I wanted to head to Kessingland to see what Benacre was all about - this sombre yet beautiful place is an incredibly important nature reserve and I’m so glad I went - we know about climate and that coast places aren’t going to be there forever but seeing the submerged buildings and trees was a stark reminder that there is something bigger going on than humans and their consumption. Full post here.
The next stop on the plan was Southwold and I arrived just intimate to start thinking about fish’n’chips for supper which only felt right. I fell in love with Southwold - not only does it have a bit of everything - independent shops, lovely bakeries, a golden beach, a full working fishing harbour, a big common in the middle for the dogs, colourful houses - it is also one of the friendliest places I’ve been. There are a few different park ups in Southwold and the locals couldn't have been more welcoming and friendly stopping by to chat as I enjoyed my morning coffee.
Day 4: Southwold, Walberswick and Dunwich.
Because I hadn’t got into Southwold until later in the day I was saving the pick around the town until the morning. It’s a sleepy town and was still quiet when I walked through around 10am after our morning beach walk. I called into the Two Magpies bakery for an epic cinnamon bun and also stocked up on a few pantry things in the greengrocers. Many of the shops were still closed so I pressed my nose against a few windows and tried to imagine what it would be like inside! I would definitely go back to Southwold - in fact it is the kind of place I would retire!
After breakfast looking over the golfers on the green we moved on to Walberswick - essentially the other side of the harbour so you could walk across but I wanted to check out the drive there incase I was missing a trick somewhere. Read about Southwold and Walberwick here.
After a day of exploring I had had my fill of wispy beaches (oh what a position to be in!) and decided to head into the forest. I had seen some park ups near Dunwich so arrived in a clearing car park mid afternoon where I just enjoyed a bit of downtime catching up on emails and blogging - I try and write the skeleton blog posts day by day on these trips and then expand on it when home and choosing the images (which take way longer than the writing I find!). Then, following our noses, we got lost in the first for a bit - there is a lot to be said for having no deadline and wandering where the wind blows you. After the walk and hanging out for a bit in this beautiful spot to catch the colours of sun down we moved onto our park up for a tranquil night, waking to a beautiful but cold hazy sunrise and moved onto Dunwich Lost Village for breakfast and coffee.
Day 5: Aldeburgh, Snape, Iken and Orford.
It was time for a bit of cruising along some more coast and still with the mellow tunes I slowly made my way to Aldeburgh - I drove to the seafront and enjoyed a salmon bagel from Two Magpies in the town for lunch but nothing was tempting me out of the van here to stick about so moving onto Snape we did an easy walk before I checked out the shop which I LOVED.
I had planned for Aldeburgh to be my last stop but who was I kidding? Of course I was going to make it to the insta famous Pump St Bakery. This whole area is just incredible - you just want to be still here - it’s sprawling open spaces, unspoiled landscapes and down to earth vibe make this area real and honest.
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