For the last three years we have spent Easter week at Potash Barns in Suffolk. It’s the perfect retreat from our busy city life, run by a lovely couple who retreated from busy City Life with their three children and now run the smallholding and self-catering cottages instead. The cottages are lovely: beautifully decorated, well-laid out and comfortably furnished. There are logs in abundance for your wood-burning stoves for a small price to keep you warm over the cold- as it was this year- snowy Easter week. And the greatest attraction is the lamb feeding: they get lambs every spring which are hand reared so all the children have the chance to get involved. I may enjoy it a little too much.
And if the lambs, the goats, the ducks, chickens, geese and horse aren’t enough, there is a play area with swings, trampoline, many footballs and occasional egg-and-spoon-race, as well as a separate games room. But if you want to venture further afield, allow me to tell you about some of the attractions this area of Suffolk has to offer the staycationer.
Snape Maltings: a tip-off from a friend, we loved the drive out to Snape Maltings through the reeds. We were slightly early in the year for boat trips on the river Alde, sadly, but got to spy plenty of bird life. Of course Mamma also indulged in her retail therapy ‘hobby’ eyeing up plenty of antiques, art and homeware, whilst the children made the most of Daddy’s wallet in the toy-shop. We had a delicious lunch in the Granary Tea Shop too.
Framlingham Castle: it turns out that the castle played a significant part in the history of our Monarchy- the 12th Century castle played home to Mary Tudor before she became Queen. It is a very striking English Heritage property which affords a magnificent view of the surrounding Suffolk countryside. When we were there the children took part in the special Easter Egg hunt, and enjoyed their chocolate reward at the end (though the parents thought it stingy, ie: not enough chocolate for grown-ups to steal…). The Castle pub- literally on the edge of the car park does an excellent steak sandwich.
Blythburgh: the village sits in an Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty, and the White Hart Inn affords a fantastic view of that area, the flooded marshland and an incredible selection of birdlife. If the nature walks don’t exhaust your children, visit the Holy Trinity Church- acclaimed as one of Suffolk’s finest medieval churches and strikingly visible as you drive the A12 north towards nearby Southwold.
Southwold: most people have heard of Southwold, another picturesque seaside town on the Suffolk Heritage Coast. It’s home to the Adnams Brewery, a picturesque lighthouse that your children may recognise from Grandpa in My Pocket, and a very pretty pier (home of the ficticious Miss Smiley’s Cafe from the afore-mentioned CBeebies masterpiece.) Enjoy the sandy beach, pretty cottages and beach huts, and fresh air. Check out the quaint town centre that has fought against coffee-shop and super-market chains, and eat freshly-caught fish. You can take the little ferry across the river to nearby Walberswick to make the most of your trip!
Warbleswick: known for being slightly ‘mysterious’, the drive to Walberswick seems endless but is very definitely worth it. If you have never been crabbing, try it out: you can buy all the kit you need from the shops on the village green. This year we were unlucky but in the past, we’ve been catching a crab every few minutes. The children love it!. There’s a long stony beach to walk along, or fly kites and eat a picnic on. But if picnicking isn’t your thing, try The Anchor Inn. The food is fabulous, and there is a large terrace that is the best place to be on a sunny day, especially with children, who are able to run around in the grounds amongst the lovely Eco-friendly bedroom ‘pods’.
Another wonderful place to eat is The Crown @ Westleton, famed because Will and Kate once stayed there. I’d just like to say that we ate there before it was famous! If you are looking for somewhere to stay, the well-appointed rooms won’t disappoint. There is a wonderful terraced garden to sit in on sunny days, or the large conservatory for lunching when the temperature is 2 degrees.
Easton Farm Park: we had a super time when we visited the farm. Built as a ‘model farm’ by the Easton Estate in the 1800’s the buildings are surprisingly ornate, but still functional. You can meet the full array of farm livestock in their pens, as well as meeting them- there are regular ‘Hug-a-Bunny’ ‘Egg collecting’ and ‘Feed the animals’ slots timetabled throughout the day. For the more adventurous children, there are pony rides, ‘barrel bug’ rides and also a family train around the complex. It is quite easy to spend most of the day the park too, making it super value for money as well as a super learning opportunity.
Aldeburgh: a popular coastal town filled with charming old buildings and a variety of fabulous shops, there is plenty to do in Aldeburgh. Queuing for fish and chips in one of the two fish shops is expected but a worthy use of your time, as is queueing for ice-cream at the Ice Cream Parlour. There are art galleries-a-plenty to browse in, but if shopping isn’t the thing, walk the promenade and throw stones into the sea. Don’t forget to take your picture outside Jason Mason’s house, and say hello to Snooks at the model yacht pond or take the boat to Havergate Island. We recommend The Brudenell for fabulous lazy lunches with great views. The children’s menu was well-received by The Girls too.
The Oasis Camel Park has always struck me as the most unlikely thing ever to find in Suffolk. I may be wrong, but that’s immaterial as we had a super time when we visited. The only UK Camel Park invites you to get hands-on with their Bactrian and Dromedary camels, in addition to a flock of Llamas, Alpacas and Guanacos, even offering rides. There are also donkeys, goats, pigs and other smaller furry-type animals for you to look at, feed and cuddle. And when you are done, drive over to the Kings Head at Laxfield, sit in the garden and enjoy a pint. Better known as The Low House, the pub is one of the few places left in the country that has no bar. Rather yo wander to the Tap Room to choose your beer, which is then drawn straight from the barrel. It’s a fascinating window into the past and has one of the loveliest pub gardens I have ever been in.
The Dennington Queen, a few miles from Potash Barns, may just be our favourite place to eat in the world. Aside from the ridiculously picturesque setting- it’s next to the church and has a pond in the garden, which has a large deck- the food is utterly moreish. The menu is bursting with local flavours, the food is beautifully presented, and the recently refurbished surroundings do nothing to encourage you to leave. We really enjoyed feeding the ducks- and ducklings- on the pond after lunch, and visiting the ‘secret’ park behind the nearby hedge!
And if the weather isn’t great, you can head to nearby Stradbroke swimming pool. Small but perfectly formed, the pool serves the local community but is perfect for small children and never rammed. There are special swimming sessions with floats and so on during the holidays, the changing rooms are clean and the staff are really attentive.
Making great use if your suggestions!
Oh Kaeti I am so pleased 🙂