Touring Routes
We have researched and documented some beautiful routes for enjoyable driving and satisfying discovery of the area which are summarised here. Each represents one day's tour and we will make up your own route book of them, depending where you are staying.
1. Mid-Suffolk
You will stay in the heart of this rural and historic county, rich with ancient buildings, in a very comfortable hotel from our selection. We have prepared the following itineraries:
Constable Country
Starting at Bury St.Edmunds, you will drive through typical Suffolk countryside, rolling and agricultural but all the time pleasantly wooded. Visit and explore two of the finest small towns in England, built in the 14th and 15th centuries with the wealth brought to the area by wool. The tour also takes you to the lovely Stour valley, virtually unchanged since John Constable lived and painted his best-known masterpieces there. Return to Bury St.Edmunds via old-fashioned villages and a bustling market town, home of Thomas Gainsborough.
Cambridge and the Fens
Again using Bury St.Edmunds as your base, drive through picturesque Suffolk villages to Newmarket, home of horse racing. Next stop is the University town of Cambridge, famous all over the world for its beauty and historical interest. Then explore the wilderness of the Fens (much of which was created by the Dutch) up to Ely, ancient city with a Cathedral, called "The Ship of the Fens" because it rises so majestically out of its surroundings.
Suffolk Countryside and Coast
The third trip from Bury St.Edmunds goes through delightful rolling countryside where you can visit a pub which brews its own beer, and a working sail windmill. You will see a famous castle, and have a chance to sample English wine from the local vineyard. Once you have absorbed the charms of Southwold, a totally unspoilt Edwardian seaside resort, the tour will take you down the coast through untouched villages and magnificent medieval churches. On your way home to Bury St.Edmunds, you will see one of the great stately homes of East Anglia with its deer park and moat.
2. Suffolk Coast
You will stay on this romantic and unspoilt coast, yet near many centres of interest, in a very comfortable hotel from our selection. We have prepared the following itineraries:
Southwold, Norwich and the Norfolk Broads
This trip starts at Southwold, renowned for its elegance and charm. Going up the coast you will visit one of the few privately owned stately homes remaining in private hands. You then travel along the Waveney valley until the route brings you to the City of Norwich and its imposing Norman castle, cathedral and famous covered market. From there drive through the boating paradise of the Norfolk Broads, enjoying the abundance of wildlife, before returning to Southwold.
Suffolk Heritage Coast
From Southwold journey along the length of the fascinating and unique Suffolk coast. You will go through Minsmere Heath, famous for bird watching, and unspoilt and hidden villages such as Dunwich, once one of the largest ports in England, but now a hamlet. You will also visit Aldeburgh, home of the composer Benjamin Britten, and Snape with its famous musical heritage.
3. Norfolk
You will stay on this very special coast, with its open skies and abundant birdlife, in a very comfortable hotel from our selection. We have prepared the following itineraries:
Norfolk Coast and Royalty
The north coast of Norfolk is one of the great bird-watching centres of Europe. Motoring along the coast road, you will pass the village where Nelson learnt to sail, the sophisticated shopping centre of Burnham Market (in whose church Prince Charles once had an exhibition of his paintings), eventually ending up at the Queen's country retreat at Sandringham, open to visitors when Her Majesty is not in residence. On your way back to your hotel, you will drive through the old market town of Fakenham and Little Walsingham, where the Shrine of Our Lady is visited by pilgrims the world over.
Norfolk Coast and Country Houses
From your base on the Norfolk coast, you will visit one of Britain's most majestic stately homes including a 3,000 acre deer park. Then continue south to Norwich, through the elegant Georgian town of Holt and visiting the 17th century Felbrigg Hall with its original furniture, walled garden, orangery and lake. After exploring Norwich, the return journey will take you to Blickling Hall, a Jacobean red brick mansion with parkland and lake, and the 600 acre landscaped Sheringham Park, with spectacular views of the Norfolk coast.