Castles & Coastline
Enjoy the wild variety of the unspoilt Suffolk coast and the county’s best in bold and impressive castles. Drink in colourful heathlands, bird-filled marshes and the fruits of the local vineyard. Work up an appetite on riverside routes or watching fishermen land their catch on Aldeburgh beach. Experience landscapes and seascapes which inspired writers like PD James. Will you hear the bells of Dunwich’s lost churches tolling beneath the waves? Read More
England
Any Day
Bed & Breakfast
£586.00
5 Days, 4 Nights
Feb - Nov
Grade 2 (Easy)
Overview
There are few stretches of coastline as unspoilt as this part of the Suffolk Coast. Our tour explores dramatic castles, picturesque riverside and coastal towns, heaths and marshes, and the lost city of Dunwich.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive & explore
Arrive at Needham Market, explore the area and spend your first night in or near this small market town.
Day 2 Winding lanes & windmills
A delightful day’s cycle to Debenham with its antique shops and fine old buildings, then on to the beautifully restored post mill at Saxtead Mill.
Arriving at your night’s stop in Framlingham, you can take time to explore the quiet market town and the superb 12th century castle.
Mileage: Rec 22 Min 21 Max 38
Day 3 Through landscapes to seascapes
The route from Framlingham passes Shawsgate Vineyard where you can walk among the vines and taste the wine, before reaching the coast at Dunwich. Now largely taken by the sea, fortunately the lovely traditional Suffolk pub remains – a good place to stop for lunch.
Travelling down the coast you will reach Thorpeness a complete holiday village created in 1910, bordering a man made pleasure lake, where boats can be hired to explore the myriad of islands.
Finally to the elegant sea-side town of Aldeburgh for the night.
Mileage: Rec 32 Min 19 Max 37
Day 4 Waves & warrior kings
Going inland to gain river crossings you can visit the Maltings at Snape, home of the Aldeburgh Festival, climb to the top of dramatic Orford Castle, reach the tip of Orford Ness at quiet and beautiful Shingle Street, visit Sutton Hoo the site of the rich Anglo-Saxon ship burial and cycle down into the market town of Woodbridge for the night.
Mileage: Rec 37 Min 16 Max 43
Day 5 Rural return
An opportunity to explore the river and Tide Mill at Woodbridge before cycling through rural Suffolk to return to Needham Market, possibly stopping at the beautiful Helmingham Hall Gardens on the way.
Mileage: Rec 17 Min 17 Max 28
Dates & Prices
Download PricesFor tour start days/dates, seasons and all prices, please click on the PRICES button above
PRICE INCLUDES
Ensuite accommodation as described with full English breakfast (prices based on two adults sharing)
Hire of hybrid bicycle and ancillary equipment (single pannier and handlebar bag or map holder, pump, basic tools, spare inner tube & puncture repair equipment, helmet if required)
Luggage transfer between hotels
Local assistance on call (we will attend for puncture repair in Suffolk)
Detailed itinerary with meticulously planned and researched routes following quiet country lanes with a choice of routes available each day (usually recommended, long and short)
Route notes, descriptions and use of good OS mapping (maps available on arrival). We pride ourselves on our detailed level of documentation which includes plenty of top tips for places to visit or for relaxing and sampling the local fare along the way. We send electronic versions of these documents by email approximately two weeks before your stay so you can plan ahead and look forward to your gentle cycling adventure
We have now switched the default navigation system to GPS – in our opinion this is now the most convenient method as it eliminates the need for frequent stops to check the map
- We provide you with access to a premium GPS smartphone navigation app (IOS or Android) and send you links so that you can download all of the route options before you leave home. We will provide a handlebar bracket for your phone if required; it is also recommended that you bring a spare battery/powerbank to make sure that your phone lasts the day
- We can also provide GPS tracks in whatever format if you prefer to load them into your own GPS Unit
- Finally, we can provide a limited number of GPS units with the routes preloaded – this is on a first come first served basis – please let us know as soon as you can if you would like to use one
- We will also provide OS 1:50,000 mapping on arrival as additional support to allow for any impromptu route changes
- Traditional map-based navigation (using marked OS maps) is still available as an alternative at extra cost upon request (at least two weeks in advance)
Please note that the price EXCLUDES
Costs of getting to and from the start point
Accommodation Options
Selected 4 star historic inn in Rickinghall, 3 star hotels in Framlingham and Aldeburgh and in central Woodbridge.
Weekend supplements are payable if your stay in either Woodbridge or Aldeburgh falls on a Fri or Sat night
We are pleased to discuss details on request.
Request Booking
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