Things To Do
Leisure Activities
Our local area and Suffolk in general has leisure activities to suit all tastes. There's fantastic bird and wildlife watching, great walking and cycling, a wide range of eating and shopping, and for the more energetic clay pigeon shooting, quad biking and trampolining. There is also a thriving arts scene with museums, theatres and cinemas. Or, why not enjoy a good old fashioned day at the seaside complete with fish and chips. Please read on for some of our favourite things to.
Walks
We keep a selection of walking guide books in Tuck & Tackle which you are welcome to borrow (we also sell OS maps!). Here are a few ideas:
Thetford Forest Park and river Little Ouse Path, IP27 0TJ. Lose yourself in hundreds of acres of ancient forest.
Brandon Country Park, Brandon, IP27 0SU. The other end of the river Little Ouse and Constable country.
West Stow Country Park, West Stow, IP28 6HG. Incredibly well preserved 400AD Anglo-Saxon village set in 125 areas of woods and parkland.
Ickworth House, Bury St Edmunds, IP29 5QE (nb requires NT membership). Awesome house and grounds
Pakenham Two Mills, Pakenham, IP31 2NB. The only village with two working mills of different types in the country!
Suffolk coastal path, 60 miles of pathway taking in Southwold, Aldeburgh, Lowestoft and more
Sutton Hoo estate and Deben Valley, IP12 3DJ. Visit the royal burial site that inspired The Dig
Cycling
There are numerous cycle and mountain biking routes in our area varying in length from a few miles to 40 miles or more. You are very welcome to bring your own cycles, and you can hire them from Micks Cycles in Bury St Edmunds. It's possible to pick up a route right out of our entrance, or you can head over to Thetford Forest or the coast for some quality road or off road biking. If you are seeking jumps, flicks and tricks, head to Pheonix Cycleworks track in Kentford.
Bird Watching, Wildlife & Nature Reserves
The local area is rich in wildlife including birds both within the Badwell Ash Holiday Lodges site and further afield. There are a number of nature reserves within a short drive from the Lodges including; Lackford Lakes, Knettishall Heath, Redgrave and Lopham Fen and Lakenheath Fen. The Suffolk coast in particular has a number of RSPB and other Suffolk Wildlife Trust sites including the famous RSPB Minsmere. The Suffolk Wildlife Trust has described Suffolk's nature reserves as 'some of the richest wildlife areas in the UK.' A little further afield you will encounter a BBC Springwatch favourite at Pensthorpe Natural Park in Fakenham, Norfolk.
SWT Knettishall Heath Nature Reserve
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events
The Coast
The Suffolk Coast is a gem, and well worth a day trip whilst you are here. There is the bustle of Southwold, the beauty of Aldeburgh, the calm of Walberswick, the postcard views over Woodbridge and lots more. No wonder the coast and countryside of East Anglia has long been an inspiration to artists - Gainsborough and Constable both painted in Suffolk. There are numerous sandy and pebbly beaches along the coast, many areas are set aside for dune conservation, bird and seal watching. A fishing industry still exists, from small beach-launched boats in Dunwich to the larger port of Lowestoft and the UK's busiest container port at the Port of Felixstowe. The Broads are close too; once a source of peat for fires, and now a watery paradise of lock-free navigable lakes and rivers. And the Fenland waterways of Cambridgeshire and Suffolk meander gently through attractive market towns.
Theatres & Cinemas
Theatre Royal, Westgate Street, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1QR. This sole surviving Regency theatre was restored to its original 1819 glory.
Apex Centre, Charter Square, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3FD. This venue is located in the Arc Shopping Centre and is a music, entertainment, business and community venue with a full programme of events all year round.
Abbeygate Cinema, 4 Hatter Street, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1LZ. A lovely arts cinema located in the beautiful historic medieval quarter of Bury St Edmunds.
Cineworld, Park Road, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3BA. Modern chain multi-screen cinema.
Golf
Visitors are welcomed at a number of local golf clubs where you can buy a daily green fee.
Bury St Edmunds Golf Club, Fornham All Saints, Bury St Edmunds, IP28 6LG
Stowmarket Golf Club, Onehouse, IP14 3DA
Diss Golf Club, Diss, Norfolk, IP21 4AA
Horse Riding
Riding lessons and hacking out are available at a number of nearby centres.
Bardwell Manor Equestrian Centre, Bardwell, IP31 1AU
Westside Stables, Badwell Ash, IP31 3DP
Hill Farm Stables, Elmswell, IP30 9HL
Adventure Sports
The more adventurous may appreciate the following suggestions for an adrenaline filled day!
Go Ape Thetford Forest. Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 0AF
Trampolining: Jump In, Anglia Retail Park Ipswich IP1 5QP, or (better but further) Gravity, Riverside Entertainment, Wherry Rd, Norwich NR1 1WT
Combat Paintball. A11, Thetford, Norwich NR16 2TH
Clay Pigeon Shooting. The Big Shoot, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Quad Biking and Archery. East Anglian Activities, Rymer Farm, Barnham, Suffolk, IP24 2PR
Avid Indoor Wall Climbing. 8 Bermuda Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9RU
Red Lodge Karting. Link Road, Bury By-Pass, IP28 8LE.
Escape Rooms Suffolk. Harlequin Park, Kenny Hill, IP28 8DS
