Saturday, February 27, 2021
Eastlife
  • Home
  • Counties
    • Beds
    • Cambridgeshire
    • Essex
    • Herts
    • Norfolk
    • Suffolk
  • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Where to pickup your FREE copy of eastlife
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookie Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • What’s on
No Result
View All Result
Eastlife
  • Home
  • Counties
    • Beds
    • Cambridgeshire
    • Essex
    • Herts
    • Norfolk
    • Suffolk
  • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Where to pickup your FREE copy of eastlife
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookie Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • What’s on
No Result
View All Result
Eastlife
No Result
View All Result

10 things to do in Beccles & Bungay

Emma Kemsley by Emma Kemsley
March 30, 2020
in Suffolk, Travel
0 0
0
Home All Counties Suffolk

Beccles and neighbouring Bungay, are two gorgeous Georgian towns, nestled in the Waveney Valley. Suffolk’s coastal towns may often steal the limelight but if you’re looking for an enjoyable spring day out or weekend away, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what the historic towns have to offer. Get exploring with our top 10 things to do…

All board

Beccles is home to the most southerly navigable point of the Broads National Park, perfect for taking to the water with a day hire boat or canoe. Local company Hippersons have a fleet of boats and can advise on routes along the Broads, rivers and waterways. If you prefer to let someone else do the driving, hop aboard the Big Dog Ferry, which offers a 40-minute boat journey along the River Waveney.

River walks

If you’d rather stay on dry land, Beccles has many beautiful walks where you’ll still get to take in the beauty of the river and spot some wildlife. The Beccles Marsh Trail is a popular option with a series of walks and cycle routes.

Find the best walking routes 

 

Tales in Bungay

Located 6.5miles west of Beccles, Bungay captivates visitors with its history and folklore. Famous for the tale of Black Shuck; a ghostly black dog that supposedly appeared in 1577, causing havoc in the church, injuring and killing some of the congregation. There’s even a beer and gin named after the mythical creature! You can visit St Mary’s Church, which today still hosts services and regular exhibitions and events to help raise funds for the upkeep of the building.

The charming town is also home to the remains of a Norman Castle. Discover the history at the visitor centre, café and gift shop, where displays help you imagine what the castle would have been like in the early 12th century. Entry is free but donations are welcomed.

Shopping

Keen shoppers will adore both towns delightful mix of stores and boutiques. Books, clothing, jewellery, homewares, crafts and more, independent retailers with their enticing window fronts are located between high street brands, helping the towns to retain a sense of old world charm. Both towns host a weekly market, Bungay’s market is on a Thursday and Beccles’ on a Friday.

Image credit: The Suffolk Coast

Bungay Town Trail

The best way to explore Bungay is by walking the Bungay Town Trail, which starts at the Market Place and takes two hours to complete. A more advanced walk starts at the Bigod Way, covering 10 miles, taking in historic sites, rare plants and wildlife.

Urban Jungle Cafe

A bite to eat

Whether you need a light bite, lunch or dinner, Beccles and Bungay have a fabulous independent food scene. For tea and cake stop by the quirky Every Day’s a Picnic Café at Brick Yards in Bungay or the very Instagrammable Urban Jungle Café in Beccles, where the food is just as vibrant as the interiors! Try a pizza that rivals those found Italy at the Royal Oak in Beccles or for tasty traditional ‘pub grub’ visit Bungay’s The Fleece Inn.

Tasty tipples

You simply can’t visit Bungay without sampling its local ales. Within the area you’ll find traditional pubs selling a range of local brews. If you want to find out more, St Peter’s Brewery is close by and offers a brewery tour and tastings from Easter to December.

Sweet dreams

If you’re making a weekend of your trip, bed down at The Swan Motel in Beccles, which featured on Channel 4s ‘Four In a Bed’. With a warm, friendly and homely feel, it’s great value for money.

Antiquing

If you enjoy browsing antiques and vintage items, coincide your trip with the bi-annual Beccles Antique Street Market. Held in the town centre on 5 May and 11 August, 100 general and specialist dealers will be selling a range of goods including furniture, jewellery, books, décor and much more. For the first time, this year will also incorporate street food. Don’t worry if you can’t make one of these dates, the area is home to a number of antique stores!

Beccles Food Festival

Beccles Food and Drink Festival

Celebrating its 5thyear, Beccles Food and Drink Festival is returning in 2019 to tantalise the taste buds. Set for Saturday 25 May, 10am-4pm, the Festival features over 70 food and drink stalls, many of them local artisan producers, as well as those from farther afield in East Anglia. Based in the centre of the vibrant market town, the Festival will include cookery demonstrations and talks, music and children’s entertainment. A free Park & Ride service will run throughout the day from Beccles Quay, where additional parking will be available.

 

Tags: merge
ShareTweetShare
Emma Kemsley

Emma Kemsley

Emma is the editor and chief writer of eastlife

Next Post

5 Reasons to Visit Harleston

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

A walk around Saffron Walden and Audley End Park

May 22, 2020

Six safe and secure dog fields

March 27, 2020

10 of the Best Essex Villages to Visit

March 11, 2020

Virtual farms: Visit your local farm without leaving home this Easter

May 22, 2020

The best ghost tours in East Anglia

1
Hertford and Ware Brunch Guide

Hertford and Ware Brunch Guide

0

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Essex

0

Eastlife’s editor reviews the Cambridge Food Tour

0
Hertford and Ware Brunch Guide

Hertford and Ware Brunch Guide

February 27, 2021
The Coolest Coffee Shops in Cambridge

The Coolest Coffee Shops in Cambridge

February 25, 2021
The Best Coffee Shops in Bedford

The Best Coffee Shops in Bedford

February 23, 2021
A Short Break in Sheringham

A Short Break in Sheringham

February 23, 2021
Eastlife

East of England’s essential guide for what’s on around the region! Allowing you to make the most of where you live.
Read more

Categories

  • All Counties
  • All Sections
  • Around the Region
  • Arts
  • Beds
  • Beds, Bucks & Herts
  • Cambridgeshire
  • Competitions
  • Consumer
  • Dog-Friendly
  • Education
  • Essex
  • Fashion
  • Featured news
  • Food & Drink
  • Health
  • Herts
  • Lifestyle
  • Little East
  • Motoring
  • Norfolk
  • Other
  • Property
  • Publications
  • Seasonal
  • Suffolk
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Weddings

Tags

48 hrs afternoon tea Christmas CPPF Dogs Easter family days out Farm shop Father Christmas festive days out Half Term Halloween homeview ice skating keep Livelife Magazine Martin Lewis merge Mothers Day New Year shopping Theatre Tour Guide win Wine winter walks

Recent News

Hertford and Ware Brunch Guide

Hertford and Ware Brunch Guide

February 27, 2021
The Coolest Coffee Shops in Cambridge

The Coolest Coffee Shops in Cambridge

February 25, 2021

© 2020 Local Media Publishing - Site managed by Doug Dawson Creative.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Counties
    • Beds
    • Cambridgeshire
    • Essex
    • Herts
    • Norfolk
    • Suffolk
  • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Where to pickup your FREE copy of eastlife
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookie Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • What’s on

© 2020 Local Media Publishing - Site managed by Doug Dawson Creative.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In