9 hours Ago
Looking for romantic day out ideas in the county? We’ve got you covered. Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or not, there are always lovely things to do in Suffolk. Walk on a sandy beach, hire a Broads day boat, take a stroll along the prom and much more.
Here are our top 10 ideas...
You’re welcome! Abbey Gardens, Bury St Edmunds. Photo: Shawn Pearce/Visit Suffolk 1. Abbey Gardens, Bury St Edmunds With the backdrop of the magnificent Abbey ruins and cathedral, this is a lovely place to walk hand-in-hand with your loved one.
The 14-acre Abbey Gardens are on the site of a former Benedictine Abbey, the Abbey of St Edmund, named for the first patron saint of England and home of a shrine to St Edmund. The gardens are one of England’s top 20 most-visited free attractions! If you’re here for longer, enjoy exploring Bury St Edmunds town centre with its lovely Georgian buildings and Regency Theatre. Bury is very much dog-friendly, and it serves as the county’s foodie capital.
If you’re staying, it has to be at the magnificent Angel on Angel Hill, which featured in the film The Personal Story of David Copperfield. Swans at Minsmere. Photo: Getty 2.
Sunrise at Minsmere Seeing the sunrise at RSPB Minsmere while the dawn chorus rings out around you is an experience like no other. There are so many wildlife habitats at this venue named in Lonely Planet’s top destinations for 2025, that you’ll be spoilt for choice. Swans mate for life so are great symbols of romance.
While you’re here, see if two will replicate this photo for you. Stay at The Westleton Crown and you’ll be in good company – William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, have enjoyed a romantic supper and stay here. Ickworth House & Gardens.
Photo: NT Images 3. Romance at Ickworth Many of the books in the library at National Trust’s Ickworth House contain inscriptions of Sir Thomas and Isabella Hervey’s devotion to each other. After she passed away, he continued to write many poems in her honour.
Two hundred years later, Frederick Hervey and Theodora Wythes defied their family’s wishes to be together. The story goes that they fell in love whilst sharing a plate of macaroons. Enjoy a romantic walk in the parklands before visiting the Rotunda, which showcases an internationally renowned art and silver collection.
And you can stay here too! Walberswick walks. Photo: Visit Suffolk 4. Walberswick walks Bring your loved one and your dog to the pretty chocolate-box seaside village of Walberswick and plan a picnic.
Walk along the sandy beach and then over the boardwalks through the marshes to Dunwich where you could have lunch at The Ship and pop into the little museum to see the diorama of how Dunwich looked in medieval times. Put it this way, it was one of the largest trading ports in England until two devastating storms put it under the sea. Yes, this is England’s Atlantis! The Anchor back at Walberswick is a dog-friendly place to stay.
Ramsholt Arms on the Deben Peninsula. Photo: Visit Suffolk 5. Sunset at Ramsholt Persevere down the end of a long unprepossessing single lane track off the B1083 and you’ll get your reward: a stunning view of the River Deben and a perfect place to watch the sun go down.
Get refreshments from the riverside Ramsholt Arms, sit at an outside picnic table, and you can recreate the scene in the film Yesterday where our hero Jack plays an unknown Yesterday to his incredulous friends. ‘It’s one of the greatest songs ever written,’ says Jack. ‘Well, it’s not Coldplay.
It’s not Fix You,’ says one of his friends. If you’re here for the day, then don’t miss a trip to the Anglo Saxon royal burial site at nearby Sutton Hoo. Stay at The Crown in Woodbridge or, if you want something more bucolic, try Seckford Hall.
Beccles by boat. Photo: Visit Suffolk 6. Beccles by boat Hire a day boat and cruise along the river Waveney, having a sneaky peak into peoples’ back gardens as you go through Beccles.
Soon you’ll be out in the quiet countryside where you can spot otters and birdlife. How about a drink at the fabulous Geldeston Locks pub, the highest navigable point of the river? If you’re staying, then why not on the water? Hippersons have a range of superb accommodation. Ipswich's waterfront.
Photo: Ipswich Photography and Video/Visit Suffolk 7. The Waterfront at Ipswich This is a lovely place for a romantic stroll, watching the sunset behind the marina and enjoying the evening in the many places to drink and dine. And to cap off your romantic date, it has to be a stay at The Salthouse Harbour Hotel.
Make a day of it with a river trip from the quayside along the Orwell River. Kentwell Hall. Photo: Getty 8.
Early spring walks at Kentwell Hall Take a dreamy stroll around the spring gardens of Kentwell, a moated redbrick Tudor mansion in the heart of Suffolk close to wool town Long Melford. The gardens will be carpeted with beautiful snowdrops. If you’re staying, try The Mill, a sumptuous B&B in the village.
The next day, you can visit other nearby wool towns Clare and Kersey. Seafront Southwold. Photo: Sarah Groves/Visit Suffolk 9.
Seafront Southwold There’s nothing more romantic than a hand-in-hand stroll along a seaside prom, and there are few nicer than Southwold with the backdrop of the iconic lighthouse and magnificent Victorian pier, where you can try the quirky amusements. At this quieter time of year, there’s an atmosphere that’s very different to summer – this is conducive to quiet reflection and mindfulness. Head to the Hun Hill cannons and colourful beach huts by the sand dunes before heading into the town and snuggling down in one of the many characterful pubs for a pint of Adnams.
Another lovely walk is on the paths across the marshes to Blackshore Harbour where you can pick up fresh local seafood. Staying the night? It’s got to be The Swan on the High Street. Lavenham after dark.
Photo: Paul J Coghlin/Visit Suffolk 10. Lavenham after dark With the day visitors gone, Britain’s best-preserved medieval village at night is a magical place, particularly with the historic crooked, timber-framed houses emitting a warm glow. Catch Lavenham on a winter evening when there’s snow on the ground and you’ll want to propose right there and then.
Then it’s time to retreat to a cosy fire and a romantic supper in the luxurious surroundings of The Swan or The Great House. For more ideas on places to visit in Suffolk, head to visitsuffolk.com This article first appeared in Suffolk magazine.
Subscribe at https:// www.greatbritishlife.co.
uk/subscribe/suffolk/.
