Right, you locals - Norfolk or Suffolk? I want to visit East Anglia!

[LadyMacbeth]

Following on from (yet another) Boden thread, can I just reassure you now that I am not a brayer about to descend upon you in a Range Rover...

I have had a yearning for several years now to visit East Anglia as I have a very romantic vision of it consisting of rolling green countryside, windswept beaches, red telephone boxes, thatched free ale pubs and, er, policemen on bicycles.

I know there is currently a thread on Norfolk beaches, which is v interesting thanks but I would like to know a little more about Suffolk.

Is East Anglia anything like my vision? Or have I been influenced too much by that film where John Cleese gets lost in a wilderness of Gainsborough landscapes and Trappist monastries?

If so, where in your opinion are the loveliest places to stay? Any recommendations of villages with good pubs and luxury holiday cottages would be a bonus.

TIA...

I live in Suffolk - in a pretty village with lots of thatched pink cottages surrounded by rolling (only very slightly rolling) countryside.

I love Walberswich and Dunwich for proper pretty rural unspoilt villages by the sea. southwold is poncey but still lovely - still feels like a proper old fashioned seaside town - the beach is sandy, teh peir is great for eccentric amusements. Aldburgh is a nice town, good fish and chips, stony beach. Orford great for wildlfe - minsmere beautiful bird spotting reserve. That stretch of coast is all lovely - don't go as far up as kessingland which is a bit crap - lowestoft has a nice sandy beach but is not a nice town at all - yarmouth is grim. Lots of very pretty towns a bit inland like Framlingham, Yoxford, Eye where i live.

If you want pretty town with walking distance to pubs and cafes and shops then i'd go with southwold. If you want the rural experience, i'd go with Dunwich area or minsmere - beautiful heath land and lots of thatch.

Have a good time!

I live near Norwich and enjoy living in Norfolk on the whole but the lack of dual carriageways especially in the summer time can be a pita. Also there is not that much for children to do if it rains.

My two spent last weekend bored senseless because we were stuck in for most of it due to the wet weather. There are a couple of soft play centres but they become chronically overcrowed when its wet.

On the bright side if the weather is nice this new place
near the broads looks good.

Sorry here

Fimbo - I had seen that advertised and thought it looked great - but at £45 for a family ticket it is just too expensive .

dunwich heath is gorgeous - we saw dartford warblers there last year!

Throckenholt - Do you have a copy of Sprout magazine? There is a competition in there to win 10 family tickets. I might give it a go, or I might get my friend to enter as she is very lucky (she's never off Radio Broadland - she has won loads on there!).

Thanks so much everyone for your recommendations - I feel really inspired and think we might well go for it! I'll look up all the places you've mentioned for ideas (perhaps I'll give Yarmouth a miss though ).

The Bewilderwood place looks FAB.

Thank you again!

Fimbo - I don't know what the Sprout magazine is !

I am sure you don't mean this !

LOL! No I certainly don't.

Sprouts Magazine . It's quite an interesting read. I get it through ds's playgroup. Your local playgroup can get free copies to distribute.

thanks Fimbo - I have never seen that (despite being an ex-chair of our playgroup ). I will pass it on to our chair in see if they can get it.

Tel-01508 558831 to order copies for free.