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The county of Suffolk offers a rewarding combination of gentle countryside, miles of uncrowded coastline and a wealth of historic houses and gardens. Inland, visitors can discover pretty villages with colour-washed timbered buildings and medieval market towns, whose fine buildings stand testament to the area's prosperity in the wool trade during the 14th and 15th centuries. Along the coast, the Heritage Coastline stretches for 40 miles within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, providing an ideal habitat for a variety of seabirds. Here also lies a string of attractive seaside resorts at Southwold, Walberswick and Aldeburgh, famous for its Annual Music Festival. Suffolk is also the home of Constable country, a rich landscape of farms and woodland in the Stour Valley widely featured in Constable's landscapes. Flatford Mill, owned by Constable's father, was where Constable painted his most famous landscape, The Hay Wain, (now in the National Gallery) and visitors can discover more about the artist at the 16th century thatched Bridge Cottage. Not far from here, lies Sudbury, birthplace of Thomas Gainsborough, famous for his 18th century portraits. A superb collection of the artist's work is on display in Gainsborough's House. Other highlights in the region include Newmarket, the centre of horse-racing and home to the National Horseracing Museum, the historic town of Bury St Edmunds, the 'olde-worlde' purpose-built holiday village at Thorpeness, and Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich, containing a fine collection of works by Gainsborough and Constable. In addition to the many country houses which often cater well for children, family attractions include Suffolk Wildlife Park featuring lots of animals from Africa, Fritton's Country World and Easton Farm Park, a wonderful working farm where children can stroke and feed the animals. Cycling is an ideal way to explore this rewarding county. There are plenty of quiet back roads, and the hills are gentle enough for both young and old. |
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