A great, old, real ale pub that time seems to have forgotten! It appears that it hasn’t been decorated for years, which actually really works! It’s a very quaint ‘real’ pub with wooden floors, plus a roaring double-sided open fire in the winter.
Great big warehouse full of fabulous antiques
One of my favourite, if not the fave in the area. Lots of different dealers (over 70 of them) with tons of quirky bits and pieces, including home, craft, outdoor and garden stuff. Set in several acres of natural gardens, it offers a wide and interesting range of antiques and collectables in a light airy environment, with new stock arriving regularly
They have arts & crafts Beach Huts, which offer an extra dimension to the Centre, with stylish hand-crafted furniture, decorative pieces for home and garden, gifts, cards, plants and much more
The Flying Goose Cafe is open for drinks, cakes and light meals
The whole place is manned a really friendly team
The Coach House is a fabulous family restaurant situated in the middle of the Thornham Estate woodland. Serving freshly prepared food, that is as locally sourced as possible, their Sunday roasts and themed dinners are not to be missed!
Wyken is a 1200-acre farm that was once occupied by Romans, with a 7-acre vineyard producing award-winning wines. On site they host weekly farmers markets, a shop, gardens, vineyard walks, and a restaurant and cafe.
Henry Watson’s Potteries, now this is what I call a family business, now in its 7th successive generation! They have an excellent shop at the pottery, selling their very recognisable ‘Charlotte Watson’s Country Collection’ and the ‘Original Suffolk Collection’.
The Hoppit Woodland & Lake community project was acquired in 2004 using grant funding, and it has been planted and managed by the community, parish councillors, and the Greenlight Trust. They began with just a stubble field, and have undergone many hours of work to create a lake, and start planting up the land in phases.
This is a real hidden gem that I happened to spot when leaving The Angel in the high street, Debenham. Heading North out of the village there is parking sign directing you to the right, and the wood is just a short walk beyond the crematorium.
The project is aimed at providing more habitat, an educational resource, angling facilities, and to provide woodland products from coppicing and other activities. They have planted a wildflower meadow, orchard, and a beautiful woodland that includes Field Maple, Oak, Hornbeam, and Ash.
Hoppit Woodland & Lake provides a lovely walk that is totally unspoilt, with fantastic views of Debenham, it is a superb example of what a community can achieve.
Altogether, the Debenham Hoppit Woodland is the ideal destination to head to if you’re seeking out an authentic experience of the British countryside. Replete with woodland and a stunning lake, visitors are able to easily relax and soak in their surroundings after taking a leisurely or lengthy stroll along the bank. For any budding anglers, the lake itself is home to various fish: in particular, you’ll find trench and carp in healthy supply here.
Debenham Hoppit is also a great place to mess around in boats, with various operators offering rentals that can be easily acquired for those interested in exploring the waterways. No doubt one of the best ways of immersing yourself and removing any stress you might have brought with you, the experience of being on the water here is second to none.
Expertly maintained by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, the Woodland extends beyond 25 acres and offers trails of varying difficulties to make it an unmissable spot for any and all visitors. Though the Trust respectfully asks anyone visiting to refrain from feeding any wildlife they encounter along the way, the appearance of various species are sure to make an afternoon stroll all the more exciting. Specifically, the following wildlife calls Debenham Hoppit Woodland home:
In addition to this varied wildlife, there’s also many kinds of flowers that are naturally occurring in this area to make the walk even more scenic. Ultimately, Debenham Hoppit Woodland is the perfect place to venture out to when on holiday in Suffolk. Providing the perfect environment to appreciate everything that the Suffolk countryside has to offer, we’re never shy about recommending this destination to anyone staying at one of our Barns or Barges to rent.
Great little antiques place in Needham Market
Featuring a handful of exhibitors, focused on providing good friendly service and customer satisfaction
They stock a selection of the following china, glass, jewellery, vintage clothing, postcards, stamps, books, ephemera, automobilia, furniture and militaria
They also provide a bespoke framing service
Sturdy old castle crowning historic Framlingham, a popular tourist destination
The walls of this historic building are built with flint. It’s a magnificent 12th century fortress with a long and colourful past which makes a fascinating family day out in Suffolk
Drop down to the mere for a lovely walk across the edge of Framlingham College (the owners)
Check out our gallery for for info on the mere, its flora and fauna
For more information visit their website
This is a great walk around a picturesque lake, whatever the weather
Needham Lake is man-made, having originally been rough, open meadowland. During the 1970s gravel was extracted during the construction of the nearby A14 and the pit was flooded to form the lake, which is now managed by the local council
During the extraction, ice age discoveries were made and numerous evidence of pre-historic life! There’s a board near the car park giving more information on this, which makes a fascinating read!
Thornham walks is just 10 minutes from Woodfarm Barns, with 12 miles of footpaths, a beautiful walled garden, plus a tea room, restaurant, and a couple of shops.