The treasures of East Anglia
BIG skies, colourful events, boating holidays, windmills and picture-perfect villages are just some of the things you’ll come across in East Anglia. Here, we scratch beneath the surface to reveal some of this region’s hidden gems. You can discover more at VisitEngland.com.
SUFFOLK HEAD to Southwold in late June and you’ll experience a host of entertainment at the Southwold Arts Festival – a weeklong celebration staged at the seaside resort from June 28 to July 5.
Immerse yourself in music, theatre, poetry, visual arts, photography, film and literature as international, national and local talent perform in venues in and around the town.
Further inland, history buffs will love strolling through time in Bury St Edmunds. Once home to one of the most powerful monasteries in medieval Europe, the town has historic buildings around every corner, including St Edmundsbury Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece dating from the 12th Century, and the Theatre Royal, Britain’s only surviving Regency theatre. Continue the historical theme with a stay at the nearby Six Bells in Bardwell, a 16th Century inn.
ESSEX THE county will be in the spotlight on July 7 as hundreds of world-class cyclists pedal through the rolling countryside, historic towns and picture-perfect villages for the third stage of the Tour de France. Swarms of cyclists will make their way into Essex via Saffron Walden, a medieval market town famed for its crooked Tudor buildings and square that has hosted markets since 1141.
The charming village of Finchingfield, a little further south, is also on the official route. With its ancient cottages surrounding a pristine village green, it’s one of the most photographed villages in England. Experience the buzz of the Tour with a pint at the village’s cosy Fox Inn.
NORFOLK STAY ‘aboard’ The Wild Duck, a boat that dates from 1878 which has been converted to a beach house on dry land in Heacham, Norfolk. Nestled behind dunes, The Wild Duck overlooks the bird-filled lagoons of Snettisham RSPB reserve. The coast is nearby, too, so you’ll be able to fall asleep to the sound of the sea. The children will delight in the nauticalthemed room in the hull. They will also love the World Snail Racing Championships held in nearby Congham on July 19. This quirky event sees more than 300 snails slug it out for the title of Fastest Snail In The World. Alternatively, head east to the Broads, a vast tangle of waterways threading through Norfolk and Suffolk.
Book a holiday cruiser with Ferry Marina and explore Britain’s largest protected wetlands at your own pace, taking in the famous Thurne Mill.