HIDDEN GEMS 4 IKEN
1 ORFORDNESS LIGHTHOUSE
Every year may be the last opportunity to visit this iconic lighthouse which has been a seafarer’s mark for so long and is at risk of falling into the sea. It’s owned by the Orfordness Lighthouse Trust, which offers pre-booked guided tours. www.orfordnesslighthouse.co.uk
2 ORFORD QUAY
Not itself a ‘hidden gem’ but the place from which to reach them. Both the RSBP tours to Havergate Island (havergate. island@rspb.org. uk) and the National Trust (NT) range of guided Orford Ness tours depart from here. All need pre-booking and tend to sell out quickly. Day tickets to Orford Ness can be purchased from the NT office on the quay (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ orford-ness-national-naturereserve). Opening times are seasonal. Immediately behind the quay are the Jolly Sailor pub and Pinney’s Smokehouse (www. pinneysoforford.co.uk). There’s often fresh fish for sale as well as a riverside tea room and a van in the car park selling locally made ice cream.
3 ALDEBURGH HIGH STREET
The gem you might miss in this well-stocked high street is Reed Books, ‘a literary Aladdin’s cave’ for lovers of second-hand books. The Aldeburgh Bookshop stocks new titles and offers expert guidance for young readers. The restaurant most frequently recommended by locals is The Lighthouse (www.lighthouserestaurant.co.uk) and the Two Magpies bakery is a must for artisan bread and patisserie www.twomagpiesbakery.co.uk. Escape commercial temptation up the river to Iken (but only on the flood). Drop anchor in Iken pool and find your way ashore to St Botolph’s Church, established in the 7th century, destroyed by Vikings in the 9th century then rebuilt by the Normans and a magically evocative spot today. Nearby Iken Canoes might be your best way to explore further at all states of the tide. www.ikencanoe.co.uk
5 SNAPE
There are more shops, restaurants, art galleries and pubs at Snape but for me it’s the combination of the reed beds and Henry Moore sculptures that make this place unique. Concerts and music workshops happen throughout the year but generally need pre-planning. The hidden birdsong comes free. www.snapemaltings.co.uk