A whistlestop tour of Suffolk gives Elaine and Joe Ormerod the chance to get back on the road
IN LATE SUMMER we had an accident, which set our touring plans back for a few months, because Joe was injured and our car was written off.
Fortunately, Joe made a full recovery and three months later, with a replacement car and our caravan repaired, we were back on the road and keen to visit our friends Helen and Roy in Suffolk, who had kindly looked after our ebikes during that time.
We overnighted at Kingsbury Water Park Camping and Caravanning Club Site, in Sutton Coldfield, treating ourselves to a meal at the nearby Dog and Doublet Inn.
Best of Britten
The next morning we were off to Suffolk, heading for Jaydene, just a few miles south of Lowestoft. This adults-only touring caravan park has 12 gravel pitches set back behind the owner’s house, away from the busy A12 Lowestoft to Ipswich road.
As soon as we were set up, we popped over to see Helen and Roy for a cuppa and to collect our bikes. I say “popped over”, but this is a bit of a misnomer because if you aren’t stopped by the train crossing, there’s another road closure for shipping.
Fascinating for the tourists, as Roy remarked, but not so great if you’re a local! We made plans for the following day, with Helen keen to show us the area.
Helen and Roy picked us up from the campsite and drove us to Snape Maltings, the famous arts centre created by Benjamin Britten and his partner, the singer Peter Pears. Originally, these converted Victorian buildings were used for malting the local barley, for the brewing of beer.
At its heart is the 832-seat Concert Hall, formerly the largest malthouse, where the Aldeburgh Music Festival is held.
There are galleries and shops to browse, and restaurants and cafés for the hungry and thirsty. On a cold but sunny late November day, it was amazing to see how many people were there – in fact, we had difficulty finding a parking place.
We decided to have some refreshments there, but the café was also full. Luckily, we were all warmly dressed, so our drinks were taken al fresco in the sunshine.
Snape Maltings lies on the banks of the River Alde and there are trails to follow through the reeds, which are grown for thatching buildings.
Quay attractions
Next, we drove on to pretty Orford Quay, where lots of small boats were hauled up on the shingle. Here, y
