I didn’t think our short break to Suffolk could get any better. We’d found excellent self-catering accommodation at Mollett’s Farm; spent an evening at the concert hall in Snape Maltings where I attended a singing workshop with esteemed choirmaster, Gareth Malone; then an exhilarating day walking along the beach at Aldeburgh. We’d even boxed clever on the journey from Lincolnshire to Suffolk, stopping off at the stunning Sainsbury Centre in Norwich. That would have been quite enough to make our mini-break a successful one. But we still had one day to fill. We decided to spend the day in the seaside town of Southwold, just up the coast from Aldeburgh.
This was a return visit but several years had elapsed since we had come as a family. This time it was just the two of us, empty nesters taking the opportunity again to spend quality time, out of season, in normally busy places. There was no frustrating hunt for a car park; we just rolled up and parked on the street, next to the pier. Well, this was November.
“That’s a funny place to have beach huts,” I said, pointing to a row of brightly coloured wooden cabins, stretched along the edge of the car park. They were facing the wrong way too, with no view of the sea. On closer examination we realised that many of the famous Southwold huts had been moved to a temporary location so they could be painted and repaired during the winter months.
We then discovered many more huts along the front, facing the sea in their normal location. This gave us an excellent chance to have a proper nosey, close-up, when their owners weren’t in residence.
I’ve seen beach huts in a number of seaside towns but the Southwold ones take some beating. They’re painted in the prettiest of colours and maintained to the highest standards; hence the winter sprucing up we witnessed that day. And the names, often written on arty ceramic signs, are a sure sign of each owner’s personality. ‘Take it Easy’ and ‘Chill Out’ next to a stripey ‘Mr Blue Sky’, the lyrics of the ELO song appearing in the windows. My favourite was ‘Jabba The Hutt’: a Star Wars fan or just someone who couldn’t resist a good pun?
Wrapped up warm against the chill of the coastal breeze, Dougie and I walked along the pier to the end, stopping to see the waterclock which was just about to perform. Made by Tim Hunkin and Will Jackson in 1998, to a very tight budget, it was designed as a feature about water recycling. The metal figures in the bath squirt water at each other whilst two cheeky chaps drop their trousers and aim at a toilet, always missing their target. Anything lavatorial gets my vote.
The fun continued in the Under The Pier Show, a creation of the aforementioned Tim Hunkin. His collection of wacky arcade machines was originally opened in 2001. Since then the number of machines has increased but the silliness hasn’t changed. Normally this arcade would be filled with visitors and it would be hard to elbow children out of the way to have a go on the machines. On a cold November day, however, there was only us and another daft couple, excitedly trying out all the games, shovelling money into the slots and giggling a great deal.
Dougie naturally warmed to the Doctor, a machine which diagnoses the patient with a stethoscope before issuing an illegible prescription. This is true, by the way: Dougie’s writing is awful! We then built up quite a sweat, bouncing up and down on two stools which operate Pirate Practice, earning a freshly-laundered one billion dollar note as a ransom pay-out. I also tested my zimmer frame expertise in Mobility Masterclass. I found it impossible to cross the road without being knocked over: the ambulance was constantly summoned and nee-naw sounds filled the room. If this is a taste of things to come, the local drivers round our way will need to watch out.
As we walked off the pier it was hard to miss the huge mural created by street artist, Pure Evil, or Charlie Uzzell-Edwards, the name his mother probably prefers. It features author, George Orwell, who lived in Southwold from 1929 to 1935. Pure Evil spent a couple of days in Southwold in 2014, painting this bold statement and it remains on the pier today.
In the centre of town, we bought some Christmas presents in the excellent independent shops before hunting down a creamy, calorific coffee and teacakes in Buckenham Coffee House. Located in the converted cellar of the house of a Tudor merchant, you can still see brickwork and timbers from the 1500s. The art gallery above it is also worth a visit: perfect for gifts.
The sun set early on our day in Southwold, so we wandered back to the car enjoying the beautiful light over the North Sea which picked out the pastel colours of the huts on the beach front. This town may well be a tourist favourite in the summer, when extended warm days encourage visitors to stay longer, but it’s also a winter treat that can be yours to enjoy without the crowds.
What a darling beach village! The huts are cute!
It’s very pretty, isn’t it.
I love Southwold and it’s beach huts and piers. I must try a visit in winter, it sounds just as lovely as summer!
We had such a happy day – still lots to do and see and as long as you’re wrapped up, it’s just as beautiful.
I would love to go for a walk on that beach !
#MondayEscapes
It’s so beautiful on the Suffolk coast – lovely long stretches of beach.
I love getting to see different places in England. Always reminding me of all the places I want to go, and showing me so many new ones I didn’t know existed. #mondayescapes
Happy to oblige with some ideas of places to go. I don’t have the time to visit all the places I’d like to go in England either and yet I keep going back to the same ones!
Those bath houses are so lovely! They always make a visit to the waterfront feel more festive and are so fun to take photos of. Love Jabba the Hut, too! #mondayescapes
It’s always wonderful to see a row of colourful huts at the beach. I think it’s great that they are so well-maintained. Owners must love their little houses very much.
You do make me laugh. Mind you I would have thought the same about the beach huts! 😀 Definitely definitely on my list of places to visit before we leave Cambridge! 😀 xx
Well you’ve done Aldeburgh so just a few miles further up the coast for Southwold. xx
Oh I love that mural it is so fab and I bet you enjoyed that beautiful sunset. I have not been somewhere with pretty beach huts for such a long time and I cant wait to visit the beach very soon x
I must admit, I get a hankering for a trip to the seaside every so often – at any time of the year it gives me such a boost.
I wanted to visit Southwold for ages! I should just go. Thanks for the inspiration. x
I can recommend a short break in the area as there’s so much to do. Suffolk has become a great foodie place too – lots of restaurants and great hotels so plenty of choice.
So serene looking! Like it! #farawayfiles
Thank you 🙂
I love Southwold – although I don’t think we have explored it as well as you (I’ve never seen that mural before). Must head back soon. It sounds like you had a brilliant break. #FarawayFiles
We always miss something when we have a day trip – I suppose you can’t really see everything or it wouldn’t be so relaxing. Great excuse to return, though!
Oh, I LOVE Southwold – but you already know that! A sunny winter’s day is just perfect there. I well remember Jabba the Hut. Aren’t those beach huts just so delightful? Some of my favourites in the UK, I think. And the pier is such great fun. We found some really lovely tearooms in the town too. I do love a place that does great fish and chips AND plenty of cakes. Aah, wish I was there right now. #FarawayFiles
It has everything, doesn’t it. I’m so glad they keep the huts properly maintained – it makes such a difference.
‘the name his mother probably prefers’ !!! lol. Seems like you and I had the same idea, except you went to Suffolk and we went to Norfolk! I love British towns in the winter (so long as the sun is shining – this of course makes all the difference). I’ve not yet been to Suffolk and I am at present collecting a plethera of blogs to see me a good time once we get there so I shall definitely be adding this one to the list, and you now have me thinking we should book winter time too. Cheers me dears! #farawayflies
You’re right – blue sky or, at least, no rain does help! I wonder if I would have been so excited if it had been chucking it down?
Hope you enjoy Suffolk when you eventually get to visit!
That’s funny about the beach huts…oh how I wish we had beach huts! Southwold looks and sounds picture-perfect, and there is just something about visiting a beach town in winter. Like you say, you could just pull up next to the pier! Thanks for linking up with #farawayfiles
The seaside towns of Suffolk and Norfolk are really lovely – and the huge skies and vast beaches make a trip there such a wonderful way to shake off the cobwebs.
These huts look very beautiful and colourful. The owners must be really very proud. Thank you so much for sharing this post. #farwawayfiles
They are lovely – they all seem to blend so well.
Thanks for reading, Usha.
As warm days on the Oregon Coast are few and far between, we are very used to taking a beach stroll in any season. There is something soothing to be by the sea. I just adore those beach huts! We’ve seen them in Whitby, but there they are uniform in color, red, blue, green, yellow, red, blue, green, yellow. I love the stripes here and can see spending a whole summer paddling in the surf with littles. The water clock is so charming as well! Thanks for sharing with #FarawayFiles
I wonder whether there are strict rules of colours and patterns – certainly there didn’t seem to be any huts which looked odd: all very seamless and utterly gorgeous.
Our favourite Seaside to visit, just down the road from where I grew up!
I like to remind you of home, Catherine.
Those beach huts are so pretty! What a great opportunity to get up close to them whilst their owners were not around. I really miss the seaside, I grew up a stones throw from the beach and now live about as far away from the beach as you can get in Gloucestershire! We may just have to return and buy a beach hut one day;)
I was born at the coast too and really miss not living beside the seaside. We can get to North Norfolk in just under an hour, so that’s not too bad, but I know how you feel – you get a yearning for a seaside fix.