Top 5 Woodland Walks in East Suffolk

Rendlesham Forest

With stories of UFO sightings over the years Rendlesham carries an outer space theme throughout.

Managed by Forestry England it is a well kept site with lots of activities and amenities. The main reception area has a car park, food vendor, toilets and children’s play area as well as a large picnic site.

Exploring out from this base point is easy, with a selection of coloured coded routes to suite your time and energy reserves.

Whilst on the walking routes there are then additional things to explore like the wood carved animals and the additional children’s play areas.

A dawn or dusk walk when the site is less busy can often allow you a sighting of one of the many red, fallow and muntjac deer.

Mountain biking is also permitted with several more routes outlined for those on two wheels.

The main walking routes are also reasonably accessible to electric scooters when dry due to the flat and tidy nature of the site.

Whilst you are in the area, if you want to try one of the best award winning pubs in the country look up the Unruly Pig. Ideal for couples who like the finer things in life.

Rendlesham Forest

With stories of UFO sightings over the years Rendlesham carries an outer space theme throughout.

Managed by Forestry England it is a well kept site with lots of activities and amenities. The main reception area has a car park, food vendor, toilets and children’s play area as well as a large picnic site.

Exploring out from this base point is easy, with a selection of coloured coded routes to suite your time and energy reserves.

Whilst on the walking routes there are then additional things to explore like the wood carved animals and the additional children’s play areas.

A dawn or dusk walk when the site is less busy can often allow you a sighting of one of the many red, fallow and muntjac deer.

Mountain biking is also permitted with several more routes outlined for those on two wheels.

The main walking routes are also reasonably accessible to electric scooters when dry due to the flat and tidy nature of the site.

Whilst you are in the area, if you want to try one of the best award winning pubs in the country look up the Unruly Pig. Ideal for couples who like the finer things in life.

Tunstall Forest

Much like Rendlesham but scaled down and without the amenities, Tunstall is situated a little closer to Outside Aldeburgh so makes the perfect place for a quieter walk or one with a nervous dog.

There are several smaller free parking spots along the road and then tracks which are evident from use rather than through signage.

Being close to Snape Maltings a walk around Tunstall is a great way to work up an appetite before calling in for a walk round the galleries and gift shops, then into the Plough and Sail for a bite to eat or a warming sit by the fire with a glass of something you fancy.

Kenton Hills

Located on route to Sizewell Kenton Hills is well know locally but not so much on the tourist map.

Routes loop and zig zag around a well managed forest giving you options for short and medium length walks.

Signs along the route point out natural interests and conservation work in the area as part of Sizewell’s commitment to the local habitat.

With a bit of research you can also do a longer walk from Kenton Hills to Sizewell beach in a larger 6 mile loop and cover a range of landscapes.

The loop route is also popular with runners as the pine needles and sandy soil make for a forgiving track on tired knees.

There are no children’s play areas or amenities so much more for those wanting to listen, smell and immerse in nature alone.

Also ideal for a local dog walk if you are short on time.

Eastbridge / RSPB Minsmere

Approaching RSPB from Eastbridge takes you to the start of the forest in RSPB Minsmere as opposed to the main Visitors Centre in the coast and heathland side.

The forest is old and varied in types of trees and close to marshland give lots of opportunities to spot an array of birds.

The reason for highlighting this little spot too is of course the Eel’s foot pub. A hidden gem this pub is tucked away for sure and yet a very popular spot. Frequented by the team at Springwatch, look out for their mark.

Lots of great Ales are always on offer from Adnams brewery just down the road in Southwold, in the summer they also serve wood fired pizzas in the garden as well as an extensive pub menu.

There is a play area in the garden for children and lots of outside seating. Hence this little spot can actually provide quite the trip out.

North Warren Nature Reserve

Last but definitely not least, as located at the end of our farm track, the North Warren Nature reserve offers a lovely walking route over a range of landscapes and to one of the most popular seaside destinations in our area, Thorpeness.

Start by crossing the main road at the end of our track and you are straight onto the Reserve. Initially you will walk through the health land and then approach a lightly wooded forest. It opens up again and gives views of heath and marsh land with lots of birds passing by then thickens again to a woodland with several routes.

We like to turn left and head along the north side of the Thorpeness mere. The water side views at the back are not as well seen as the front and beautiful in a very different way.

After you have skirted past the edge of the golf course you arrive into Thorpeness where you can take a well earned break at the Dolphin Pub, the Kitchen at Thorpeness, as smart casual café or grab a snack, drink or ice cream from the Kiosk on the Mere.

If you want to absorb the whole Mere experience you could hire a rowing boat or canoe and explore the whole place. From here you can ever return back along the same route, being around 2 miles each way, or you can walk south along the coastal road briefly and then cross the Warren in open fields with long ranging views.

Last time we did this we enjoyed seeing grazing cows, a variety of birds and lots of bronze, brown and orange trees.

This route completes a 4 mile loop returning you to the forest and so from there retracing you tracks back to our track totals around 5 miles.