Is Suffolk the Most Dog Friendly County in the UK?
Earlier this year, Visit Suffolk announced that Suffolk is the most dog-friendly county in the UK. Is it a bold claim from an organisation with a vested interest?
Having been lucky enough to have lived in Suffolk for the last 14 years, I can wholeheartedly endorse this assertion.
So what’s the attraction of Suffolk?
Firstly it is blessed with a coastline of shingle shores & sandy beaches most of which you can take your dog on all year round. Team this with Suffolk’s low lying, gentle landscape and beautiful rural countryside allowing plenty of opportunity for visitors to explore. Suffolk has 3,500 miles of public rights of way and over 12,000 acres of open access. Please remember to keep your dog on a lead no more than 2 metres long on open access land between 1 March and 31 July. This is to protect ground-nesting birds and also at all times when you are around livestock)
Weather
And the climate? Whilst good weather is not guaranteed, the statistics are in our favour. Suffolk boasts one of the best climates in the country and the lowest rainfall in the UK. As little as one fifth of the South West and half that of the South Coast. In fact, a spokeswoman for Anglian Water described Suffolk “as dry as Jerusalem with about the same rainfall”!
Peace and Quiet
Bordered at one end by Norfolk and the other by Essex, it can be described as the “out of the way county”. To my mind that’s what gives Suffolk its quintessential charm – the opportunity to escape the frantic pace of everyday life. It is one of only 8 English counties without a motorway. For the curious the others are Isle of Wight, Rutland, Cornwall, Norfolk, Dorset, Northumberland and East Sussex. Visitors can share the gentle pace of life for a while.
Inspiration
Over the years it has inspired many. John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough and Alfred Munnings painted here. Benjamin Britten composed here, and George Orwell even took the name of one of its rivers. And it continues to inspire with its wide-open landscapes and unforgettable sunsets. Although I am somewhat biased (as I live there!), my favourite area of Suffolk is the Waveney Valley. The river that separates Suffolk from Norfolk – offering an unspoilt haven for wildlife, delightful villages and unique market towns. In many cases it affords a landscape that hasn’t changed for over 100 years.
The Market Towns
The picturesque market towns of Bungay, Beccles, Halesworth and Harleston (just over the border into Norfolk) are only around 12 miles apart. All provide the opportunity to shop in family owned shops rather than the national chains found in most towns now. Perhaps most importantly, all four have at least one pet shop, where you can top up on treats for Man’s Best Friend!
Dog Friendly Cafes
Bungay also boasts Earsham Street Café a delightful dog friendly café / restaurant – housed in a medieval building. You can enjoy a freshly baked scone and a cup of coffee or a more substantial lunch in the covered garden area, which once saw service as a cock fighting pit! Unless they have had a run of four legged customers, the staff usually find dogs a treat. As you can imagine it is a popular place with the dogs as well.
Dog Friendly Walks
Many of the walks in the Waveney Valley showcase the fine architecture and untouched countryside of the area. One of my favourites is a circular walk from Bungay to St Peter’s Brewery – housed in a medieval moated hall. The walk is quite long – about 7 miles. You can refresh yourself before you return to Bungay with a pint of St Peter’s beer and of course a bowl of water for your companion
In fact, thinking about it, most of the walks in the Waveney are circular and have a pub conveniently placed around the half way mark! Perhaps no co-incidence bearing in mind the many micro-breweries the area boasts.
Dog Friendly Pubs
Talking of pubs, there are lots of dog friendly pubs in the area. Among my favourites are The Artichoke at Broome, The Green Dragon in Bungay, The Plough at Wissett and The Buck Inn at Flixton which I can walk to. We provide a list of dog friendly pubs in each cottage. Handy if you are travelling further afield you will be able to find a refreshment stop. As much of Suffolk is rural, dogs are very much an accepted part of the rural scene
Dog Friendly Beaches
To visit the sea, you have to venture outside of the Waveney Valley – but not too far. Whilst some beaches don’t allow dogs during the summer months, often in these cases there are parts either side of the main beaches which do allow dogs all year round.
A beach that many of our guests visit and greatly enjoy is at Covehithe. The beach is only accessible on foot and is secluded. If you are lucky you may have the whole area to yourself!
Covehithe’s near neighbour is a complete contrast. Bustling Southwold known as the “Jewel of Suffolk” is a genteel place with a renovated Victorian pier, golden beach and colourful beach huts and the well respected Sole Bay Brewery owned by Adnams
And my favourite time of the day? After a busy day, sitting and watching the fantastic sunset knowing that I will be lucky enough to wake to enjoy “stupendous Suffolk” all over again tomorrow!
Thanks to Keith Parker from Old Rectory Cottages, Flixton in Suffolk for providing this post – Is Suffolk Dog Friendly – to us.