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Suffolk’s Top secret Beaches waiting to be discovered
Covehithe Beach on the Suffolk coast
Shingle Street
Shingle Street, ironically one of the only settlements in Suffolk without streets, can be found seven miles away from Woodbridge, across the marshes on the far side of Hollesley Bay. Its bungalows and (coastguard) cottages face out towards the North Sea as if to highlight the danger of the hamlet’s traditional past of fishing and river piloting for the River Ore.
Shingle Street is a beach that enjoys a wealth of wildlife, including birds and rare insects which thrive in the remote environment. Enjoy spotting many varieties while you take a swim in the sheltered, almost lagoon-like waters.
Shingle Street on the Suffolk coast
Shotley Peninsula
The two rivers meet at the point of Shotley Gate and merge to join with the North Sea. With the Felixstowe docks to the north and Harwich Harbour to the south bank, the views are both unique and spectacular.
A haven of mudflats and salt marshes, migrating birds find their way here, including sandpipers and the greenshank and, if you’re fortunate, you may even spot the Emperor Dragonfly, the largest in the UK.
Pin Mill on the Shotley Peninsula © Anthony Cullen Photography
Covehithe Beach
Covehithe beach has been described as “the beach at the end of the world.” One can’t help but feel the remoteness, which is accompanied by a natural and unspoiled timeless quality – it is difficult to resist its charm.
Accessible only by foot or bike via a footpath from the church, the wild beach at Covehithe is best visited at low tide due to the ever-receding coastline which has been forced back a staggering 500 metres since 1830.
Allow time to appreciate and enjoy the unique solitude and lack of human sound. The noises you do hear are both welcoming and relaxing; from the abundant wildlife, in particular, nesting birds, and the crashing waves which fight for space on the austere shore. You can also enjoy views across to Southwold with its historic pier, discover the remains of St Andrews church or explore the beach trees; once the remains of a clifftop copse, now pop-up like a series of sculptures, dotted along the beachfront and salt-blasted by the harsh sea.
If you are looking for seclusion, a chance to escape the crowds or just need a little peace and quiet in your life, Covehithe is the perfect beach for you.
Covehithe beach on the Suffolk coast
Bury St Edmunds Pop-up beach
You don't have to be on the Suffolk coast to experience an actual beach! If you're lucky enough to be staying in Bury St Edmunds, you're in for a treat. Have your very own “beside the seaside” experience without having to get in your car.
The Whitsun fayre, which takes place in the town in May, and the Our Bury St Edmunds Food and Drink Festival, held between Sunday 25th and Monday 26th August, will both see the perennially popular pop-up beach return.
Charter square in The Arc shopping centre is the place to catch all the fun of the seaside. Once there, you can sunbathe on a deckchair, build a sandcastle or even watch an authentic traditional Punch and Judy – all in the middle of a landlocked town!
Pop-up beach in Bury St Edmunds
