THE 6 WILDEST HOLIDAYS IN SUFFOLK

Wildlife is all around in Suffolk, from buzzards soaring over The Brecks to red deer stepping silently through the forests. With so many rich landscapes to explore, Suffolk is there perfect place to step into the wild, and have a holiday you’ll never forget.

Anyone who’s wild at heart will find plenty to do in The Brecks. One of the rarest and sunniest landscapes in the UK, The Brecks are ripe for for adventure. The three nature trails at Brandon Country Park are a perfect example, each one offering something new: the Red Trail with its Muntjac deer, birds and squirrels; the Purple Trail on which you can discover the park’s famous arboretum and magnificent Beech Avenue, keeping an eye out for buzzards and sparrowhawks; and the Orange Trail, which is longer and tougher, but lets you explore the deeper beauty of the forest, before arriving at a supposedly haunted mausoleum.

 

Thetford Forest in The Brecks is also the perfect place for a wild holiday. As well as walking and mountain biking trails through the forest, you can spend a day in the treetops with Go Ape, or speed along the forest floor on a Go Ape Segway Tour.

 

Finally, what wilder way to end your holiday in The Brecks than by wild swimming in the Little Ouse river at Santon Downham? You can enter the river at St Helen’s picnic site and swim 6km down the tranquil, tree-lined river until you reach Brandon, keeping your eyes peeled for kingfishers. Remember that wild swimming is always undertaken at your own risk, and to check weather conditions before you go. Watch Visit Suffolk's 'Wild' film here all about wild swimming

The Suffolk Coast is covered by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty stretching from Benacre in the north to Felixstowe Ferry and the Shotley Peninsula in the south. Wild Adventures Under Suffolk’s Skies gives you a chance to explore that beauty in your own way, either on a bespoke tour created just for you, or on a group activity day. These include morning chorus walks along the Alde Estuary, days photographing Havergate Island’s hares, or even staying on the island overnight to photograph the nocturnal wildlife and landscape.

 

Wild Adventures Under Suffolk’s Skies also offer on-demand walks, such as a creating writing nature walk in Walberswick, or a walk through the landscape that inspired Benjamin Britten.

Sleeping with a starry sky above you and waking to a woodland shower soundtracked by the sound of birdsong is what wild holidays in Suffolk are all about. There are many fantastic camping and glamping sites across the county, such as the luxurious Secret Meadows in Woodbridge, the 60s-styled Happy Days Retro Vacations in Saxmundham, the lovely Lantern and Larks in Sweffling, and Ivy Grange Farm in Halesworth, with its selection of decked-out yurts and bell tents.

 

For a wild holiday with all the mod-cons, you can rent a leisure home at Cakes & Ale Holiday Park in Theberton, or make yourself at home in one of Run Cottage Touring Park’s luxury glamping pods in Woodbridge. More traditional camping can be found at the picturesque Mill Hill Farm by RSPB Minsmere. And if you’re coming in a large group, why not rent out the Stour Valley Bunkhouse in Grantham on the Shotley Peninsula, just a stone’s throw from Constable Country?

What could be more fulfilling that enjoying a wild holiday in Suffolk and doing good at the same time? Wild Days Conservation Holidays offer two holidays just like this in Suffolk: take part and you could soon be surveying red deer and small animals at RSPB Minsmere and Dunwich Heath, or conserving the endangered coastal habitats of Havergate Island and Orford Ness. Far from roughing it, you’ll be provided with fantastic food and charming places to stay off the beaten track, while still getting lots of hands-on conservation and research experience.

If you’re fascinated by the art of falconry, this could be the wild holiday for you. On a 3-day beginner’s course in falconry with Suffolk Falconry & Hawking in Woodbridge, you’ll learn everything from how to handle and fly raptors, how to care for and feed them, how to obtain hunting grounds, and even how to build furniture for your future bird.

At the Wilderness Reserve in Sibton, wild holidays are as sumptuous as they come. In one of the dreamy cottages dispersed across this vast estate, you can snuggle down in comfort for the night and wake to the sight of beautiful parkland full of deer, wildflowers, butterflies and birds. As well as archery, tennis, and wine tastings, the Wilderness Reserve offers many activities to bring you closer to nature: you can sip warm cider by a bonfire in the woods, take a wildlife walk around the estate, or get up at dawn for a morning chorus tour led by a local ecologist.

If your heart is set on a wild holiday in Suffolk, get in touch and tell us what you’re looking forward to via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.