Vics
Veteran
I'll be in Felixstowe in the UK for the first week of May, and I'm looking for advice on places to shoot around there. I'll be staying at the home of a friend and will have transportation, so...
Calling all Brits!
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brainwood
Registered Film User
My advice would be to drive north. A short distance away is Woodbridge a small town with harbour and watermill. Slightly further is Aldeburgh a seaside town which has inspired many Artists with its massive Suffolk skies and the famous east coast light.http://www.thesuffolkcoast.co.uk/category/the-suffolk-coast/arts-culture/ If you go try the Fish and Chips at the Aldeburgh fish and chip shop http://www.aldeburghfishandchips.co.uk/restaurants/. On the way to Aldeburgh you pass Snape Maltings which is also worth a look. The suffolk coast is one of my favourite parts England with its own unique light. A particular favourite is Southwold which an easy day trip from Felixstowe.
Closer to hand Pin Mill on the river Orwell can be good for finding Thames sailing Barges and the pub there is quite a popular destination.
Closer to hand Pin Mill on the river Orwell can be good for finding Thames sailing Barges and the pub there is quite a popular destination.
brainwood
Registered Film User
Last time I was in Southwold we stayed in a cottage next to the River blyth for New Year. May I think will be a good time see the area, I strangely prefer the East coast in winter than in summer...on a dry sunny day obviously
The iconic Southwold Pier
The iconic Southwold Pier
Austerby
Well-known
Brainwood is quite correct about the Suffolk coast north of Felixstowe (in itself not a terribly photogenic town).
Other nearby suggestions is the coast south of Felixstowe - small fishing towns such as Brightlingsea, West Mersea and Maldon are attractive as is the countryside by the sea inlet of the Walton Backwaters (near Walton on the Naze). There's an ancient, isolated chapel on the coast nearby.
A great series of videoblogs about this coastline are Dylan Winter's series http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/ particularly the ones on the Blackwater, Colne, Stour, Orwell, Deben and Ore rivers. He's sailing around the coast, taking in every harbour and inlet.
Inland, you're also close to Constable country - where the great English landscape painter John Constable captured rural scenes a couple of hundred years ago - many of the landscapes recognisably the same today as in his masterpieces. See http://www.constablecountry.co.uk/ for more info.
It's a gorgeous part of the world, not often visited by foreign tourists and you'll be there at a particularly fine time of year - May is spectacular in the countryside.
Other nearby suggestions is the coast south of Felixstowe - small fishing towns such as Brightlingsea, West Mersea and Maldon are attractive as is the countryside by the sea inlet of the Walton Backwaters (near Walton on the Naze). There's an ancient, isolated chapel on the coast nearby.
A great series of videoblogs about this coastline are Dylan Winter's series http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/ particularly the ones on the Blackwater, Colne, Stour, Orwell, Deben and Ore rivers. He's sailing around the coast, taking in every harbour and inlet.
Inland, you're also close to Constable country - where the great English landscape painter John Constable captured rural scenes a couple of hundred years ago - many of the landscapes recognisably the same today as in his masterpieces. See http://www.constablecountry.co.uk/ for more info.
It's a gorgeous part of the world, not often visited by foreign tourists and you'll be there at a particularly fine time of year - May is spectacular in the countryside.
Steveh
Well-known
As a Suffolk native I'd say Brainwood has got it pretty spot on - that whole stretch of coastline from Woodbridge up to Aldeburgh and beyond is fabulous. I'd also add Walberswick (across the river shown in Brainwood's first pic), which you can get to from Southwold by a "ferry" which is a man in a rowing boat. There's also Orford castle and Orford Ness, which is a top secret experimental weapons testing range turned nature reserve - quite a spooky place. Make sure you check out Adnams Ale, which is the local beer (brewed in Southwold).
I'd agree that Felixstowe isn't super-photogenic, but you still have the old fashioned painted wooden beach huts, which are very "old England", and the contrast between the touristy end by the pier (rides, amusement arcades etc.) and the "posh" end a couple of miles up the beach at Felixstowe Ferry (yacht club, golf course, and the martello towers, which are round mini-forts built to protect the coast from French invaders in the early 19th century) is quite interesting.
If you have a car then make sure you come to Cambridge as well - one of the most photogenic places in Europe and an easy hour and bit's drive up the A14 from Felixstowe. If you like horses (or gambling!) you can stop at Newmarket on the way, which is the home of horse racing in the UK.
I'd agree that Felixstowe isn't super-photogenic, but you still have the old fashioned painted wooden beach huts, which are very "old England", and the contrast between the touristy end by the pier (rides, amusement arcades etc.) and the "posh" end a couple of miles up the beach at Felixstowe Ferry (yacht club, golf course, and the martello towers, which are round mini-forts built to protect the coast from French invaders in the early 19th century) is quite interesting.
If you have a car then make sure you come to Cambridge as well - one of the most photogenic places in Europe and an easy hour and bit's drive up the A14 from Felixstowe. If you like horses (or gambling!) you can stop at Newmarket on the way, which is the home of horse racing in the UK.
MV72
Marc VERRIERE
Thanks for the keepturningleft link. I really enjoyed watching the videos. Beautiful lanscapes, lovely boats and relaxed people quietly enjoying life.Makes me feel like visiting the Broads again.
Steveh
Well-known
Felixstowe:
Cambridge
Cambridge
Vics
Veteran
Man! Ask an Englishman (or woman) to tell you something about his country, and you'd better sit down and order a pint, we're gonna be here a while! Seriously, thanks to all of you for all that info! my research had turned up none of this. We'll study all of it and make many notes. Keep it coming! We'll be needing suggestions for a place to take our hostess to dinner, too.
Who needs Facebook when we have RFF?
Who needs Facebook when we have RFF?
Steveh
Well-known
That'll be Le Talbooth at Dedham 🙂
http://www.milsomhotels.com/letalbooth/restaurant/default.aspx
Not cheap, but very good!
Vics
Veteran
Looks like just the thing! (We may do lunch, though)
Vics
Veteran
The one about dinghy racing among the moorings took me right back to my own racing days in Texas! I guess it's the same everywhere.
brainwood
Registered Film User
If you fancy a pub meal there some nice ones along the river Deben
The maybush in waldringfield comes to mind and the excellent Ramsholt Arms which is a bit more of a drive as its on the other bank of the Deben
http://www.suffolkcamra.co.uk/pubs/pub/817
A friend of mine had a cottage in nearby hollesley and the ramsholt was a favourite- very isolated but great for a lunch so you can enjoy the riverside views
Chris
The maybush in waldringfield comes to mind and the excellent Ramsholt Arms which is a bit more of a drive as its on the other bank of the Deben
http://www.suffolkcamra.co.uk/pubs/pub/817
A friend of mine had a cottage in nearby hollesley and the ramsholt was a favourite- very isolated but great for a lunch so you can enjoy the riverside views
Chris
Vics
Veteran
If I fancy a pub meal. I'd absolutely fancy a pub meal! A day in the Constable country, with lunch at Le Tabooth, then supper at a pub, a pint (or two)maybe a game of darts? This is really shaping up! All of you have been great with all this. Don't stop now!
jdriffill
Established
Nearby places include Harwich and Frinton. As in the old lines:
Harwich for the continent!
Frinton for the incontinent.
I don't know if either place is conventionally beautiful or photogenic, but they must have their own peculiar charms.
Harwich for the continent!
Frinton for the incontinent.
I don't know if either place is conventionally beautiful or photogenic, but they must have their own peculiar charms.
sojournerphoto
Veteran
I would second or third or fourth the recommendation for the Suffolk Coast. I lived in Woodbridge for a while (llok for the Malt House by the Estuary) and it's lovely with some excellent pubs - Adnams Ales from Southwold are excellent and Greene King from Bury St Edmunds just up the A14 half way to Cambridge make the (dangerous) Abbot Ale and regular specials. Snape, Aldeburgh and Southwold are all worth a visit.
Have a great time.
Mike
Aldeburgh in January
Cambridge in January
More archetypal Cambridge
Sutton Hoo (nr Woodbridge)
Have a great time.
Mike
Aldeburgh in January
Cambridge in January
More archetypal Cambridge
Sutton Hoo (nr Woodbridge)
Vics
Veteran
Thanks, Mike! I can almost taste all of those! Great pictures, by the way.
Steveh
Well-known
Here you go - the 90 best pubs in Suffolk, from the Good Pub Guide 🙂
http://www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk/RE...y=1&filter=regions-gpg-pubs-option&enhanced=1
Dedham and half of constable country are just over the border in Essex, but spiritually part of Suffolk as far as I'm concerned.
Also if you want something unique try the Flora Tea Rooms in Dunwich for fish and chips -
http://www.restaurant-guide.com/flora-tearooms.htm#restaurant_description
basically a large shack next to the beach but great food, some of it fresh out of the fishing boats that pull up on the beach right outside. Dunwich itself is fascinating - it was one of the largest towns in mediaeval England but was completely consumed by the sea because of coastal erosion in the 13th century so it's now a tiny village with the fish shop, a pub and a small museum, and the ruins of a whole mediaeval city just offshore. The fisherman's myth is that on still night you can still hear the church bells ringing from the 8 underwater churches 😛.
OurManInTangier
An Undesirable
Some great advice on places here already.
I live in Ipswich, 8/9 miles inland from Felixstowe, and regularly shoot in this area. I was also raised and schooled in Maldon which was previously mentioned. Essentially if you have your cameras and access to a car you'll have no problems finding things to photograph. Almost the entire coast from Essex in the south, up through Suffolk and into Norfolk will offer so many diverse Coastal experiences. Victorian pleasure beach towns such as Southend, Clacton and Felixstowe are a little frayed around the edges. Whilst Frinton, Felixstowe Ferry and Southwold are the more upmarket versions.
Covehithe is a tiny version of Dunwich which is slowly falling into the sea and has it's church built within the ruins of the old Abbey. Worth a visit if you're passing. However it's worth going inland too. Bury St Edmunds has it's Market on a Wednesday and it's Cathedral and Abbey are worth a visit. Newmarket for the racing is worth a punt (sorry!) and Cambridge will eat much of your time too.
Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk have a huge array of wonderful Ales for you to try but make sure your a passenger!
Enjoy it and if you need a local contact if your friend is busy send me a PM.
I live in Ipswich, 8/9 miles inland from Felixstowe, and regularly shoot in this area. I was also raised and schooled in Maldon which was previously mentioned. Essentially if you have your cameras and access to a car you'll have no problems finding things to photograph. Almost the entire coast from Essex in the south, up through Suffolk and into Norfolk will offer so many diverse Coastal experiences. Victorian pleasure beach towns such as Southend, Clacton and Felixstowe are a little frayed around the edges. Whilst Frinton, Felixstowe Ferry and Southwold are the more upmarket versions.
Covehithe is a tiny version of Dunwich which is slowly falling into the sea and has it's church built within the ruins of the old Abbey. Worth a visit if you're passing. However it's worth going inland too. Bury St Edmunds has it's Market on a Wednesday and it's Cathedral and Abbey are worth a visit. Newmarket for the racing is worth a punt (sorry!) and Cambridge will eat much of your time too.
Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk have a huge array of wonderful Ales for you to try but make sure your a passenger!
Enjoy it and if you need a local contact if your friend is busy send me a PM.
peter_n
Veteran
All of this is really making me want to go there next time I'm in England! 🙂
Ezzie
E. D. Russell Roberts
If you shoot colour, be sure to capture some of the older thatched houses in pink wash. A Suffolk speciality.
Bury St. Edmunds can be well worth a visit. So can Famlingham and Long Melford.
Not far south of the border to Essex you have Colchester, the oldest town in the UK. There's still large parts of the Roman wall intact. And a Norman castle and other nice sites in the city centre.
Bury St. Edmunds can be well worth a visit. So can Famlingham and Long Melford.
Not far south of the border to Essex you have Colchester, the oldest town in the UK. There's still large parts of the Roman wall intact. And a Norman castle and other nice sites in the city centre.
