Best bird watching trails in Suffolk, England

This circular walk is located 8 miles to the north of Colchester in south Suffolk. It connects some typical 'hidden gems' of East Anglia, traverses perhaps surprisingly hilly contours, and finishes with one of the loveliest village. The walk offers a variety of scenery, views across the broad Stour Valley of Constable fame, and the secluded little valley of the River Box. The walk will only involve mud after rainy periods. About 1km of the route is along quiet tarmac roads. It does have several (around 8) stiles, one or two of which require a good pull up to get over. However several have a dog gate alongside, and none should provide a barrier to most dogs. There are sections with livestock, but most of the route runs across arable land. There are two steep climbs, one short and one less so. The walk should take 2.5-3 hours.Show more

A circular pub trail from the Eel's Foot in Eastbridge, Suffolk. The Eel's Foot is a traditional, cosy inn set in the heart of Suffolk's Heritage Coast and the ideal place for refreshments before or after your walk. The walking route performs a simple loop out to the coast and back, taking in stretches though Minsmere Nature Reserve, the Suffolk Coastal Path and Dunwich Heath along the way. There are beautiful views to enjoy, lots of birdlife within the reserves and a chance for a paddle in the sea. The walk has just a few gentle gradients and follows woodland, heath and beach paths which can get a bit muddy after rain and in winter. There are no stiles on route, just a few kissing gates to negotiate. Dogs are welcome along the entire route, but they must be on short leads in Dunwich Heath in order to protect the ground nesting bird populations. Approximate time 2 to 2.5 hours. Show more

A circular walk through Aldeburgh and Slaughden, then inland following the River Alde before crossing Aldeburgh Marshes to return to the town centre. The walk is mainly on level ground with no stiles but several gates and wooden bridges. You are likely to encounter cattle in one field towards the end of the walk, so take extra care here. Approximate time for the walk is 2.5 to 3 hours. Public toilets are available in Aldeburgh at Moot Hall and Slaughden Quay. Aldeburgh has many interesting buildings and shops and its most famous resident was Benjamin Britten. Slaughden was once a thriving fishing port and has an interesting history being well worth a visit.Show more

Dalham lies nestled in rolling countryside between Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds. The village is full of character with thatched cottages reflecting their original uses - a forge, a carpenter and laundry - and which retains an old malt kiln and windmill. Nearby woods are carpeted with bluebells and wood anemones in spring and the different walks around Dalham pass several historic buildings, including Dalham Hall., Dalham Church and Old Desning Barn. The walk starts at the Affleck Arms, the village pub (open all day on weekends and evenings mid-week). There is free parking available at the Dalham Village Hall on The Street. The walk takes around 2 hours to complete, with plenty of opportunities to take in the surrounds or rest en-route. Part of this walk takes you diagonally through a working field, and you will also journey through Leipsic Wood, an ancient woodland full of oaks, beech and elms. This is one of a number of circular walks around Dalham.Show more

A lovely walk in the Suffolk countryside created by CliffShow more

A nice walk in Suffolk, taking in the delights of Aldeburgh and Thorpeness, not to mention the nuclear power station at Sizewell.Show more

A short circular walk around the picturesque village of Dalham, Suffolk, starting and ending at the old Affleck Arms. You can follow the green circular way markers around the route. Dogs are able to join the walk, but should be kept on a leash. Dalham lies nestled in rolling countryside between Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds. The village is full of character with thatched cottages reflecting their original uses - a forge, a carpenter and laundry - and which retains an old malt kiln and windmill. Nearby woods are carpeted with bluebells and wood anemones in spring and the different walks around Dalham pass several historic buildings, including Dalham Hall. The walk starts at the Affleck Arms, the village pub (open all day on weekends and evenings mid-week). There is free parking available at the Dalham Village Hall on The Street. This a a short, enjoyable walk, suitable for dogs on a leash. It can get muddy in parts, so wellies in the winter are a good idea.Show more

A circular pub trail in Snape, Suffolk starting and finishing at two great Adnams pubs: The Golden Key and The Crown Inn. With pubs at the start and finish of this circular trail, you get chance to have lunch before your walk and then a drink at the end, or vice versa. The walking route heads out through farmland and across the beautiful heath of Snape Warren to reach the River Alde. There’s also an opportunity to visit the famous Snape Maltings, a lovely collection of shops, galleries and concert hall, before returning to Snape village. The views are beautiful throughout and there is plenty of wildlife to enjoy along the way. The route follows a mixture of pavements/village roads and heath/marsh/field paths, the latter of which can be quite muddy after periods of rain and in winter. The paths can be quite narrow in places but there are no stiles on route, just a couple of kissing gates. There are just a couple of gentle slopes, with most of the route being entirely flat. Snape Warren is grazed by Exmoor Ponies so take care with dogs in this section. There are a couple of sections walking along quiet lanes so take care of any traffic at these points. Approximate time 1.5 to 2 hours.Show more

This is a circular walk starting in Thorpeness, with its many interesting and quirky properties, crossing woodland and grazing marshes before reaching Sizewell. This is followed by a relaxing stroll along the Suffolk Coast Path back to Thorpeness. There are two gates along the walk and no stiles. Approx time taken 2.5 hours. Thorpeness was created by Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie who purchased the Sizewell estate in 1910 and transformed the fishing hamlet into a holiday resort with a boating lake (The Meare), a golf course, a country club and several mock Tudor houses, inducing the famous House in the Clouds. The Vulcan public house in Sizewell or the Beach Cafe in the Sizewell car park make excellent half way refreshment stops, whilst the Dolphin public house serves good meals and has a large beer garden. Show more

This circular walk located north of Colchester, in south Suffolk. It encompasses a rich variety of different landscapes and habitats, including some that are quite unusual for East Anglia. There is even a little valley that feels as if it has been misplaced from the hills of the West. Much of it traverses either nature reserves or land set aside for nature conservation, where work is ongoing to improve its wildlife value. Look out for the delightful and isolated Assington Mill, with a revolving water wheel. Some sections of the route are likely to be muddy or boggy in all but the driest conditions. Cattle will be encountered at one point. This is a beef suckler herd with a bull, but they are Charolais, so are both pretty and usually placid. Having said that, the combination of cattle and nature habitats means that this is a walk for dogs happy to be under close control. You will need to negotiate several kissing gates and the section with cattle involves six stiles. Around a kilometre of the route is on quiet, tarmac, country lanes. Allow 2 hours.Show more