Canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding are among the activities available to visitors in the Broads. The network of lakes and rivers in East England is well suited to boating trips. Boats can be launched and retrieved at slipways and launch points. There are also boat hire options, from luxury cruisers to day boats, as well as guided boat tours.
Coast, heathland and trails
The Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths National Landscape includes a coastline of shingle and sand, ancient woodlands, heathland, estuaries and salt marshes. The Suffolk Coast Path runs from Lowestoft to Felixstowe through the Suffolk Coast and Heath National Landscape. Another route covers 59 miles through distinctive historic heathland, from the outskirts of Ipswich to the coastal town of Southwold. The different endpoints help you plan your routes; check trail conditions before setting out on a walk.
At High Lodge in Thetford Forest, you can choose from cycling and mountain biking trails, ranging from green-graded routes to technically challenging, black-graded features. Bike hire is available there for the cycling trails; check availability before your visit. High Lodge also has four walking trails ranging from 1 to 12 km. This gives you a useful guide to the distance you might want to cover when planning your visit.
Wetlands and historic places
East England has extensive wetlands. At Cley Marshes nature reserve, there are six bird hides, including the Robert Gillmor Discovery Hide. They overlook ponds and mudflats managed to support breeding and migrating birds. The managed habitats and bird hides give the nature experience a clear focus.
History can also be explored in a variety of ways. Grime’s Graves is Britain’s only Neolithic flint mine open to visitors. Other features of East England include well-preserved Roman sites and royal country estates. The Suffolk Wool Towns are a collection of well-preserved medieval market towns with timber-framed houses and historic churches. There you’ll find historic market squares and narrow streets, as well as galleries, antique shops, independent shops and walks through the countryside.
The gardens offer their own highlights: Peckover in Wisbech has a Victorian garden, while Ickworth has an Italian garden said to be the oldest surviving example of its kind. Paycocke’s in Coggeshall has an Arts and Crafts-style cottage garden, where visitors can play croquet or picnic on the lawn. The different garden types offer a direct way to explore a range of design traditions, while the activities at Paycocke’s add time outdoors to your visit.
Music, towns and regional discoveries
The Aldeburgh Festival has been running since 1948, takes place each June and focuses on concerts at Snape Maltings. Programmes vary from year to year, so check the dates if you’re planning your visit around the festival. Snape Maltings on the Suffolk coast also offers independent shops, cafés and galleries.
Newmarket is a centre of flat racing and offers visitor experiences centred on horse racing, including a museum and tours of the gallops. In Cambridge, punting on the river is part of the visitor experience, and food tours are also among the city break options. Check the availability and operators of the tours before travelling.
The choice in East England ranges from paddle boats and walking trails to gardens, historic places and cultural activities. What sets each option apart is what you’d like to discover: landscapes and trails, garden design, archaeological history, horse racing or events.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Faversham, Hollingbourne, Cotswolds, East Anglia, Clacton-On-Sea, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Peterborough, Thurrock, Southend-On-Sea, Hertfordshire, Luton, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire.
Go to the main travel overview: Great Britain.
