As part of a recent road trip through Norfolk and Suffolk, we spent a fabulous week in the pretty seaside town of Southwold. We had never been before, but we fell in love with the place and will definitely be going back. Read on for my ideas on the best things to do in Southwold.
In this article
Walk Around Historic Southwold
Probably the best thing to do in Southwold is simply to wander around the historic town admiring the magnificent Georgian architecture. The buildings you see all date from the mid to late seventeenth century. They were built following a fire in 1659 which destroyed most of what stood before. When the town was rebuilt, the design included grassy areas throughout the town. These ‘greens’ were there as fire breaks in case of another disastrous fire.
The largest green area, though, is Southwold Common which was donated to the town by Thomas Godyll in 1509. Today, it is a much-used area and home to the Southwold golf, football, and rugby clubs.
For a lovely circular walk around Southwold, head south along the beach from the pier until you reach the harbour. Turn right and walk along the river Blyth until you come to the Harbour Inn. Turn right again and follow the lane through the middle of the golf course, across the common, to the High Street. Head right again and return to the sea and the pier.
Spend Time on Southwold Beach
Southwold is a genteel coastal town with some lovely architecture and none of the tat you often find at the seaside. Because there are no amusement arcades and fairground rides, the town appeals to the older visitor. The beautifully clean beach has often been recognised with the prestigious Blue Flag award. All of these factors make spending time on the beach a real pleasure, whether you are sitting enjoying the sun and watching the world go by, or walking along the sand by the water’s edge.
Beautiful Beach Huts
Southwold is famous for the 300 brightly coloured and well-maintained beach huts that line the promenade. I love a beach hut! For me, one of the best things to do in Southwold is to walk along the prom admiring the quirky décor and interesting names that the owners have given to their beach huts. It’s a photographer’s dream!
If simply admiring the beach huts from outside is not enough, it’s possible to hire one for the day to get a real taste of yesteryear. Follow this link for details of some gorgeous huts available to rent.
Stroll Along Southwold Pier
Southwold Pier is one of the most celebrated in the country. It was built in 1900 as a landing stage for the steamships which arrived from London Bridge. In 1934, a severe gale swept away the head of the pier. The remaining part was transformed into an amusement arcade and concert hall, but it was further damaged during World War II. The pier then fell into a state of disrepair which lasted for several decades.
In 1999, a restoration project began. It took two years and the 623-metre pier was completely transformed. Now there are many attractions along its length including a wacky mirror walk, an amusement arcade, a café, a restaurant, and, of course, the famous water clock. This cheeky sculpture-come-working clock was created in 1998 by Tim Hunkin and Will Jackson. They designed it to raise awareness of recycling and made it largely from old hot water cylinders. Water is pumped to the top of the clock from the well below and every thirty minutes this water powers a show featuring two men peeing! It attracts many thousands of visitors every year!
Under the Pier Show
If you are visiting Southwold Pier, don’t miss the Under the Pier Show. It is one of the most unique and eccentric collections of interactive machines in the world. All of these weird and wonderful inventions were dreamt up by Tim Hunkin, co-creator of the water clock.
Experience the life of a fly using virtual reality, train for your future on a walking frame simulator (yes, really!), or take out your frustrations on the ‘Whack a Banker’ machine! 😊
Take a Tour of Adnams Brewery
Without doubt, one of the best things to do in Southwold is to take a tour of Adnams Brewery. Wherever you go in the town, you come into contact with Adnams. Their brewery and distillery are located behind the walls of a stunning Victorian building on East Green. Their warehouse and distribution facility is close by, and their visitor centre is just around the corner. They have a retail shop on the High Street and they own all of the town’s pubs.
Adnams have been brewing in Southwold since 1872. They now have one of the most modern breweries in the UK and are the largest employer in town.
Brewery Tour
We took a tour of Adnams Brewery. Our guide took us around the outside of the buildings and gave us lots of interesting information about the history of brewing in Southwold and of Adnams. Back in the visitor centre, she explained the beer-making process in great detail as we tasted the raw ingredients – the different types of barley and hops. We went on to taste several different beers. The samples were very generous – we were glad we’d had bacon rolls for breakfast!
At the end of the tour, we were given a voucher for a bottle of beer of our choice to redeem in the High Street shop and a discount coupon off any other products we bought. At a cost of £20 each, we felt the tour was very good value.
Distillery Tour
Adnams added their Copper House Micro Distillery in 2010 and have already developed a range of award-winning spirits. They offer a distillery tour where you can blend your own gin. Although we didn’t do this, I have it on good authority that it’s a great experience!
Check out Adnams’ website for details of all their tours.
Don’t Miss Southwold Lighthouse
Southwold’s lighthouse is visible from almost everywhere in town. Originally, there was a wooden lighthouse on Gun Hill. This was replaced with the structure you see today in 1890. The tower is 101 feet tall and painted brilliant white. When it was first commissioned, it was illuminated by paraffin. It was converted to electricity in 1938.
Today, the lighthouse is operated by Trinity House and is open to the public on certain days. Check their website for details.
Check Out the Cannons on Gun Hill
These historic 18-pound cannons are thought to be more than 400 years old. They were given to the town in 1746 by the Royal Armouries as a protection against raids from the sea. The cannons were last fired in 1842 to celebrate the Prince of Wales’s birthday. Tragically, a man was killed by an explosion whilst he was reloading.
The cannons were restored in 2016 and new gun carriages were made to sit them on as the originals had rotted away.
Visit Southwold Museum
The quaint Southwold Museum is housed in a pair of Dutch cottages dating from the 17th century. The collection includes paintings, photographs, models, and objects explaining the entire history of Southwold from prehistoric times to the present day. You can see fossils and learn about the Viking occupation, sea battles that occurred just off shore, the development of the town’s architecture, Southwold’s railway, and so much more. It’s definitely worth an hour or two of your time.
Explore the Church of St Edmund King and Martyr
Southwold’s parish church is a grade 1 listed building and one of the finest examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in the UK. I spent a very enjoyable morning there and have written an article all about it.
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT ST EDMUND CHURCH
Take in a Movie at the Electric Picture Palace
The Electric Picture Palace is a small but perfectly formed 70-seat cinema which opened in 2002 as a pastiche of Southwold’s original 1912 cinema that stood nearby. It is an award-winning building designed by John Bennett and owned and run by Southwold Film Society.
The aim of the cinema is to recreate the experience of ‘going to the flicks’ in the 1950s and 60s. On nights when they are showing a film, there is a commissionaire outside, usherettes, a front of house manager in a dinner jacket, and a “Tiny Wurlitzer” organ rising up from the floor during the interval. When the movie is over, they play the National Anthem!
Learn About George Orwell’s Time in Southwold
The writer George Orwell, then known as Eric Blair, spent a lot of time with his parents in Southwold. Over the years, they owned four properties in the town. Blue plaques can be seen on these houses today. George wrote ‘A Clergyman’s Daughter’ whilst he was living on the High Street in Southwold between 1929 and 1934.
Orwell’s connection with Southwold is remembered in a mural at the start of the pier. It was created by Pure Evil, aka Charlie Uzzel-Edwards, in 2014. He is one of the key British artists of the booming international street art scene. Examples of his work can be seen all over the world.
Go Shopping
Southwold is an affluent town. For many people, shopping in the town’s chic boutiques is one of the best things to do in Southwold. There are country clothing and home furnishing stores aplenty – all of them very expensive. Several attractive delicatessens will tempt you with their delicious-looking window displays, or you might be drawn to the largest and oldest amber stockist in the UK. Whatever your preference, make sure your wallet is full!
Enjoy Fish and Chips at the Sole Bay Fish Company
Eating freshly caught fish fried in light crispy batter with delicious chips made with locally-grown potatoes has to be one of the best things to do in Southwold. There are several fish and chip shops in town but, for me, the best is the Sole Bay Fish Company located in the old harbour. It is housed in a traditional black wooden fisherman’s hut and has a fresh fish counter as well as fish and chips. Weather permitting, you can sit at one of the outside tables, or you can venture indoors to admire the quirky nautical décor while you eat. And the best thing? They serve Aspall’s cider to wash it down with!
A Word About Sole Bay
You see the name Sole Bay everywhere in Southwold. Why? Well, the battle of Solebay was fought just off shore in 1672 as part of the 3rd Anglo-Dutch war. English and French fleets clashed with the Dutch. A total of 132 warships and over 50,000 men were involved. The battle only lasted for one day, but there were heavy losses on both sides. The result was inconclusive with both sides claiming victory.
Explore Southwold Harbour
Having enjoyed your fish and chips, make sure you take the time to explore the harbour. Southwold was once a very busy fishing port and is recorded as such in the Domesday Book. It remained so until the First World War with herring being the main catch. Throughout the twentieth century, however, the port declined.
Today, Southwold Harbour is enjoying something of a resurgence with busy workshops and vibrant boats. There are several places to buy fresh fish or to enjoy a drink and a meal. You can even take boat trips out into the North Sea or up the River Blyth.
There is an RNLI station at the entrance to the harbour and the Alfred Corry Lifeboat Museum which is worth a look.
Catch the Walberswick Ferry
There is a small but reliable ferry service operating from the harbour. It’s really just a rowing boat! If you don’t fancy it, you can walk to the end of the harbour and cross the Bailey bridge to get to the lovely village of Walberswick. The day we did this it was blowing a gale and lashing down with rain so some of the village’s charm was lost on us. We’ll have to revisit on a better day!
Watch this Fabulous Video About Southwold
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