Southwold

252 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

4/5

Review type

Destination

Date of travel

January, 2016

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Friend(s)

Reasons for trip

“Swoul and Dunwich and Walderswick
They all go in at one lousy creek.”
Perhaps it was a northern seaman’s revenge for
“From Hell and Hull and Halifax
Good Lord defend us” remembering the herring girls who may have come to a bad end thereabouts, except they were sprats, but neither Swole nor Southole really fits this genteel but very likeable seaside town today. The bay though is still Sole Bay, as is the pine furniture company past the majestic Blythburgh church nearby as the gull flies. Not that Southwold church isn’t majestic too, but we’ll come to that.

Sole Bay is also famous for the indecisive though destructive battle fought at sea in 1672. The mariners’ reading room on the cliff top recalls not just this but the many shipwrecks and brave rescues by local fishermen then lifeboat crews.

We chose a January Sunday, the ground too wet for countryside walking, to revisit Southwold. Last time had been in summer but there was little difference apart from the light level. Mild even for an uncharacteristic East Coast winter or cool for a typical East Coast summer, you might say.

Despite warnings that parking restrictions still apply on Sunday, suggesting many who spend time here may have come from London or, most certainly, Cambridge, we found somewhere just off the Cliff Road. A view down to the pier was seconds away. No razz-ma-tazz just people walking along with the few amusements and hardly more lights than would decorate a cottage at Christmas. Even the children on the beach were warmly dressed. No one was bathing and the gulls were mostly sedentary.

On the several greens which make Southwold so agreeable for strollers are small guns, presented by landlubber Butcher Cumberland of 1745 infamy. Above all stands the lighthouse, visible from Aldeburgh, fifteen miles south, and constantly rotating its light chamber. Occasional glimpses of the sun were matched by flashes from the light under thick grey cloud.

It isn’t just the beach or its famous huts, worth a Premier League footballer’s weekly wage, but the town back from the cliff that’s also worth visiting. Chain shops, but on a small and fashionable scale, Seasalt, Joules and the like, vie with estate agents, cafes and restaurants, the famous pubs and Adnams store, and the essential banks. The amber shop is a treasure house, and the antique dealers had almost what we were looking for.

There’s an unconscious – or not! – sense of humour in the street sign indicating the Methodist church and Brewery in the same direction. But we were coming to the church. St Edmund’s may not have the bullet holes of Blythburgh’s angels but it has a magnificent and miraculously preserved painted chancel screen. It must have been whitewashed over before the iconoclast Dowsing came, like Wenhaston’s Doom, but probably never had to risk the weather outside. There is also “Jack o’ the Clock” with his probable Yorkist armour to match the emblem on the porch showing how old he is, who strikes the bell when services begin.

Another Southwold Jack is mounted outside Adnams’ Brewery, within sight of the church and opposite the Methodist chapel.

At this point, with twilight gathering fast, it had to be one of the many small taverns, although those with driving to do had to settle for coffee. Perhaps an hour or two in strolling about but we were still no more than five minutes from the car. Just time to catch the growing beam of the lighthouse, the old fashioned lights along the pier and a distant cruise ship out to sea.

Who wouldn’t spend an afternoon – even a day – in Southwold?

John.Pelling

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.