Southwold

Described in the Doomsday Book as a fishing port, over time a shingle bar built-up across the harbour entrance preventing the town becoming a major port. A fire in 1659 severly damaged the town and even today the town has many village greens where some destroyed areas were never rebuilt.
Today the town is well known due to the Adnams Brewery which is the town's largest employer.

By road

Southwold is about 35 miles from Ipswich and a similar distance from Norwich. 6 miles E of the A12 main road, 14 miles S of Lowestoft.

By train

• Darsham Train station

  address: Main Road (A12), near Darsham, IP17 3PN
  On the East Suffolk Ipswich to Lowestoft line. Station operated by and services run by Greater Anglia

By bus

It is not served by public transport so you may need to pre-book a taxi. Alternatively you can travel by train to Halesworth where there is a connecting bus service to Southwold.

By bicycle

The town is at the S end of Regional Cycle Route 31 which runs N to Beccles where it joins Regional Cycle Route 30 (to Lowestoft to the E and to Harleston and beyond to the W) as well as joins National Cycle Route 1 (Shetland to Dover) to Norwich and beyond to the N and Ipswich and beyond to the S.

The town is small enough to walk around by foot.

• Southwold lighthouse

  phone: +44 1255 245156
  No children shorter than 1.1m (really)

• Southwold Pier

  phone: +44 1502 722105
  address: North Parade, Southwold IP18 6BN

• St Edmund's Church

  address: Bartholomew Green, Southwold IP18 6JA

• The Southwold Museum

  phone: +44 1502 726097
  address: 9-11 Victoria St, Southwold IP18 6HZ

• Alfred Cory Lifeboat Museum

  phone: +44 1502 723200
  address: Ferry Rd, Southwold IP18 6NB

Walk along the pier and visit the lovely shops along it, or stop for lunch or a snack in the restaurant.
Walk to the river and take ferry over to Walberswick.
Shop in the many boutiques, gift shops, delis etc. There is a lovely Adnams Kitchen shop which sells a huge variety of wines, as well as unusual kitchen equipment. There is also a nice cafe at the back.
Take a walk on the beach.
Play golf on the very pleasant nine hole course. Visitors welcome and does a very good fish and chip meal.
Visit The Sailors’ Reading Room . Ship figureheads, pictures and portraits of local fishermen and seascapes, model ships and maritime memorabilia offer a fascinating history of Southwold’s connections with the sea .
Visit The Alfred Corry museum. The museum building is the 1923 ex-Cromer Lifeboat shed and it houses 'Alfred Corry', the Southwold No1 Lifeboat built in 1893.

• Reydon Wood

  phone: +44 1502 478788
  address: Wood Lane, off B1126, near Wangford IP18 6SL
  16 hectare woodland good for birdwatching. Apr-Jul best time to visit. Dogs on leads.

• Dunwich Heath & Beach

  phone: +44 1728 648501
  address: Coastguard Cottages, Minsmere Rd, Dunwich IP17 3DJ
  Dogs welcome. Tea rooms

• Benacre National Nature ReserveNearly 400 hectares. Open water lagoons and reed beds

• Latitude Festival

  address: Henham Park, Southwold
  Music festival

• Southwold Arts FestivalRunning since 2014, the festival organises a wide variety of artists and events and various venues over the week.

• Denes Beach

  address: IP18 6HQ
  Quiet shingle beach

• Murder Mystery Treasure TrailPurchase in advance (internet PDF download available). 2 miles & 2 hrs

• Costal Voyager

  phone: +44 7887 525082
  address: Stage S35, Blackshore, Southwold Harbour IP18 6TA

• Adnams Southwold Store

  phone: +44 1502 725612

• Farmhouse Bakery

  phone: +44 1502 722665
  address: 77 High St Southwold IP18 6DS
  Breads, cakes & filled rolls

• Amber Shop

  phone: +44 1502 723394
  address: 15 Market Place, Southwold IP18 6EA
  Amber jewellery & items

• Co-op

  phone: +44 1502 723112
  address: 2 Market Place, Southwold IP18 6EE
  ATMs

• Tesco Espress

  phone: +44 345 610 2778
  address: 2 Queen St, Southwold IP18 6EQ

• Lord Nelson

  phone: +44 1502 722079
  address: 42 East St, Southwold IP18 6EJ
  A good pub meal and atmosphere. No reservations. Dog friendly

• The Anchor Inn

  phone: +44 1502 722112
  address: The Street, Walberswick IP18 6UA
  a fine selection of speciality beers and wine, with traditional pub food, at low prices. Log fires and over 20 wines by the glass

• Coasters

  phone: +44 1502 724734
  address: 12 Queen St, Southwold IP18 6EQ

There are several wonderful pubs. Most the pubs in Southwold are run by Adnams Brewery which is based on East Green in the town. They have a well known logo "Beer from the Coast". Look out for the Lord Nelson, Red Lion and the Sole Bay.

• Lord Nelson

  phone: +44 1502 722079
  address: 42 East St, Southwold IP18 6EJ
  Great pub. Multiple award winner. Very well kept Adnams beers. Pub food. Packed to the ceilings on weekends and during the season. Dog friendly

• The Harbour Inn

  phone: +44 1502 722381
  address: Blackshore, Southwold IP18 6TA
  Lovely inn, well kept Adnams beers. Fish and chips.

• The Ship

  address: St. James's Street, Dunwich
  a traditional family pub with Mauldon’s on tap from unique handpumps

• The Sail Loft

  phone: +44 1502 725713
  address: 53 Ferry Rd, Southwold IP18 6HQ

• The Sole Bay Inn

  phone: +44 1502 723736
  address: 7 East Green, Southwold IP18 6JT

• The Bell Inn

  phone: +44 1502 723109
  address: Ferry Rd, Walberswick IP18 6TN

• The Swan

** Re-opening Autumn 2017 **

• The Crown

  phone: +44 1502 722275
  address: 90 High St, Southwold IP18 6DP
  modern, contemporary feel, owned and managed by Adnams Brewery. Comes with a fine wooden and red leather decor, several types of local beer on tap, alongside a very respectable 20 wines by the glass.

• The Blyth Hotel

  phone: +44 1502 722632
  address: Station Rd, Southwold IP18 6AY
  AA 2

*. Bar & restaurant

• Amber House

  phone: +44 1502 723303
  address: North Parade, Southwold IP18 6LT

• Home@21

  phone: +44 1502 722573
  address: 21 North Parade, Southwold IP18 6LT
  No pets. No children under 14. Min 2 night stay

• Post Office

  address: High St, Southwold IP18 6AA

• Lowestoft
• Beccles and Bungay
• Harleston
• Saxmundham with RSPB Minsmere Nature Reserve
• Aldeburgh