Best campsites for the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB
Here is our pick of the Alan Rogers Assessors, expert-recommended campsites for the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The influence of Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has stretched to the art world, its distinctive character acting as a muse for musicians and artists, including Benjamin Britten and Gustav Holst. The Snape Maltings is one venue close to the ancient town of Aldeburgh.
This is an area of natural beauty for long dog walks, strolls along the blustery beach, perhaps some cycling along the peaceful lanes or just taking some binoculars and observing the amazing bird life on the marshes.
This AONB is one of England's most important wildlife centres, with three national nature reserves, a number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and the RSPB run Minsmere Reserve. The vast expanses of mud flats and muddy creeks along the coast and estuaries are a major habitat for birds and other wildlife, while inland the sandy heathlands attract rare species like the nightjar, woodlark and endangered butterflies.
Top Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB Camping Options
This small and very attractive site in the heart of unspoilt Suffolk countryside offers an opportunity to explore many of the local attractions on Suffolk’s Heritage Coast. Facilities on the site are limited but certainly adequate, and the resident owners, Michele and Andy Stebbens, continue to add more features such as a kitchen with washing machine and dryer, to ensure you have an enjoyable stay. The site is open all year round and all 45 pitches have 10-16A electricity, with 14 on hardstanding. All pitches have satellite TV connection. A new summerhouse provides a meeting area and is home to the tourist information. This is a popular site and advance booking is strongly recommended. We see it as being more suited to couples than families with children.
This park opened in Easter 2007 and has been developed on land previously owned by the neighbouring farm. The park is situated between Felixstowe and Ipswich and is within easy reach of the River Deben and Woodbridge. The 90 level grass and hardstanding pitches are of varying sizes to accommodate both small and large caravans, motorhomes and tents. In addition, there is a considerable number of seasonal units. All pitches have 10A electricity. When they are available, the seasonal hardstanding super pitches, equipped with 16A electricity, can be used by touring units.
Steadings Park is a rural campsite bordering the Newbourne Spring Nature Reserve and the River Deben. This quiet retreat provides the perfect base for walkers and cyclists to explore the pleasant, rolling Suffolk countryside and coast. There are 90 pitches spread across 20 acres in five fields. The main touring field has spacious, flat pitches, 60 with 10-16A electricity on well drained ground. A further small sheltered field (5A electricity) for tents is conveniently located near the new sanitary block. A holiday home was installed in 2012 in a secluded garden area. Amenities here include a large dog walking field, a designated children’s ball games area and some pitches with barbecue pits overlooking a lake.
Cakes and Ale Holiday Park is set amongst beautiful Suffolk scenery between Aldeburgh and Southwold Cakes and is an oasis of tranquillity and quality. Just minutes from the Minsmere bird sanctuary and the ancient monument of Leiston Abbey. It is the ideal place to explore the Suffolk Heritage coast (or to relax and put your feet up).
With one part of the White House Beach Caravan and Motorhome Club Site adjacent to the beach and the other enclosed by attractive willow trees and shrubs, there is a pitch to suit all tastes at this location. In early summer, the foreshore is a riot of colour with wildflowers, including the rare Yellow Poppy. Although Kessingland beach is shingle, Lowestoft is within easy reach from the site and has a beautiful sandy beach complete with the lifeguard safety. The Sailors Home pub in Kessingland comes recommended and is dog friendly. Public house adjacent. The site has 122 mainly hardstanding pitches (some seasonal) all with 16 amp electricity. Awnings, pull-outs and windbreaks are not allowed on the 12 pitches near the beach.
This area of the Suffolk coast has always been a popular destination for visitors and Church Farm Holiday Park has an enviable location on the outskirts of Aldeburgh. The park includes a large area designated for caravan holiday homes as well as a separate touring area situated to the front of the park. The touring area provides 68 pitches for caravans and motorhomes (tents and trailer tents are not accepted). Pitches are separated by attractive hedging that blends in well with the natural environment. Sixty-four pitches have 16A electricity, water, waste water and night light.
This excellent site offers 60 large touring pitches that are positioned in the centre of an established and very spacious caravan holiday home park. The site is extremely well maintained and all 50 touring pitches are equipped with 10A electricity, TV point, water tap and a drain. In the centre of the site, and easily accessible to all, is an unsupervised lake with a sandy beach. An area at one end of the lake is set aside for ten pitches for adults only, all with views of the lake. Quiet is essential from 9 pm to 8 am.