Beaches and Seaside Towns

Windmill Lodges are just 15 miles drive from the superb Suffolk Coast. Whether you like windswept, sandy beaches and dunes, sailing resorts, fishing boats and lighthouses, pretty coastal villages or quirky small seaside towns, you’ll find something to suit within easy reach. For example:

Aldeburgh – famous sailing resort, formerly home to composer Benjamin Britten (see the Maggie Hambling ‘Shell’ sculpture on the beach, in tribute to Britten). Good shops, cafes and restaurants and galleries.

Covehithe – Just 4 miles north of Southwold, this beach was recently named as one of 20 best beaches in the UK by Telegraph Travel. Enjoy a walk past the ruins of St Andrews Church whilst taking in the sights of the eroding coastline and sandy beach.

Dunwich – charming village which, centuries ago, was a much larger town, now submerged in the sea. Wide stretch of pebble beach with loos and a fish and chip cafe. Close to the RSPB Minsmere Bird Sanctuary.

Felixstowe – this Edwardian seaside town offers something for everyone; amusements, colourful beach huts, the wonderful seafront gardens and 4 miles of sand and shingle beaches. The coastline is home to Languard nature reserve with its many rare and unusual plants and migrating birds, and a visit is not complete without a trip to English Heritage’s Languard Fort and the amazing views of the container ships in Felixstowe port.

Southwold – lovely seaside town, with a fabulous pier and fishing boats – lots of great shops and nice little cafes, and the fish and chips down by the harbour are unmissable! You can also buy fish virtually straight off the boat, to bring back and cook at the Lodges.

Thorpeness – a small 1930’s spa town, with a lovely converted water tower – the House in the Clouds. The Meare is a fantastic, 40-acre boating lake. But nowhere is it more than three feet deep and so it provides a very safe boating environment. Dinghies, kayaks, large family rowing boats, canoes, punts and sailing boats are available for hire.

Walberswick – fantastic, sandy beaches. Great crabbing! And you can catch the chain ferry between Southwold and Walberswick to compare two very different, but equally charming, seaside spots.

Visiting our coast is a great day out for all the family including your dog:

If you are planning to visit our beaches over the summer months some have restrictions  in place 1st May – 30th September, those with restrictions between those dates are:

Aldeburgh: Part of Aldeburgh’s beach is restricted, however wander out along the promenade to a little way out of the town and your dog is welcome. You can walk along the pebble beach to Thorpeness.

Thorpeness: Dogs are welcome to join in the fun on the water at The Meare.  There is a small area of Thorpeness beach restricted to dogs, however there is still plenty of beach to enjoy with your four legged friend.

Felixstowe: Head down to the port area of Felixstowe with your pooch and you won’t be affected by the dog restrictions, otherwise toward the town and dogs are not allowed on the beach 1st May – 30th September

Southwold: Dogs are restricted on the beach  where the beach huts are, but  you can walk all the way along the promenade and take in some of the most expensive beach huts in the country with one selling in 2015 for £120,000!

As far as we are aware all other beaches along our coast line have no restrictions for dogs in place over the summer months and you can visit them all with your dog along side you 1st October – 30th April.