Cycling in Suffolk
As an outstanding area of natural beauty, Suffolk is the perfect place to spend a cycling holiday. The area regularly hosts stages of the men’s and women’s Tours of Britain giving you the chance to ride on the same roads as the professionals have done. With a range of terrain, varying from rolling fields to open coastline, there is something for both road riders and mountain bikers. Cycling is an ideal way of exploring the area during your log cabin holidays.
Road Cycling
Situated near Framlingham, Suffolk, Windmill Lodges is the perfect place to base a cycling holiday from. For cyclists wanting a little voyage out, there are plenty of quiet country roads in the vicinity of Windmill Lodges. These roads are suitable for all families- just keep an eye out for the deer! For riders looking to go a bit further, the coastal towns of Aldeburgh and Southwold are both pleasant rides away. Woodbridge is also a great town for cycling, with plenty of cafes offering cake and coffee to keep you going.
For the really serious riders, the Maglia Rosso cycle shop and cafe is a 60mile round trip. The cycling-themed cafe is a beloved stop for many cyclists in the area. Many clubs and individual riders base their Sunday routes with a stop at the Maglia Rosso in mind.
If you find any hidden gems on your cycling journeys, feel free to share them with us so we can let future visitors know!
Mountain Biking
Being a relatively flat area of the country, the mountain biking offerings may appear limited. However, there are a few excellent places to go if you want to find some dirt. The nearest dedicated mountain-biking center is Rendlesham Forest. The forest offers plenty of cross-country routes suitable for all abilities and ages. Well known for its UFO Trail, which follows the UFO mystery at Rendlesham Forest back in the 80s, the forest has two great biking trails; the F.I.D.O trail of 10 miles or a the Tang Trail a gentle 6 mile ride suitable for all the family.
For more technical single-track riding, Tunstall Forest hosts the Viking Trail. A legacy of the motorcycle enduro events that used to take place in the forest, this trail consists of 10 miles of flowing single-track with plenty of berms, drops and steep climbs to get the heart-pumping. The trial is graded as red. Although it is not technically difficult, the length may not be suitable for all riders.
Further afield, Thetford Forest is an hour’s drive away. Thetford offers green, blue and red-graded trails. There is also a pump-track for focussing on your technical abilities. Cycle hire is also available at the forest if you have not brought your bikes to Suffolk.
If you have already booked to stay in one of our self catering log cabins and like to plan ahead, here are some useful websites:-
Cafe Network is a crowd-sourced map of cycle-friendly cafes and tea-rooms. All of the cafes which feature on the map have been suggested by cyclists.
Rendlesham Forest and Tunstall Forest information on the Forestry Commission’s website.
Suffolk Cycle Hire will deliver bikes to our lodges for your use during your stay
Southwold Cycle Hire is ideal if you are looking to hire bikes to explore the coast
Chaffinch Lodge: 4 1 + 
Bullfinch Lodge: 4 2 + 
Wagtail Lodge: 4 2 + + 
Woodpecker Lodge: 4 2 + + 
Goldfinch Lodge: 4 2 + 
Kingfisher Lodge: 5 2 + + 
Greenfinch Lodge: 4 3 + 