Optional Onsite Activities for Holiday cottage guests
We have been offering these micro courses to guests staying on the farm since 2014. This year, we have opened up the courses to those staying at Alde Garden. For longer courses or people not staying in the holiday cottage please see the website www.conversationswithnature.co.uk.
2018 list of activities for accommodation guests
- Astronomical Astronomy sessions
- Astronomy talk
- Day time telescope session
- Night time telescope session
- Astronomy Talk and Telescope session
- Horse and cart ride.
- Bird spotting Farm Walk
- Beachcombing Suffolk Shingle
- OFFSITE - Meeting at Sizewell
- ONSITE - portable mini beach and the giant beachcombing board game
- Inside the hive
- Soil close up
- Charcoal making
- Bring the Bronze Age to life
- Cast your own replica Bronze Age axe head!
- Carve your own prehistoric lamp using flint tools
- Make your own pewter pendent
- Enamel your own Bronze pendent
- Sweffling Hall Farm Safari!
Click the buttons below to enquire or book, or read more about each activity below :
Astronomy Sessions
A selection of captivating, fun and engaging private astronomy sessions that will leave you inspired and amazed at the sky above you! Led by Paul, an outreach astronomer with over 50 years’ experience who also has an astrophysics degree. Pauls sessions are always being talked about the next day. He is particularly brilliant at inspiring the younger children as well as the adults!
No minimum or maximum head count. Paul will need apx 1-week notice needed ahead of your stay so please do book early. Perfect for couples, families or large group bookings. There are four main talks he does:
Horse and cart ride.
Head off on a relaxing gentle jaunt along our picturesque country lanes on one of Alde driving’s horse driven cart rides. The rides cater for everyone, be it a family tour of the local area sight seeing, a visit to the local pubs in area for a drink or two or a quiet romantic trip for two.
The rides can start from the farm, or you can start from their premises just down the road from us. The price is £50 per carriage ride for up to 5 people. The ride is 1hr 15min long.
Bird spotting Farm Walk
Have you ever seen or heard a bird singing that you just couldn’t name? This is a very common question we get asked here by many of our guests. Luckily Granny Mann (Andrews mother who is a lifelong birding enthusiast) is now offering guided walks around our farm to guests to teach them the skills to start deciphering what bird it is from looking and also listening! She has a wealth of knowledge and passion about birds, wildlife and educating people of all ages. If you have your own binoculars please bring them along, alternatively we sell bird watching kits in the honesty shop- which include binoculars in the kit. Sturdy shoes/boots are a must and a pen and paper for making notes is always handy too. £10 per adult (14+), £5 per child 3-14 years.
Inside the hive.
Enjoy a rare opportunity to see the inner workings of a beehive up close with an experienced beekeeper!
Protective clothing provided but age restrictions apply due to suit sizes. £10 Per person.
Soil close up
Ever wondered what goes on beneath your feet? Have a peak through the microscope and see close up a world teaming with life. Identify the organisms and how their miniature world interacts. You can even have images of your slides emailed to you! £10 Per person.
Charcoal making
Have a go at the traditional craft of charcoal making in an exciting two-part activity (loading and firing the kiln firstly and then returning later to retrieve what you have just made: the charcoal). £25 Per person.
Beachcombing Suffolk Shingle
Beachcombing is a genuine treasure hunt! I can't tell you what you will find but I can guarantee that you will find something!
Our local shingle beaches are a rare and fragile habitat and are perfect for beachcombing. Beachcombing sessions are led by Kate (a beachcomber and conservationist).
On a Suffolk beachcomb you might find the egg cases of creatures we never see, glass frosted by the waves, driftwood nibbled by shipworms, as well as sharks’ teeth and other fossils that are millions of years old. Kate has even found a baby woolly mammoth’s tooth!
Kate offers two types of sessions.
Bring the Bronze Age to life
Go back in time with one of these ancient craft courses to make your own souvenir and learn about the bronze age as you create your own beautiful piece to take home!
Sweffling Hall Farm Safari!
Come on an exciting safari tour around the farm to look for signs of the secret world of wildlife around you!
Sessions are led by zoologist (former zoo keeper), cub scout leader and all-round countryside enthusiast Rachel who is a wealth of knowledge on the wildlife and countryside around us.
£10 per person, under 16s to be accompanied by an adult. Tours are apx 1 hours long.
A selection of captivating, fun and engaging private astronomy sessions that will leave you inspired and amazed at the sky above you! Led by Paul, an outreach astronomer with over 50 years’ experience who also has an astrophysics degree. Pauls sessions are always being talked about the next day. He is particularly brilliant at inspiring the younger children as well as the adults!
No minimum or maximum head count. Paul will need apx 1-week notice needed ahead of your stay so please do book early. Perfect for couples, families or large group bookings. There are four main talks he does:
- Astronomy talk General astronomy talk gazing through solar systems, planets, stars etc. Paul can also chat through any other topic on astronomy you wish to know more about. (apx 30-60 minutes) £50.
- Day time telescope session . Exploring all about the mighty sun safely with a specially filtered telescope. Looking at the sun in detail and discussing how the sun works. £50
- Night time telescope session . Paul will give you a fascinating laser trip around the sky pointing out stars and constellations. This is best done during spring and autumn to take advantage of the darker evenings. £50
- Astronomy Talk and Telescope session . As per sessions above where by you can choose one of either day or night time telescope sessions and then an astronomy talk afterwards. £75
Horse and cart ride.
Head off on a relaxing gentle jaunt along our picturesque country lanes on one of Alde driving’s horse driven cart rides. The rides cater for everyone, be it a family tour of the local area sight seeing, a visit to the local pubs in area for a drink or two or a quiet romantic trip for two.
The rides can start from the farm, or you can start from their premises just down the road from us. The price is £50 per carriage ride for up to 5 people. The ride is 1hr 15min long.
Bird spotting Farm Walk
Have you ever seen or heard a bird singing that you just couldn’t name? This is a very common question we get asked here by many of our guests. Luckily Granny Mann (Andrews mother who is a lifelong birding enthusiast) is now offering guided walks around our farm to guests to teach them the skills to start deciphering what bird it is from looking and also listening! She has a wealth of knowledge and passion about birds, wildlife and educating people of all ages. If you have your own binoculars please bring them along, alternatively we sell bird watching kits in the honesty shop- which include binoculars in the kit. Sturdy shoes/boots are a must and a pen and paper for making notes is always handy too. £10 per adult (14+), £5 per child 3-14 years.
Inside the hive.
Enjoy a rare opportunity to see the inner workings of a beehive up close with an experienced beekeeper!
Protective clothing provided but age restrictions apply due to suit sizes. £10 Per person.
Soil close up
Ever wondered what goes on beneath your feet? Have a peak through the microscope and see close up a world teaming with life. Identify the organisms and how their miniature world interacts. You can even have images of your slides emailed to you! £10 Per person.
Charcoal making
Have a go at the traditional craft of charcoal making in an exciting two-part activity (loading and firing the kiln firstly and then returning later to retrieve what you have just made: the charcoal). £25 Per person.
Beachcombing Suffolk Shingle
Beachcombing is a genuine treasure hunt! I can't tell you what you will find but I can guarantee that you will find something!
Our local shingle beaches are a rare and fragile habitat and are perfect for beachcombing. Beachcombing sessions are led by Kate (a beachcomber and conservationist).
On a Suffolk beachcomb you might find the egg cases of creatures we never see, glass frosted by the waves, driftwood nibbled by shipworms, as well as sharks’ teeth and other fossils that are millions of years old. Kate has even found a baby woolly mammoth’s tooth!
Kate offers two types of sessions.
- OFFSITE - Meeting at Sizewell, our local beach, for a bespoke beachcomb with Kate. Taking a closer look at the plants that survive in the shingle, and then beachcombing to find your own treasures which Kate will help you to identify. Sizewell beach is a good location to find pieces of coralline crag containing fossils 1 - 2 million years old. Ending with a chance to look at some more unusual beachcombing finds. Suitable for children 8 and over and adults. For younger children please call Kate to discuss suitability. £20 per person/ session. Session lasts two hours. Minimum 2 people.
- ONSITE - Kate will bring her portable mini beach and the giant beachcombing board game to Sweffling Hall Farm. Suitable for all ages, (including adults!) or those that can’t get to the beach. £15 per person/ session. Session lasts 1.5 hours. Minimum 2 people.
Bring the Bronze Age to life
Go back in time with one of these ancient craft courses to make your own souvenir and learn about the bronze age as you create your own beautiful piece to take home!
- Cast your own replica Bronze Age axe head! Minimum Age 16 (Max. 4 attendees) £50 per person.
- Carve your own prehistoric lamp using flint tools All welcome (Max. 6 attendees) £10 per person.
- Make your own pewter pendent All welcome (Max 6 Attendees) £15 per person.
- Enamel your own Bronze pendent. All welcome (Max 6 Attendees) £15 per person.
Sweffling Hall Farm Safari!
Come on an exciting safari tour around the farm to look for signs of the secret world of wildlife around you!
Sessions are led by zoologist (former zoo keeper), cub scout leader and all-round countryside enthusiast Rachel who is a wealth of knowledge on the wildlife and countryside around us.
£10 per person, under 16s to be accompanied by an adult. Tours are apx 1 hours long.