Southwold the Denes beach- perfect for coastal walks, river walks, seeing a working fishing harbour and fresh Seafood (17 miles from our holiday cottage)

The Denes is a lovely little area that has avoided being commercialised leaving it feeling pleasingly more isolated than its neighbor Southwold pier and town. It had a really great atmosphere that reminded me of the fishing towns of the South west coast. From the car park there is not a promenade in sight- just great views across the estuary towards Walberswick, the soft sand filled Grassy Dunes that give the 'Southwold the Denes' its name and a working area of shacks and huts that are backed by marshes. 

The sandy Suffolk beach with dunes

​We were met with only a couple of cars in the car park and immediately went to see the beach. It was surprisingly more a sandy beach with a sprinkling of shingle.  The grassy sand dunes made a great snug to make a base- the soft sand was a Suffolk novelty! There were more people than cars so we guessed quite a few had taken a coastal walk from the Nearby Southwold town/pier beach which with out my little ones in tow would have been a cracking walk to be had. There also seamed to be a fair few walkers that seamed to follow the Estuary banks which looked a lovely walk too. 

Not just a Suffolk beach, boat trips too !

Suffolk beach near our holiday cottage - Southwold the Denes- perfect for coastal walks, river walks, fishing village and boat trips

- The biggest surprise for us was the 'extras' this location has. The Denes is the the opposite side of the river Blyth mouth to Walbersick - A small rowed ferry takes boatloads of people between Southwold and Walberswick in the summer. We are regular visitors to Walberswick- we recommend it to guests all the time BUT we have never been on the foot ferry.  If we had know how much this side of the river had to offer we would have been over like a shot!
​
In the car park we spotted a boat house which turned out to be The Alfred Corry Lifeboat Museum, and turned around and there was the Coastal Voyager building- a boat trip we have been thinking of going on  this summer! 

We had our obligatory picnic outside the currently closed (for winter) tea hut then went on a hunt to find the foot ferry landing this side to get our bearings. 

The timeless Suffolk small scale fishing harbour

We found the landing and saw the black sheds and shacks we have seen time and time again from the Walberswick side. We strolled up charming pot hole filled track to find fishing boat moorings on one side and then noticed these little black shacks were indeed part of a miniature quaint fishing village of sorts- fish and chips shop, seafood smoked house , fresh caught fish stall and a little restaurant!  Continue up the track following the river and you come to a harbor and a very good Adnum's pub 'The Harbour Inn' with views over the river and marshes whilst you enjoy your local Ale and a decent meal.  

The beach details for those coming to stay in our holiday cottages....

Beach: Southwold 'the Denes', Suffolk
Distance from us: 17 miles (But worth it!)
Postcode: IP18 6NB 
Type of beach: sand and some shingle
Facilities:  Fish and chip restaurant, seafood restaurant, toilets, ferry to Walberswick, boatyard, 'Harbour inn' Adnums gastro pub, shacks that sell catch of the day, smokehouse, lifeboat museum, tea/coffee/ice cream hut and boat trips (speed or seal and wind-farm tour) 
Car parking: yes (Ticket machine).  
Notes: We found it the best to combine the trip to the Denes with the visit to Walberswick. The foot ferry rowing boat costs £1 a person and goes between the two.. I would possibly prefer to park the Walberswick side and visit the Denes. on the ferry, rather than vice versa. Its easier than navigating through Southwold town. 

Suffolk beach near our holiday cottage - Southwold the Denes- perfect for coastal walks, river walks, fishing village and boat trips

About the authors

We wanted to create a holiday where guests could get away from city life , relax with family or friends surrounded by nature. Experience rural living  surrounded by our beautiful British landscape on a working farm in a cosy cottage for a long chilled out weekend,  just like the good old days. 

We are Andrew and Laura, we are the third generation owners of Sweffling Hall Farm.  We left our jobs in 2007 and moved to Suffolk to get back to rural life and to make it our new family home. In 2009 we  converted the cart shed in to two self-catering holiday cottages to run alongside the working farm. ​