Mole Cottage in on a quiet gravel lane in the heart of the market town of Leiston. It’s four miles from Snape Maltings, home of Benjamin Britten; four miles from the seaside town of Aldeburgh; two miles from the quaint seaside town of Thorpness; and just over a mile from the beach.

Leiston

The cottage is a short walk to the High Street where you can find very good butchers, a baker, a greengrocers and a well-stocked supermarket. There is also a deli serving good coffee and a couple of cafes. There are some antiques shops and an excellent independent cinema. You can choose from popular Fish, Indian and Chinese restaurants, or order a take-out to eat at home.

At the end of Long Row is a large allotment where you can buy fresh eggs and vegetables daily. Look out for the gate being unlocked, just go through and ask for Laurence who will be happy to serve you.

Long Shop Museum

Leiston is the home of steam engineering in Suffolk. Check out the Long Shop Museum, just a short walk from the cottage for the Leiston Steam Story.

Leiston Cinema

The cinema dates back from 1914 and has 300 seat auditorium with the lastest Dolby 3D digital technology. Check out the programme on the Leiston Cinema website.

Leiston Abby

Leiston Abbey is a historic site dating from 1363. Parts of the ruins were purchased in the 1970s by Pro Corda, the International Chamber Music Academy, a charity running music courses for children and adults.

Leiston Airfield

A short cycle ride brings you to the Cakes and Ales, formerly Leiston Airfield. For anyone interested in World War II flying memorabilia, this is well worth a visit. There’s a comfortable informal bar which serves a great pint of Adnams Ale.

Sizewell

Well-known as a site of a nuclear power station, Sizewell is also the nearest beach. Quiet, just a thirty minute walk along lanes and bridleways from the cottage and offering the best cafe-cooked English breakfast in the county, it’s ideal for walks, cycling, swimming, body surfing and fishing. You can also buy fresh fish at the shore-front yard.

Snape

Snape has some lovely river walks, nice pubs and of course Snape Maltings. There are cafes and arts & crafts, a monthly farmers’ market, annual Food Festival and the Concert Hall, with a year-round arts programme and home of the annual Aldeburgh Music Festival.

Aldeburgh

Aldeburgh is a pretty seaside town offering a wealth of shops, restaurants, traditional fish and chips, pubs, an independent cinema, a small harbour and the Scallop sculpture (below).

The annual Festival and carnival in August offers events culminating in the famous Lantern Procession.

Thorpeness

A short walk along the coast from Sizwell, this pretty holiday village has dog-friendly pubs and a great boating lake.

Orford

With a castle, fine dining restaurant, smokery and oysterage, this small village is well worth a vistit. Check out the Butley Oysterage for fresh local-caught and smoked sea food.

Dunwich National Trust

Both the town and the National Trust heathland offer walks, cafes, pubs and traditional fish and chips.

Minsemere RSPB Bird Reserve

The costal area between Dunwich and Sizewell is home to some of the best wetland bird watching in western Europe. The reserve has hides, but the walks are open to non-members and well worth visiting. The cottage is well-placed for keen bird-watchers intenting visiting Minsmere as it is only two and half miles from the reserve.

Walberswick and Southwold

Southwold is rather famous for it’s beach huts.

It also boasts some friendly pubs, independent shops and of course the Sole Bay Brewery – home of the finest ale in the land, Adnams. Yum!

Markets

Suffolk is a foodie’s paradise. There is plenty of local produce of exellent quality, fish, meat and vegetables as well as Suffolk apples. There are plenty of Farm Shops and farmers’ markets. See this website for more information.

Leiston has the first (and best) asparagus of the season (april/may). Cut just down the road, it appears just hours after harvest in the local greengrocers, straight off the tractor.

Pubs

Leiston has three pubs, all friendly. A short walk on a footpath (approx 20 mins) to neighbouring Aldringham will bring you to the Parrot and Punchbowl.

The Eels Foot is a 50 minute walk on bridleways and lanes in nearby Eastbridge and offers food and a great night of folk music on Thursdays.

The Crown at Snape offers fine food from their home reared meat and home grown produce.

For more good music and food, The Lion at Theberton is a short cycle or (longer) walk along footpaths.

Eating Out

There are some popular little restaurants in Leiston including an Indian, Chinese and Fish and Chip restaurant.

Check the pubs above for good food.

There are also some fine restaurants in Yoxford, Orford, Southwold and Aldeburgh.

Walking and cycling

Leiston has a wealth of footpaths to explore which criss-cross the whole town.

 

A short walk along Valley Road brings you to several footpaths and bridleways to the beach, woodland, and further out into the country side.

There is an OS map at the cottage to help you plan your routes and cycles available in the shed for your use.