Everyone loves a picnic – perhaps while you sunbathe and read a book, enjoy some family outdoor sports or simply just want somewhere to escape to during your lunch hour. Suffolk Picnic Sites will not disappoint.
Bramford Picnic Site
Conveniently close to Ipswich, this is a charming series of small traditional water meadows separated by drainage ditches that follow the course of the original River Gipping.
You can stroll in the meadows or use the hard-surface path, watching out for unusual butterflies and other insects. You may want to try to spot Otters which have been known to visit this part of the river Gipping, or you can fish from one of three platforms (suitable for disabled access), and visit Bramford Church over the bridge.
Parking is off Ship Lane, Bramford.
The toilets are open weekends only from 31 October to 31 March and daily from 1 April to 30 October.
Bramford Picnic Site, Bramford River, Bramford
Cattawade Picnic Site
The picnic site is on the edge of the Stour estuary and is excellent for bird watching. You can see redshank, lapwings and oystercatchers breeding on the pastures of Cattawade Marshes.
If you’d like to fish or canoe, you can do so from the purpose built platforms. From the carpark you can begin on the 60 mile Stour Valley Path towards Newmarket.
Parking is near the junction of A137 and B1070 at Brantham.
Grid ref: TM1033
For further information contact the Countryside Officer;
Countryside Officer, Countryside Service, Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2BX
Iken Cliff picnic site
With its wonderful views across the River Alde, this is a great spot to picnic and enjoy nature. The mud flats and salt marshes are internationally important feeding grounds and migration sites for waders and wildfowl. You might see Shelduck, Redshank and Avocet. When you’ve finished your picnic, it’s a short walk to the internationally renowned Snape Maltings or charming Iken Church.
On the Iken road, 2 miles south of Snape.
Nacton picnic site
Some of the best river views in Suffolk are on the River Orwell. From the picnic site, you can sit and watch ships navigating the narrow channel up river to Ipswich.
The Orwell’s mudflats are an extremely valuable food source for a wide variety of wintering birds. Between December and March, the bird watching is terrific.
The picnic site is well signposted from Nacton village. Please be aware that there is a 2.2m height barrier at this site. Opening hours for the car park are:
1st April–31st October -the car park will close at 8.00pm
1st November-31st March the car park will close at 4.30PM
Ramparts Field Picnic Site
If you keep an eye out when you walk on this pleasant Breckland heath, you can spot many plants such as harebells and thyme that are special to the Brecks.
The site itself is a gorse-filled ancient gravel workings and is a good starting point for exploring nearby King’s Forest. It is also convenient for the well known West Stow Country Park, with its fascinating Anglo Saxon village.
Off the A1101, 5 miles north of Bury St Edmunds, 1 mile south of Icklingham. For more information about Ramparts Field Picnic Site, contact the ranger on 01953 688265.
Rodbridge Picnic Site
Whether you simply want to picnic or try the 3 mile Valley Walk to Sudbury, this is a delightful place to visit. The walk along the riverbanks, shaded by willow and poplar trees, is particularly pleasant. It’s also popular with anglers.
Off the A134 at Rodbridge Corner, 2 miles north of Sudbury.
Barham Picnic Site
This sheltered, grassy picnic site is an ideal place to spend time near the River Gipping and nearby lakes. Both the river and lakes are handy for good angling and there’s plenty of wildlife to spot so take your binoculards.
Signposted from the A14, through Claydon village. The car park is locked at 4.30pm 1st October-31st March and at 8pm 1st April-30th September.
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