Super Suffolk Staycation

September 04, 2020

Like many of us, I've spent the summer at home, content with discovering the world around me.  Last weekend I ventured further afield, cross country to the east of England and the county of Suffolk.  I have explored Britain's coastlines and countryside throughout my lifetime but Suffolk had escaped me until now. It was the only county in England that I hadn't visited so was the first on my wanderlust list once lockdown eased.

I therefore first discovered Suffolk through my art and my vision of a land of wheat fields, dotted with windmills and the occasional pink painted thatched cottage matched my real life experience.

Seeing a windmill always makes my heart soar.  The sails pointing to the sky are as magnificent as a church steeple or modernist glass palace of commerce. 

I stayed in a medieval wool merchant's cottage in the ancient town of Lavenham, where timber framed, Tudor houses line streets, just as they did 500 years ago.  I was in awe that the wonderful architecture from so many years ago was still standing and the stunning Guildhall is breathtaking.

I headed cross country to Southwold, where my artwork is printed onto a stylish, sustainable souvenir range by local gift shop, High Tides.  

 

Further down the coast, Aldeburgh beckoned. It's always wonderful to see places that I have drawn ... another chance to discover interesting architecture, quirky landmarks and beautiful landscapes. It's a thrill to walk into a shop that stocks my products too and visiting the adorable Pug and Pussycat in Aldeburgh was a highlight of my trip to Suffolk.

Walking through the flat fields of Suffolk is so different from the rolling hills of Devon where I currently live.  Favourite was my walk around Long Melford, a pretty, little village in the heart of Suffolk and which in the 16th Century, was amongst the 15 most important towns in Europe.  Times in Suffolk may have changed but for sure, it remains one of the prettiest parts of Britain and has been a wonderful place to discover on foot.

 

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