Enjoy your stay at

Things to Do

Everything you need to get the most out of your stay

Clay pigeon shooting

The Wilderness estate hosts its own clay pigeon shooting experiences, run by the friendly and professional father-and-son team Phillip and Ben Thorrold. Beginners are welcome; you will be given expert tuition. Please note there needs to be a minimum party of seven for this.

Philip Thorrold Shooting Academy
07912 497000 | www.philipthorrold.com

Fishing, Tennis and Swimming on the Estate

Fishing on the estate can be arranged; there are numerous lakes to choose from, and the price will be £50 per rod. There’s tennis courts on the estate which can be found near the pleasure garden. Playing is free of charge. The pool can also be found near the pleasure garden.

Golf

Suffolk is graced with some of the country’s finest golf courses. Nearby Halesworth Golf Club is an absolute treat to play on, home to an 18-hole Blyth Championship Course, which fares at 6,523 yards in length. Better still is Aldeburgh Golf Club, a superb Championship course at 6,603 yards, which lies on the River Alde estuary. Stunning views of the river and sea provide an excellent backdrop for a round.

Aldeburgh Golf Club
Saxmundham Rd, Aldeburgh IP15 5PE
01728 452890

Halesworth Golf Club
Bramfield Rd, Halesworth IP19 9XA
01986 875567

Parachuting

Fancy jumping out a perfectly safe aeroplane at 13,000 feet? Try a tandem skydive at Beccles Airfield where you can plummet to the ground strapped to an instructor reaching speeds of up to 120mph. A truly thrilling experience. (Parachute included).

Beccles Airfield
B1127, Ellough, Beccles NR34 7XD
01502 476131

Paintball

There’s a great paintballing centre about half an hour away with loads of different arenas to practice your Bear Grylls skills. Families, friends, and corporates are all welcome.

Skirmish Paintballing Ipswich
Ufford Thicket, Byng Hall Rd, Ufford IP13 6EJ
01508 481841

Horse riding

North Manor Equestrian Centre
Main Road, Bramfield IP19 9HT
01986 784552

Pampering

Massages, facials, manicures and pedicures are available. Below is the typical menu to choose from.

Massage (using aromatherapy and organic oils)
Swedish full body massage – 60 min £120
Swedish full body massage – 90 min £150
Back, shoulder, neck and head massage – 60 min £100
Indian head massage (seated), plus a 30 minute couch treatment of hand, arm, leg and foot massage – 60 min £95
Pregnancy massage (Pre-natal) – 60 min £100

Manicure and Pedicure
Luxury Neal’s Yard Remedies organic manicure. A nourishing and revitalising organic treatment, including gentle exfoliation, nail shape and cuticle tidy, deeply replenishing masque and relaxing hand and arm massage. Hands will look and feel years younger – 60 min £60
Luxury Neal’s Yard Remedies organic pedicure Unwind with an aromatherapy-infused pampering pedicure, with a relaxing foot soak, exfoliation, nail shape and an intensely replenishing leg and foot massage. You’ll leave feeling like you’re walking on air – 60 min £65
Luxury manicure and pedicure – 2 hours £120
The above treatments include an OPI polish of choice for the ladies, or a nail buff for the gentlemen.

Facial
Luxury Neal’s Yard Remedies organic facial – using award-winning organic skincare. Cleanse, tone, exfoliate, mask and moisturise with a tailored facial massage – 60 min £90
Luxury Neal’s Yard Remedies organic facial PLUS a luxury organic facial further enhanced with a 30 minute back massage – 90 min £100
Natural lift facial massage with NYR organic 30 min facial. Massage technique that naturally stimulate and clears sinuses and tones the skin giving a feel of relaxation and wellbeing – 75 min £105
Bacial (back facial). Hydrating process with cleansing, exfoliation and hot towel treatment, finished with a back, neck massage – 60 min £100

Top Things to Do for Children

Framlingham Castle

Once a fearsome fortress that saw bloodshed in countless sieges, Framlingham Castle is – for now – safe from attack and invasion. You can take part in guided tours lead by professional local historians, take a picnic and feast on the lawns, and have a look into our Tudor past at the exhibition centre.
Church Street, Framlingham IP13 9BP
0370 333 1181

Crabbing at Walberswick

Crabbing at Walberswick has proved to be something of a competitive sport among the locals. Since 1981, its held The British Open Crabbing Championship and attracted over a thousand spectators – sadly they’ve had to put it on hold while they work out how to accommodate the sheer numbers of people. You can still go on the pier though and try your hand at catching a crab – be sure to bring a net and some chicken or bacon for luring!

Oasis Camel Park

Here you can ride camels and pet llamas, guinea pigs, goats, pigs, rabbits and wallabies. There’s an outdoor and indoor play area, plus a crazy golf course and mini maze.
Halesworth IP19 0DT
07836 734748

The Southwold Pier & Beach

This famous pier is a great place to potter around. It has many sweet shops, ice cream parlours and some truly bizarre buildings. The beach is a Blue Flag winner, so you can be sure of a good swim.
Southwold IP18 6BN

Africa Alive!

Lemurs, chimpanzees, meerkats, hyenas, zebra, giraffe, flamingos, lions – you name it, they’ve got it! There’s feeding talks to go to, animal encounters to be had, and an indoor adventure play area to enjoy.
Whites Lane, Lowestoft NR33 7TF
01502 740291

Rainy day?

Aldeburgh Cinema
Lovely little independent cinema that’s been going since 1919. They show all the latest blockbusters, plus a healthy smattering of art-house exports.
51 High Street, Aldeburgh IP15 5AU
01728 454884

Top Places to Visit

Aldeburgh

Aldeburgh is a charming, genteel fishing village with one foot in the sea and one on shore. Handsome pastel-coloured houses line the beachfront, while the High Street is adorned with art galleries, cute eateries, clothing stores, ice cream parlours, and one of the best fish and chip shops in the country, The Aldeburgh Fish & Chip Shop (226 High Street, Tel: 01728 452250). In the summer and autumn months a thriving cultural scene bursts into life, with The Aldeburgh Festival, a music festival founded by none other than composer Benjamin Britten, happening in June; a fabulous food and drink festival in September/October (www.aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk) and a Documentary Film Festival (www.aldeburghcinema.co.uk) in November.

Southwold

Dubbed as ‘Kensington-on-Sea’, Southwold is another prosperous town, and home to a lovely sandy beach. Southwold is another cultural hotspot, with artists like JMW Turner and Damien Hirst having visited here to paint throughout their years. The newly renovated pier is a wonderful and rather weird attraction, with some unusual and unique shops, as is the lighthouse and the High Street, which has plenty of bakeries, restaurants and boutique shops to peruse.

RSPB Minsmere

One of the UK’s premier birdwatching sites, RSPB Minsmere is home to many rare species of birds. There’s also otters that potter about, dragonflies which take to the summer skies and wild flowers which adorn the crisscrossing paths. On top of that there’s plenty of woodlands to explore and a Discovery Centre and Wild Zone to enjoy.

Bury St Edmunds

A well-heeled and relaxed town that comes with a rather turbulent past. This was the final resting place of St Edmund, last Saxon King of East Anglia. In 869 he was allegedly beaten, shot at with arrows and then decapitated by the Danes. A few devout followers found his body in 903 and re-buried him where Bury St Edmunds is now. There’s lots of ruins in the town that are fun to find, plus there are nice rows of pretty streets lined with independent shops to explore. There’s also a beautiful shopping centre called Arc that’s has all the best chain stores. Be sure to check out the cathedral, the decrepid abbey and beautiful park behind. Ale lovers should check out the Greene King Brewery (Westgate Brewery, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1QT, 01284 763222).