As you will have realised if you’re a regular reader of my blog, Aldeburgh in Suffolk has become one of my favourite places for a short break. I’m just back from my third visit and although April brought more than a few showers, and there were still lots of March winds blowing, it was still great to be there again. And I did, of course, stay in the lovely The Cross Keys pub again, where there are only three rooms so you have to book well in advance – as I did!

Finding Aldeburgh was due to luck rather than any kind of serious research; no one had suggested it to me either. I decided back in 2022 that I’d like to explore Suffolk as it was an English county I didn’t know and it’s not too long a drive from my home in SW London. My only requirement was to be by the sea and preferably find somewhere to stay with a sea view. I looked at places from Southwold in the north of Suffolk and down as far as Aldeburgh because on the map it looked a good place to stop my search. When my search took me to Aldeburgh and The Cross Keys, I decided that looked perfect; just what I was looking for.

The Cross Keys

I’ve written about The Cross Keys before (click here). Just one room has a sea view, across an outside seating area, but that’s good enough for me. The pub is so well located in the town, everything is nearby. It’s an Adnams Brewery pub, a Suffolk brewery based in Southwold, and they have other pubs in the area with rooms. I was given the room I’d had before, and as always, everything is thoughtfully laid out, including a tray with kettle, a big carafe of water which is refilled each day, and a good selection of Clipper organic teas.

 

The room price includes breakfast. I don’t eat cooked breakfasts but there’s a good selection if you do. I was happy with juice, yogurt with granola and fruit, and coffee. The pub also serves food at lunchtime and in the evening. Although they don’t take reservations, they will save a table for residents.

 

I left home in time to arrive for lunch. I’d had visions of sitting on the beach with some fish & chips from Aldeburgh Fish & Chip Shop which has – rightly – a brilliant reputation. National Geographic Magazine named it one of the nine best fish & chips shops in the UK. However, it was raining when I arrived and very windy; not a day for a picnic on the beach! So I ate in the pub instead and reserved a table to eat there in the evening too.

   

At lunchtime I had a Panko-fried halloumi, herb yogurt toasted wrap, pickles & tomato jam, with skinny fries and salad (£13.95). I also had some Adnams’ Ghost Ship low alcohol beer.

In the evening I had fish pie (£15.95) and a chocolate brownie and ice cream for pudding. Wow! That was wonderful, served warm and so light and delicious. It was the best pud of the trip.

 

I just loved staying at The Cross Keys again. It’s perfect for the solo traveller: small enough to be nicely intimate so that the staff talk to you, ask you about your day and your plans. There’s always someone around and while the room is simple, it’s nicely done and the pub a great place to relax – and now, after three trips, it almost feels like home. I can’t imagine staying anywhere else in Aldeburgh.

The famous of Aldeburgh

It was only after I’d booked my first stay that I did some research and discovered it’s famous for its annual music festival, which was started by Benjamin Britten and his partner Peter Pears. Britten was born in Suffolk and chose to live most of his life there. I visited his house, just outside the town, during my first visit. Click here to find out more about The Red House.

Other notable residents from the past are Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (1836-1917) who was the first woman to qualify as a physician and surgeon in Britain; she was also a suffragist. The famous writer Ruth Rendell (1930-2015) chose to live in Aldeburgh and when she was made a peer, became Baroness Rendell of Aldeburgh. Actor Bill Nighy is a resident and singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran was brought up in nearby Framlingham and still lives in the area.

Places to eat

Coffee

 

I discovered Libardi’s Ice Cream Kiosk on my first visit and although I didn’t want any of their excellent ice cream that first cold day of arrival, I knew it was where I’d find the best coffee. Well, it is run by Italians! And my macchiato was perfect.

Lunch

One of my favourite places for a takeaway lunch is the deli, on my previous visits named Slate, but now Lawsons. Not much else seemed to have changed though and the food is fantastic. I had a gorgeous butternut squash, feta & spinach pasty with some homemade tomato soup on my second day for lunch and it was sunny enough to find a bench on the beach to eat it.

And it was also sunny enough the following day – my last – to have fish & chips, which are brilliant – such tasty and moist cod in batter with chunky chips.

  

There are also lots of seafood shacks along the seafront where you can buy fresh fish and takeaway food, which can be perfect for lunch. For some reason, I’ve not done that, though every time I pass them, I think, I must go one lunchtime.

People still fish from Aldeburgh, hence the fish you eat anywhere here is the freshest it can be. And I saw a small fishing boat coming in early one morning.

Dinner

 

 

For the second and third nights I booked tables at restaurants I’d eaten at before and liked a lot. The first was The Lighthouse, which is recommended in Michelin and Hardens. I had a good dinner of a Trio of Salmon, a special of the day which was hake served on new potatoes with crushed peas and ham. Then I had a chocolate brownie (again!) for my dessert. I had a glass of Prosecco first and then a glass of white Burgundy. The total bill came to £55.45. The service was friendly and welcoming, and there was a nice ambiance in the restaurant. The food was very good though perhaps not quite so brilliant as my first visit (click here).

My third and final night I ate at the Regatta Restaurant, which has proved my favourite from previous trips (click here). I had a garlic prawn cocktail to begin; Aldeburgh wild sea bass fillet on a pea, asparagus and spinach risotto as my main; and a chocolate fondant for dessert. I had a glass of Prosecco followed by a glass of Picpoul. The total bill was £56.60.

 

 

A little like The Lighthouse, it was a good meal but not quite up to the standard I’ve enjoyed before. Why? It was very quiet everywhere; I knew some places were short staffed; the restaurants weren’t full. I guess April is still ‘out of season’, and certainly it wasn’t nearly as busy as when I’ve been in June and September, but that really shouldn’t make a difference to the food in restaurants. However, Aldeburgh is still a great place to find excellent food and good places to eat – which of course is one of the reasons I love going there!

Things to see and do in Aldeburgh

Well the first thing I have to do when I arrive is walk down the seafront northwards to see Maggi Hambling’s Scallop sculpture, a memorial to Benjamin Britten. It was unveiled in 2003 and has been highly controversial, disliked by some but loved by others – including me! It’s 13 feet high, so huge, as you can see from the photo which shows people nearby. It always moves me and I visit it often when I’m in Aldeburgh.

 

I’m not really a gin drinker but I bought some of the local Fishers gin for my son and daughter on previous trips and it’s been a big hit with them. I pass their distillery right on the seafront when out walking and had thought I might do one of their tours or tastings this trip, but with the weather rather wet and cold much of the time, I decided to wait until I’m back at a warmer time of the year. It’s worth buying the gin though if you’re a gin drinker.

   

The Moot Hall (below) is a stunning building dating from the 16th century and has served continuously since then as the seat for government for the town with the local council still meeting there. You can go inside where there’s a museum. It lies very close to the sea now but was once located in the centre of the town, but the coastline along this part of Suffolk has suffered lots of erosion.

Excursions from Aldeburgh

Snape Maltings

I’ve been meaning to visit Snape Maltings during other visits, but have to confess that since I’ve only ever been in Aldeburgh for a short break, once I’ve arrived, I’ve parked my car and not ventured far from the town. However, the inclement weather had the advantage of encouraging me to be a bit more adventurous and so one morning I drove to the Maltings. It’s only six miles away so a quick journey. It sits on the Alde River and is a music and arts centre that was established by Benjamin Britten and opened in 1967. The famous concert hall is the centre of the musical festival and the Victorian buildings have been turned not only into music centres but shops, art galleries, a restaurant and cafe. You can also admire a Henry Moore sculpture near the concert hall.

 

 

I had fun looking round, bought a few things in the shops and delicatessen and had a very good coffee in the cafe. It’s definitely worth a little excursion out to nearby Snape to visit the Maltings.

Southwold

Whenever I’ve told people about going to Aldeburgh, I’ve been asked, Have you been to Southwold? Southwold is perhaps more famous as a holiday destination and has a sandy beach rather than shingle like Aldeburgh. It has a pier and is famous for its pastel-coloured beach huts. I decided it was time I investigated. The morning began brighter but unfortunately by the time I got to Southwold (a 40-minute drive), there were dark clouds and rain threatened. I parked on the far side near the pier, but then didn’t actually go on to the pier as the entrance was through an amusement arcade (not my thing) and all around it just seemed very run down, with the beach huts looking in a bad state. However, as I walked further towards the centre of town, things got better. Even so, I didn’t feel inclined to stay long and decided it was a good day to go back to Aldeburgh and have those fish and chips I craved!

Tosier Chocolatemaker

I took a ‘scenic’ route back to Aldeburgh from Southwold (courtesy of my helpful satnav) and as I drove though windy narrow roads, I suddenly spied the sign above: chocolate! I carefully backed my car a bit and drove into the car park at the front. Inside I was immediately welcomed by a gorgeous smell of chocolate. Wow! Serendipity. If I hadn’t left Southwold so soon I might have taken a more direct route back.

The owner gave me a little tasting of some of their gorgeous chocolate, explaining how they make it and what makes it different to the kind of chocolate we’re used to buying. It was a fantastic and unexpected highlight to my day. I came away with some chocolate and a promise to myself that next time I’m in the area, I’ll go back for one of their tours. (See the Tosier website).

 

Thorpeness

Thorpeness is another well known village near Aldeburgh, which was built in the early 20th century by a rich barrister as a holiday village. I visited on my first trip, walking from Aldeburgh along the seafront (click here). It’s interesting to see though I wouldn’t choose to stay there as it does feel a little like a film set.

And just walk for miles …

There are lots of other things to do around Aldeburgh. I was told about the RSPB Minsmere nature reserve, which I passed on the way to Southwold. And a little way south there’s Orford Ness National Nature Reserve. It’s not too far to historic Ipswich and I saw buses going there from Aldeburgh. But really, all I want to do most of the time is enjoy being on that lovely beach, never busy, with that huge stretch of sky above the North Sea, and being able to walk for miles and miles in either direction. It’s a very calm and restful place to be. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of it.

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This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Aldeburgh.