THORPENESS And The Surrounding Area
Things To Do In Thorpeness
If you are in the proccess of booking your trip to Thorpeness, we have put together a list some of the best things to do.
If you are looking for more personalised recommendations, please email us!
The Meare
The picturesque meare with its islands and surrounds covers some sixty acres and has over forty acres of water. with over 100 boats for hire including rowing boats, kayaks, canoes, punts, dinghies and sailing boats – there is a vessel to suit everyone.
Thorpeness Meare is a fun and safe activity for all the family. no-where is the meare more than three feet deep. open from march to end october
Thorpeness Golf Club
Minsmere Wildlife Reserve
There’s so much to see and hear at minsmere: splendid woodland, wetland and coastal scenery, rare birds breeding and calling in on their migrations, shy wildlife like otters, the booming call of bitterns in spring, beautiful bugs and colourful wild flowers in summer.
There is a visitor centre, a RSPB shop and a café using local Suffolk produce. there’s also an exciting discovery centre and wild zone for families, and guided walks throughout the year.
Snape Maltings
situated a 20 minute drive from the apartment it has nine independent shops, a cafe, restaurant, music festivals, wildlife walks and river trips and so many more things we just can’t list them all!!
Opening hours 10am-530pm Monday to Saturday and 9am until 4pm sundays
call 01728 688303 or visit www.snapemaltings.co.uk.
Walking
These change in line with the seasons so it’s best to log on to the national trust webpage to check details in our area
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
The History Of Thorpeness
the village of thorpeness was originally a small fishing hamlet in the late 19th century with folklore stories of it being a route for smugglers into east anglia.
In 1910, glencairn stuart ogilvie, a scottish barrister who had made his money designing railways around the world, bought the entire area from north of aldeburgh to aldringham and leiston. most of this land was used for farming but Ogilvie developed Thorpeness into a private fantasy holiday village to which he invited his friends and colleagues to holiday with him and his family.
The “meare” which is an artificial lake was created and opened in June 1913 for holiday makers to enjoy swimming in as it shallow in parts. It is partly themed on the story of peter pan, with Islands where children were encouraged to play and use boats on.
During august the meare is the location for the thorpeness regatta when the boats are decorated and Boat races take place during the day with a fantastic firework display on the last evening of the regatta.
In 1925 the building which now houses “the kitchen @ thorpeness” was built and called barn hall which was used as the estate office. when it was no longer needed in this capacity it was run as a restaurant finally being demolished in 2012 and rebuilt by renound london architect tom brent.
In april 2014 cameron & claire marshall who are previously owed the boathouse restaurant in dedham and the kitchen @ felixstowe took on the cafe calling it “the kitchen @ thorpeness” and starting a new era of dining in thorpeness.