Your ultimate guide for things to do in our region within easy reach of our Chestnut pubs with rooms! From festivals and carnivals, to family fun and summertime walks, art exhibitions and unique experiences.
SUFFOLK
The Suffolk landscape offers many different walking terrains from beach, to woodland, to heath. Try our Nine Stile Stride around Long Melford for lush water meadows and woodland or our coastal Round Route walk that includes a pit stop at both The Westleton Crown and The Ship at Dunwich, covering coastal paths, heath and nature reserve.
FESTIVAL FEVER
Latitude is back at Henham Park, close to The Westleton Crown, on the 20th to the 23rd of July. Headlining this years popular festival is Pulp, Paolo Nutini and George Ezra.
Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival is consistently voted one of best food festivals in the UK. Located at Snape Maltings on 23rd and 24th September.
The Crown Beer Festival is back this year for a two-day summer celebration. Pop by the Garden Tipi for beer, food from the Field Kitchen and music on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th of August.
ART & CULTURE
The Urban Frame: Mutiny in colour is a collection of contemporary artwork from artists including Banksy, Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin on display at the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket. The exhibition includes the world premiere of '7 Banksy Under Siege'. Visit between 3rd June and 1st October.
EA Festival is a showcase in East Anglia for creative leaders in literature, media, art, environment and music. Taking place at Hedingham Castle on the 10th and 11th of June.
OUTDOOR ART & THEATRE
Local theatre company Chameleon's Web perform their latest production, Peter Pan, in the meadow at The Crown, Stoke by Nayland on Sunday 16th of July. Tickets are £14 from Chameleon's Web.
If you enjoy Shakespeare don't miss travelling theatre company, Circle 67, at The Ship on Friday 21st July at 7.30pm. Get a pint and pull up a chair in the garden to watch their performance of The Two Gentleman of Verona. Free entry, hat collection.
MORE ART & CULTURE
Helmingham Hall Midsummer Nights offer guests the opportunity to experience their summer gardens in the evening sunshine. Admission also includes the Art for Cure Sculpture Trail.
Aldeburgh Festival is a celebration of music and place. There are five exhibitions, five films, two operas, a centenary celebration of the composer Ligeti, concert theatre and more, all set in the magical Suffolk landscape. Visit between the 9th and 25th of June.
NORFOLK
A trip to North Norfolk would not be complete without a trip to the beach from Holkham, to Blakeney, to Wells-Next-The-Sea - take a look at our top Norfolk Must-Visit Beaches. Then there are, of course, some places worth a visit that may be a little harder to find, so take a look at our Hidden Holt town map for the inside track on independent shops in Holt.
FAMILY FUN
BeWILDerwood is a huge, award winning forest of family fun and outdoor adventure. Treehouses, Wobbly Wires, Slippery Slopes, Crocklebogs, Twiggles and Boggles, storytelling, boat rides and marsh walks. Open every day during the summer holidays.
Bressingham Steam and Gardens - What better way to explore the beautiful gardens, woodlands and countryside of Bressingham than by climbing aboard one of their narrow gauge passenger trains? Adult tickets £16.99 and Children £12.99.
CARNIVAL SEASON
Holt Festival takes place between the 15th and 29th of July this year. Expect music, comedy, art and spoken word poetry.
Wells Carnival is one of our favourites with lots of the activity on The Buttlands opposite The Globe Inn. Celebrations begin on the 28th of July with the carnival day and parade on Saturday 5th of August. Enjoy face painting, music, games, tug of war, fancy dress and much more. Don't forget to visit our outdoor bar and pizza kitchen.
STATELY HOMES & GARDENS
Blickling Hall and Gardens is home to over 4,600 acres of woodland, parkland and farmland, which sit at the heart of Norfolk's beautiful Bure meadows. Activities include walks, cycling routes and fishing.
Houghton Hall is famous for its white fallow deer, award-winning walled garden, Model Soldier Museum (the largest private collection of model soldiers in the world), and impressive permanent collection of contemporary sculptures displayed in the grounds.
ESSEX
With gentle rolling hills and sweeping views, the Essex countryside is a fantastic rural escape punctuated with quaint market towns like Saffron Walden. Enjoy morning countryside walks like our Tree-Line Trundle that starts and ends at The Cricketers in Clavering and later head to Audley End for an open-air concert in the evening.
LIVE MUSIC & POETRY
Heritage Live Summer Concerts at Audley End are- nestled between the Concorde Temple at the top of the hill and the beautiful house and gardens below - is there a better backdrop to enjoy the likes of Tom Jones, Razor Light and Bjorn Again?
Saffron Hall Foyer Poetry is new this year. Expect lively, diverse events with poems covering a huge range of topics; It may start with a poem about a dog, then a poem about politics, then a poem about love. It's a real feast with various poets performing throughout the summer.
GARDENER HEAVEN
One for the green fingered among us is Gardeners World Autumn Fair. This day out includes garden inspiration, shopping, talks and workshops, as well as live entertainment and a BBC Good Food Market, street food and more.
The gardens at Easton Lodge are the only example in East Anglia of the work of the Edwardian garden designer, Harold Peto. Peto originally trained as an architect and brought his passion for Italianate, French and Japanese designs to the gardens.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
From busy days exploring the cobbled streets in central Cambridge; discovering hidden colleges on tours with the alumni or hopping on a punt with Scudamore's. Or escape the hustle and bustle on our Welly Boot Wander. Cambridge is a hop, skip and a jump on the train from London, so makes for a great weekend away!
NIGHTTIME ADVENTURES
Duxford Flying Evening is an opportunity to see the Imperial War Museum in a new light as dusk turns to dark across the historic airfield. Enjoy a flying display, the AirSpace, Hangar 4 and The American Air Museum.
Why not jump on a punt and watch bats in flight that live in the ancient eaves of the colleges with Scudamore's Bat Safari Tours? In late July expect to see tandem mother bats in flight with their pups.
CITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Tell your friends and family, Cambridge Pride is back at Jesus Green this summer. Bring along a picnic and join in the celebrations with singing, dancing and plenty of glitter. The green is also the ideal spot to while away an afternoon on a sunny day, with a lido nearby and tennis courts.
If the idea of spending a day in the green areas of the city is right up your street, Cambridge Botanic Gardens never fails to amaze!
THEATRE AND CULTURE
Judith Kerr’s classic story of Mog the Cat comes to life at Anglesey Abbey this summer with Mog's Remarkable Adventures. Take a seat in the Story Room to listen to recordings of Mog's tales or even dress up as characters from the books.
Another classic, but from a different vein, is Shakespeare's Twelfth Night being shown at Wimpole Estate. An outdoor adaptation of this romantic comedy - or tragedy - is set to be one to remember. Even if that's because you have to take an umbrella along!
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Images credit - Audley End, Heritage Live, National Trust, Bewilderwood and Helmingham Hall.
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