gentle adventures, expertly organised

Cycling holidays in

England & Europe

Walking holidays

in England

Self-guided adventures with real peace of mind

Whether you fancy days by the Danube, pedalling in
Provence, wheeling around Tuscany or Venice’s watery
wonders, coasting along in Norfolk or putting your best foot
forward in Suffolk’s Constable Country, let us invite you to
stretch your independent legs in the gentlest of ways and set
off on your cycling or walking break with real peace of mind.

We’ve selected a great range of destinations, tours and very
comfortable accommodation in England and Europe,
designed to interest and excite as well as help you unwind
and claim space as your own.

WELCOME

cyclebreaks.com I 3

Contents

Cycling Holidays

8 – 25 England - Suffolk

26 – 33 England – Norfolk
34 – 57 France - Loire/Dordogne/Provence
58 – 59

Germany

60 – 67

Austria

68 – 75

Italy

Walking Holidays

76 – 81 England – Suffolk
82 – 83

England - Norfolk

For all tour prices, our booking form and information
about travelling to our tour destinations, please refer to
our separate price insert.

The information provided in this brochure is provided in good faith
and is correct to the best of the publisher’s knowledge at the time of
going to press, but is subject to alteration.

Published by Cycle Breaks. January 2012.

Design & production:
www.wearedrab.net / www.xtrahead.co.uk
Printed in the UK by Fuller Davies on 50:50 recycled paper.

Photography courtesy of Cycle Breaks, East of England
Tourism/Britainonview/Rod Edwards, National Trust/British Museum,
Xtrahead.co.uk, LVT, Eurofun, CDT Touraine, CDT Dordogne-
Périgord, ATOUT FRANCE/Emmanuel Valentin /Jean Malburet/Michel
Angot/R-Cast/Martine Prunevieille/Oxley/Michel Laurent/Pascal
Gréboval.

To find out more or make a booking – call us on 01449 721555 or email

us at

[e-mail] [e-mail]

Our focus is on your time

It’s your activity holiday and we want you to feel better for it. Be sure to relax before you even arrive:
we’ll take care of everything from accommodation bookings to luggage transfers, always with the
expert knowledge and real personal attention which comes from over twenty years’ experience in
organising cycling and walking tours.

Our complete service to you

• Arranging the best accommodation
• Transporting your luggage for you
• Preparing the most attractive and inspiring routes
• Providing expert advice on route details, distances and ease of terrain
• Supplying good mapping and a personal itinerary for every party.

Also, for cycling holidays

• Providing comfortable, reliable, quality bikes
• Electric bikes now available on selected tours
• Offering on-road help should you need it.

Our additional tours, short breaks and latest deals

Why not visit our websites for even more great tours and offers?

cyclebreaks.com

walkingbreaks.com

To find out more – call us on 01449 721555

4 I cyclebreaks.com

Real exploration

There’s something amazing and immediate about experiencing a culture, a country, a landscape or
coastline through the personal power of your own two legs. The breeze seems more exhilarating, the
people more accessible, the sunshine more welcome and the local flavours even more special and
refreshing.

Don’t forget to look up

It’s great to be so close to nature, leaving your car behind you and being a ‘responsible’ visitor or
‘sustainable’ tourist. The exercise is welcome also, though so too are the pools and massages available
at some of our hotels perhaps. But don’t forget to look up, be it at Bolzano’s intricate façades, the
jagged points of the Dolomites, the Mediterranean haze shimmering over the Camargue or the
wrap-around skies of Suffolk and Norfolk. There’s something positively uplifting about the views
we’ve selected on all our tours.

Going that extra mile (or not)

We like to think that once you’re in the saddle or have your walking boots firmly laced up, the rest is
up to you. That doesn’t mean you’re on your own with our extensive maps and meticulously planned
routes; support is always at hand. Part of the appeal is that the pace of your break and the distances
you cover are up to you, so you can be as active or relaxed as you wish, visit the sights you want to
see and enjoy every minute of your holiday.

More pedal power if you need it

We’ve introduced electric bikes as an option on a selection of our tours overseas, so should you have
any concerns about your pedalling ability, you can still feel the wind in your hair and really rest
assured all route long!

‘Breathe-in’ space

“I could just see the stress lift

from my man’s shoulders,

even on the first day!”

Mrs R. & party, Orsett, Essex

cyclebreaks.com I 5

To find out more – call us on 01449 721555

Flexibility and freedom

Most of our routes feature a range of detours or short cuts and all our descriptions detail
minimum, maximum and, in the UK, recommended mileages. Some longer trips may
offer rest days.

All our cycling and walking tours are graded as some routes offer more challenges than others.
Please remember though that gentle holidays are what we do, so there are no ‘extreme’ days in any
of our programmes.

Very easy

Cycling:

Very short/short rides. Mainly flat terrain. Some small hills.

Walking: Short day walks. Generally flat terrain. May include some

small hills.

Easy

Cycling:

Slightly longer rides. Mainly flat terrain. Some small hills.

Walking: Slightly longer walks. May include gently rolling hills or

stretches of beach.

Moderate

Cycling:

Longer rides - generally same itineraries as ‘Easy’ tours, but
with the longer route options selected. May include
slightly more or bigger hills.

Walking: Moderately long walks. May include some hills or

stretches of beach.

More challenging

Cycling:

Longer rides with more frequent climbs and descents and
occasional (although possibly avoidable!) challenging climbs.

Walking: Longer walks with frequent ascents or descents.

Cycling:

Electric bikes an option.

Rec:

22

Min: 21

Max: 38

GRADE

1

GRADE

2

GRADE

3

GRADE

4

Routes

Extension

Highlight

Railways

Overnights

Towns/villages

Châteaux

Key to maps

All our maps are to scale

Exercise your independence

We can organise extra nights at the
beginning and end of your stay, and usually
along your route too. At some of our period or
coastal hotels in particular you might wish to
upgrade to enjoy special views or a spot of
four-poster luxury. Upgrades are also avaialble
on some of our French tours.

With only a few exceptions, (see tour facts for
details), you can start your break on any day
of the week.

Look out for our English and French single
centre holidays too - great for first timers or
those who might just want to spend more
time relaxing at the hotel than in the saddle.

GRADE

EB

To find out more – call us on 01449 721555

6 I cyclebreaks.com

About us

At our base under huge Suffolk skies, we’ve been listening to and learning from our walking and
cycling break customers since 1991. Over this time, we have refined and added to our tours
portfolio, but have never lost our very personal touch.

In this internet age, we appreciate that choice is at your fingertips. Again and again though, we
see proof that our high level of service, valuable knowledge and attention to detail is very much
appreciated and considered good value for money.

How our holidays work

Transporting luggage from place to place

Travel light with just the bare essentials – camera, book, picnic etc. In the morning, we pick up
your bags and ensure they are waiting for you by late afternoon at your next overnight stop.

Characterful accommodation that’s comfortable and well chosen

It’s an essential ingredient, so we get it right. Well-positioned and relaxing accommodation with
en-suite facilities and breakfast provided. Evening meals are either available on the premises or
close by. Our route notes give additional tips for the best places to eat and identify any fine
dining opportunities. More information is provided in this brochure’s section introductions.

Maps, guides and detailed route notes

We believe in well-planned, meticulous itineraries with plenty of information and options, and we
really pride ourselves on the personal service behind our tours. Details of the maps/guides
provided are included in this brochure’s section introductions.

Gentle adventures

– expertly organised

“We’ve been holidaying with
Cycle/Walking Breaks for nearly
20 years & you’ve never let us down.”

Mr & Mrs D., Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire

cyclebreaks.com I 7

Sensible distances and bespoke itineraries

As a guide, ‘occasional’ cyclists should expect to cover between 6 – 10 miles an hour at a gentle
pace, allowing for short stops on the way. For walkers, our daily distances are between a gentle stroll
and a healthy hike depending on the tour you choose. Dedicated cyclists and walkers ourselves,
we’re very much hands-on and can usually tailor our holidays to the requirements of each party. We
can add extra nights, cut rest days, arrange taxis – just ask and we’ll do our very best to help.

Children’s discounts

Cycling and walking can make an ideal family holiday provided the right distances are chosen for
the younger members of the party. Do give us a call to discuss your requirements. Discounts and
facilities are included in our price insert.

Your payment protected

We value your peace of mind, so we’ve also ensured that your holiday payment is safe with us,
through our secure online payment system and payment protection insurance arranged through
IPP (International Passenger Protection) on your behalf (included in the holiday price).

Specific to cycling holidays

Great bikes provided...

We supply hybrid tourers, a comfortable bike,
more rugged than a road bike, but lighter and
faster than a mountain bike. The bikes have
easy to use gears, flat or ‘quarter-rise’ handle
bars and are available with a ladies’ or gents’
frame. Panniers, handlebar bags, map holders
and support equipment are supplied. We now
also offer the option of electric bikes on
selected routes.

... or bring your own

We’re happy to give you a discount if you’d
prefer to bring your own bike on your holiday.
If you have a problem with it whilst on the
tour, we’ll bring you a replacement for the rest
of your holiday and charge back the discount
you were given.

On the road support

We ensure that your bike is a ‘good fit’ before
you depart and you will receive a briefing
about the route, how to fix a puncture and
how to make contact in case help is needed.

A note on our European holidays

Many years ago specialist cycle tour operators from Europe approached us to look after their clients
when holidaying in Suffolk. Our relationships developed and, in 2002, we decided to reciprocate.
The tours we offer in Europe blend our experience and understanding with the expert knowledge
of our local partners who share our commitment to quality, service and great cycling.

We have developed our European programme slowly, choosing tours carefully. We visit the hotels
personally, refining the suggested selections where we feel it is appropriate. Although not always
able to guarantee the same organisational flexibility on offer through our UK tour programme,
we work with our expert partners to accommodate special requests wherever possible.

Leaning half-timbered legacies and pink thatched cottages. The gentlest
of rolling landscapes and Constable’s meandering Stour. Amusing
crinkle-crankle walls, big skies, bustling market towns and enormous flint
churches. Cambridge Colleges and Kings. A ship full of buried treasure.
Broad estuaries, boldly-coloured beach huts and yellow gorse heathlands.
Britten’s mystifying melodies and booming bitterns at Minsmere. Kersey
ducks at the watersplash and a freewheeling whizz to remember.

Accommodation

We’ve selected our favourite places to stay, where the welcome is warm, the facilities inviting, the
atmosphere pleasant, and where the comfortable en-suite rooms will help you relax after your time
in the saddle.

All our accommodation is of a very high standard, with many hotels and B&Bs awarded 3 or more
stars according to national classifications. We also feature a couple of 5 star B&Bs which have won
the much-coveted gold award for quality. Each establishment is very different in character, for
example: half-timbered coaching inns in small market towns; historic pubs and fine dining restaurants
with rooms taking pride of place at the centre of a medieval village; the smartest hotels in Southwold
and seafront properties in Aldeburgh. Our special single centre breaks feature a Tudor mansion and
more modern club hotel. These, like all our establishments, are well-located for your gentle
adventures, but also offer great leisure facilities so you can really relax into your time away.

cycling in

SUFFOLK

“...good cycling, lovely villages
& towns, sea & castles.
Highly recommended.“

Ms McA. & party, Sheffield

cyclebreaks.com I 9

To find out more and book a tour – call us on 01449 721555

Get a taste of the place

Our hotel stays are arranged on a bed and breakfast basis but our route notes point out great places to stop
for lunch, tea, a picnic or refreshing pint, encouraging you to try specialities such as Newmarket sausages,
creamy cheeses or succulent local asparagus. We also give tips for evening meals, either at the hotel or nearby
restaurants.

What’s included in the price

• En-suite hotel accommodation as described with full English breakfast
• Route notes and descriptions (we post these out to you approx. two weeks before departure)
• OS mapping with marked routes provided on arrival
• Luggage transfer
• Hire of bicycle and ancillary equipment – cycles generally available for collection on day one of your tour
• Local assistance on call
• The tour price does not include the costs of getting to and from the tour area

How to get there

Rail to: Needham Market for our

main tours. Woodbridge /
Manningtree for our single
centre breaks, followed by
a taxi transfer.

By car: Free parking is available

for the duration of your stay.

Go on, spoil yourself

Fancy a four-poster for the night in your historic
inn or simply a sea view to wake up to in the
morning? Upgrades are available at a number of
our hotels and, at some destinations we can
arrange for you to stay, if you prefer, in especially
sought-after establishments. We are also pleased
to book additional nights at either at end of your
tour, or along the way too, if applicable.

Get ahead: early start options

If you haven’t got too far to travel to start your
Suffolk adventure and can be with us by
10.00am, then you are welcome to skip the first
night in Needham Market and go straight into
day two of whichever tour you choose.
Alternatively if you would prefer to start your
tour on the day of arrival but cannot get to us
until later, we are happy to suggest alternative
first night accommodation.

For more details, please refer to our price insert,
visit cyclebreaks.com or give us a call.

Rec:

22

Min: 21

Max: 38

Rec:

32

Min: 19

Max: 37

Rec:

37

Min: 16

Max: 43

Rec:

17

Min: 17

Max: 28

Rec:

29

Min: 20

Max: 30

Rec:

33

Min: 27

Max: 39

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 From wool towns to the

water’s edge
Needham Market – Hadleigh –
Shelley – East Bergholt

Overnight Dedham

Day 3 Hidden gems & hollyhocks

Dedham – (Stoke by Nayland) –
Kersey – Chelsworth –
(Lavenham) – Needham Market

Picture the gentlest of English landscapes: smooth vales full of water meadows and meanders,
distant churches and dragonflies, boats and bridges. Sketch ‘Constable Country’ roughly as the
area which the 19

th

century artist could reach on foot or horseback, and it’s not surprising that

the places where he set up his easel are all within easy pedalling distance of each other around
the Stour.

Settle into Suffolk at Needham Market before encountering the half-timbered
phenomenon of the medieval Suffolk ‘wool’ towns. Cycle country lanes to Hadleigh
with its redbrick deanery tower, massive flint church and delightful painted pargetting
of the historic High Street. Continue through the tiny riverside hamlet of Shelley to East
Bergholt. A plaque marks the site of Constable’s birthplace by the fascinating church
with its unique churchyard bell cage. At Flatford Mill perhaps take a guided walk to
seven sites painted by Constable, row out on the Stour for a different perspective or
drink in the atmosphere over tea by the river.

Constable went to school in Dedham and the pretty village has plenty of treats in store
today, boasting connections with Gainsborough and Munnings as well as many a
contemporary artist. Heading back to Needham Market, there are options to visit
Langham Church and Stoke-by-Nayland, both closely linked to Constable, then weave
through wool towns great, small and undoubtedly some of the prettiest villages in
England. Splash through the ford at Kersey, then on to cottage garden country at
Chelsworth. There is also an opportunity to visit Lavenham, the most spectacular of
wool towns with its medieval maze of half-timbered buildings.

The Dedham Vale is an Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty
designated by Natural England in
1970. It stretches from Manningtree
to Bures on the Suffolk / Essex borders.

TOUR

You’ll be sure to recognise the famous site
of Constable’s ‘Haywain’ by Willy Lott’s
house. From here there are idyllic walks
across the water meadows west towards
Dedham or east towards Manningtree.

Heart of Constable Country

TOUR 3F
3 days (2 nights)

TOP TIPS

To find out more and book Tour 3F – call us on 01449 721555

10 I cyclebreaks.com

GRADE

2 – 3

Hadleigh

Stoke-by-Nayland

Kersey

Chelsworth

Lavenham

Needham

Market

Ipswich

Dedham

Flatford

MILES

0 1 2 3 4 5

Stour

Manningtree

Bures

Gently does it. Landscapes don’t come more calming than the rolling idylls immortalised by John
Constable. Combine pedalling through these pictures with time out discovering half-timbered treasures
and tearoom temptations in South Suffolk’s inspiring medieval villages; add a renowned country retreat
and, hey presto, you have the perfect getaway break to leave you both inspired and refreshed.

Slow down and absorb Suffolk’s alternative pace of life at Needham Market, then head
out south down quiet country lanes at your own pace and on through history-laden
villages towards the River Stour which marks the border between Suffolk and Essex. This
is Constable’s Country, a place of mills and water meadows, pointed poplars and church
tower pinnacles. Flatford Mill and impressive East Bergholt are must-sees when it
comes to paying homage to the Grand Master: places of real meaning in his life and his
work and very special spots to get off the saddle a while, admire the views and, like the
painter himself, get things into perspective.

Dedham Vale’s smooth fieldscapes unfurl beneath the wheels on the rise towards
Stoke-by-Nayland. Mighty St Mary’s dominates this historic huddle of a village where tiny
lanes push between Suffolk pink cottages and timber-framed houses. This was once a
market town, but times are quieter now and the rambling Angel Inn which used to bustle
with many a coach and horses is now a godsend to travellers on more gentle journeys.

Two route options allow for a morning that’s as lazy as
you need it to be. Both weave through wonderful little
wool towns, edging the rivers Box or Brett. It’s worth
going the extra mile or more through historic Boxford
to Lavenham, Suffolk’s most magnificent medieval
jewel, but the shorter ride back to Needham Market
just can’t fail to please: taking in Kersey’s watersplash
and charming Chelsworth, it allows a later start or
simply time to linger over a well-deserved en-route pint.

Rec:

33

Min: 24

Max: 37

Rec:

30

Max: 33

Min: 23

TOUR

Constable Country Landscapes

TOUR 3H
3 days (2 nights)

cyclebreaks.com I 11

To find out more and book Tour 3H – call us on 01449 721555

GRADE

2 - 3

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 Constable’s home & inspiration

Needham Market – Flatford –
East Bergholt
(Min. via Hadleigh)

Overnight Stoke-by-Nayland

Day 3 Return route options

Stoke-by-Nayland - Boxford –
Lavenham – Needham Market
Or Stoke-by-Nayland – Kersey -
Chelsworth – Needham Market

John Constable loved the tower of Stoke-by-
Nayland church. It appears several times in
his paintings – but not always in the right
place! Don’t forget to look inside.

TOP TIPS

Hadleigh

Dedham

Lavenham

Needham
Market

Ipswich

MILES

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Brett

Kersey

Stour

East

Bergholt

Flatford Mill

Rec:

31

Min: 19

Max: 46

Rec:

27

Min: 20

Max: 33

Rec:

24

Min: 16

Max: 40

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 Constable’s home & inspiration

Needham Market – (Shotley
Peninsular) – East Bergholt –
Flatford

Overnight Dedham

Day 3 Weaving around the wool towns

Dedham – Hadleigh – Kersey

Overnight Lavenham

Day 4 Heading homeward

Lavenham – (Ickworth House) –
Needham Market

Explore the gently rolling, oh-so-English landscapes immortalised by Constable and pedal at
your own pace through the beautiful half-timbered villages - the legacy of Suffolk’s medieval
wool trade-based wealth. This leisurely tour takes in the very best of both worlds, and being
on the saddle gives it all a special immediacy and added dimension. Somehow taking time
gives you time to take it all in, amidst the natural peace of country lanes and the respectful
silence of person-powered pedals!

Relax into Suffolk at Needham Market, then perhaps start your cycling with a little
detour to the lovely Shotley peninsular before you rejoin the recommended route close
to East Bergholt in the heart of Constable Country.

Golding Constable, John’s father, was the miller down at Flatford. He is buried in East
Bergholt churchyard just a stone’s throw from the site of his home and John’s birthplace.
Head down to Flatford Mill to take a guided Constable appreciation tour around the
mill area and the Stour’s adjacent water meadows. There’s time to enjoy the ducks or
the tearoom, or even row along the Stour, before you set off to historic Dedham with
its antique shops, inns and imposing church.

Hadleigh is the next stop, reportedly the 14

th

most prosperous town in England in

medieval times! At half-timbered Kersey the ducks have priority at the water-splash, then
wind your way through farmland landscapes to the medieval masterpiece, Lavenham.

Leave the leaning houses and crooked streets for a relaxed ride back to Needham Market.
Near Bury St Edmunds, the magnificent rotunda, Ickworth House, is worth the detour, if
you’ve energy enough, or similarly, the Museum of East Anglian Life at Stowmarket.

Many of the wool towns’ houses might
not be as young as you think - look out
for Tudor buildings ‘modernised’ by the
addition of Georgian façades. It’s often
the roof lines which give this away!

TOUR

As you tour the wool towns, look out
for raised plasterwork, or ‘pargetting’.
Often painted for greater dramatic
effect, it is out to impress and is perhaps
the earliest form of personal advertising!

Constable Country & Lavenham

TOUR 4A
4 days (3 nights)

TOP TIPS

To find out more and book Tour 4A – call us on 01449 721555

12 I cyclebreaks.com

GRADE

2 – 3

MILES

0 1 2 3 4 5

Hadleigh

Kersey

Boxford

Stoke-by-

Nayland

Nayland

Little

Horkesley

Shellley

Polstead

Dedham

Flatford Mill

East Bergholt

Box

Stour

Brett

Stoke by Nayland
Club Hotel

Manningtree

Offering plenty of flexibility and scope for real relaxation, our single centre break is ideal if you
wish to try out a cycling holiday for the first time, or simply fancy mixing a bit of cycling with
a comfortable hotel stay in beautiful countryside. The choice of gentle circular rides and short-
cut options allows you to cover distances you feel happy with at the same time as exploring
picturesque villages and countryside made famous by Constable’s brushstrokes.

We’ll deliver your bikes to you on the morning after your arrival, so you’ve plenty of time
to get in the saddle and head off for a pub lunch or complete day’s Constable Country
cycling and savour the views from the quiet country lanes. Who knows, after a relaxing
swim or massage, you might be re-invigorated and ready to set off on more gentle
adventures in the morning?

We’ve put together five circular routes for you to choose from during your stay. We’ll
leave you with all of them, so you can make your choice as the mood takes you. Each
is designed to give you a delightful experience to remember – the splash through Kersey
ford, the wander across water meadows to Willy Lott’s house and the site of Constable’s
‘Haywain’, the picnic by the pond at pretty Polstead...

Do enjoy some excellent cycling, and treat yourself to that well-deserved pint or
delicious cream tea - or even both!

Min: 9

Max: 16

Min: 9

Max: 16

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Day 2 Take delivery of bikes.

Choice of circular rides

Day 3 Choice of circular rides & depart

Overnights Stoke-by-Nayland

TOUR

Constable Country

Single centre break

TOUR 3E
3 days (2 nights)

cyclebreaks.com I 13

To find out more and book Tour 3E – call us on 01449 721555

GRADE

1

Your hotel

The 3 star Stoke-by-Nayland Club Hotel
combines great facilities and picturesque
location to ensure you relax and unwind.
Enjoy a magnificent pool and fitness centre,
two golf courses, sauna and steam room
and a chance for a soothing massage and
beauty treatments.

MILES

0 1 2 3 4 5

Hadleigh

Lavenham

Bildeston

Kersey

Boxford

Polstead

Stoke-by-Nayland

Nayland

Stour

Brett

Box

Dedham

Chelsworth

Manningtree
Station

Not too sure about how far you can pedal? Although we’re sure you would be fine on our
Grade 2 – 3 tours, this very gentle experience may appeal to you. It gives even more opportunity
to linger and explore some of Suffolk’s best-loved picturesque villages. Go easy, enjoy a relaxing
massage or round of golf at your first hotel and look forward to getting to grips with the pedals
and a slower pace of life.

Start out in Stoke-by-Nayland and head up to Hadleigh with its fine old High Street and
riverside walks. You’ll soon recognise the hallmark huge churches of the once prosperous
wool towns and pick out the rich merchants’ houses and candy pink weavers’ cottages.

Kersey might prove that Suffolk is not totally flat, but the view is outstanding and
resident ducks seem to appreciate visitors at the water-splash. Next up, the charming
village of Chelsworth, renowned for its open gardens festival, is lined with beech and
chestnut trees in the valley of the River Brett.

Pedal on to Bildeston, for medieval life on a bigger scale, preparing you for the
magnificent treats still to come. Leave the historic overhanging buildings for rural
Brettenham, pedalling only a few gentle miles to the medieval labyrinth of timber-
framed merchants’ houses, shops and guildhalls that is Lavenham. An audio tour will
help explore the tinier passageways, or find out more about wool trade history in the
carved Guildhall of Corpus Christi on the market place. Finally head south to Boxford,
a pretty huddle of houses, colour-washed in pale pinks, off-whites and pastel greens.
From here, a short pedal past Polstead pond returns you to Stoke-by-Nayland.

Lavenham is a treat both inside and out. Take tea at the hotel; visit the museum
rooms of the great Guildhall; look up, as well as at the merchandise when you go
in the galleries and shops. Beams abound and answers to the architectural puzzle
are in evidence simply everywhere – if you look.

TOUR

Lavenham & Pink-washed
Villages of Suffolk

TOUR 4G

4 days (3 nights)

TOP TIPS

To find out more and book Tour 4G – call us on 01449 721555

14 I cyclebreaks.com

Rec:

17

Min: 13

Max: 18

Rec:

12

Min: 7

Max: 16

Rec:

14

Min: 11

Max: 15

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & relax

Overnight Stoke-by-Nayland

Day 2 Spinning wheels & wool towns

Stoke-by-Nayland – Hadleigh –
Kersey – Chelsworth

Overnight Bildeston

Day 3 The medieval masterpiece

Bildeston – Brettenham

Overnight Lavenham

Day 4 Colourful cottages &

Constable Country
Lavenham – Boxted – Polstead –
Stoke-by-Nayland

GRADE

1

Fancy some real floral treats? Why not pedal just a little further from the
floral town of Bury St Edmunds, past vineyards up to Bressingham Gardens
(Rec. 35 miles/ Grade 2-3) on our 5 night tour, Historic Towns & Villages
of Suffolk (Tour 6C) Your additional overnight will be near Diss. Please visit
cyclebreaks.com for full tour details, or give us a call.

Historic Wool Towns Tour

TOUR 5A
5 days (4 nights)

TOP TIPS

cyclebreaks.com I 15

To find out more and book Tour 5A or Tour 6C – call us on 01449 721555

West Suffolk’s wool towns are steeped in history, nestling alongside small fleece-washing rivers in
hallmark rolling countryside. This tour is as delightful as the candy-pink cottages you’ll discover
en route, and takes in ancient Bury St Edmunds, a place of pilgrimage since the 11th century,
renowned for its flower-filled Abbey gardens, Georgian town houses and classic shopping.

Start your journey in Mid-Suffolk, setting out south from Needham Market via the
renowned ‘Jimmy’s Farm’ to the Essex borderlands and Stour Valley, immortalised by John
Constable. Explore the painter’s birthplace of East Bergholt with its ‘unfinished’ church,
then head riverwards to Flatford and the site of the ‘Haywain’. Nearby Dedham was
where Constable spent his school days; today there are antique shops to tempt you and
some splendid riverside restaurants.
Leaving the Dedham Vale, the huge spire of Hadleigh church will guide you to the town
centre. At Kersey, half-timbered houses drop down the hillside from great church to little river.
Freewheel down and splash through to the other side. Stop for refreshment half-way up, or
wheel away to the best medieval treat ever – the ‘intact’ timber-framed town of Lavenham.
It’s worth a detour to Suffolk’s antiques capital, Long Melford, famed for its two red brick
Tudor manor houses, and the pink thatched cottages on the green at Cavendish on the
way to the intriguing stucco-covered rotunda, Ickworth House, and Bury St Edmunds.
This ancient market town mixes modern-day chic with good old Suffolk charm. On the
historic Market Hill, visit the cathedral with its brand-new tower which looks like it has
been there for simply years.
Finally, on the return stretch to Needham Market, enjoy pretty Badwell Ash and perhaps
even the gardens and vineyard at Wyken Hall.

TOUR

Rec:

31

Min: 20

Max: 46

Rec:

26

Min: 20

Max: 33

Rec:

20

Min: 17

Max: 29

GRADE

2 – 3

Rec:

30

Min: 19

Max: 33

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 A painter’s home & inspiration

East Bergholt – Flatford

Overnight Dedham

Day 3 Weaving around the wool towns

Dedham – Hadleigh – Kersey

Overnight Lavenham

Day 4 Bury beautiful indeed

Lavenham – (Long Melford) –
(Cavendish) – Ickworth

Overnight Bury St Edmunds

Day 5 Heading homeward

Bury St Edmunds – Badwell Ash –
Needham Market

Rec:

29

Min: 16

Max: 33

Rec:

27

Min: 15

Max: 28

Rec:

28

Min: 28

Max: 30

Rec:

31

Min: 30

Max: 40

Rec:

31

Min: 20

Max: 35

Dip into Cambridgeshire from Suffolk on this places-to-visit-packed tour which leads you
through picture-perfect weavers’ villages, and across the higher heaths of England’s
horse-racing capital, Newmarket, to the bustling, bike-filled university city of Cambridge.
Fine art treasures abound in the stately homes and museums along the way and there’s a great
crop of rural pubs and picnic stops. You’ll need to give way to horses or the occasional duck
in places, and be prepared for a few gentle climbs along the quiet country lanes.

Setting out from rural Needham Market, half-timbered wool towns unfold to charm
you. Historic Hadleigh, the hillside huddles of medieval cottages at Kersey, sleepy
flower-filled Chelsworth are simply a prelude leading up to the finest medieval prize of
all at Lavenham.

Long Melford‘s antique shops will tempt you, but don’t miss Melford Hall with its
Beatrix Potter connections or Kentwell Hall, renowned for re-enactments of Tudor life.
Gentle rolling countryside guides you to the imposing Norman keep and compact
medieval village of Castle Hedingham, before different castle capers at the adorable
wool town of Clare.

As you pedal forth to the Suffolk/Cambridgeshire borders, the landscape opens up with
some stunning panoramas. Stud farms appear between the villages with glimpses of
smart racehorses in the fenced fields.

You’ll enjoy a day at leisure when you reach your hotel on the outskirts of Cambridge.
Nearby Anglesey Abbey has inspiring vistas and amazing artefacts, but head into the city

TOUR

History, Hoofbeats &
Cambridge too

TOUR 7E

7 days (6 nights)

GRADE

2 – 3

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 Weaving through the wool towns

Needham Market – Hadleigh –
Kersey – Chelsworth

Overnight Lavenham

Day 3 Stately homes & castle keeps

Lavenham – Long Melford –
Castle Hedingham

Overnight Clare

Day 4 Heading over the border

Clare – Stradishall – Woodditton –
Swaffham Bulbeck

Overnight Outskirts of Cambridge

Day 5 Colleges & Kings

Day at leisure in Cambridge

Overnight Outskirts of Cambridge

Day 6 Horses everywhere

Cambridge – Newmarket –
Moulton – (West Stow)

Overnight Bury St Edmunds

Day 7 Heading homeward

Bury St Edmunds – Badwell Ash –
Needham Market

Using the Park & Ride facility is ideal for getting into
Cambridge without using your cycle bell! Once in
the centre, a guided tour is a great way to see a
selection of the 31 colleges, including King’s with its
unbelievable fan-vaulting.

Newmarket is a fascinating world of its own,
with traffic lights and public swimming
pools for horses and more vets than
doctors. Why not take an equine tour to
find out more?

TOP TIPS

16 I cyclebreaks.com

To find out more and book Tour 7E – call us on 01449 721555

MILES

0 2 4 6 8 10

Hadleigh

Lavenham

Stowmarket

Needham

Market

Bury St Edmunds

Long
Melford

Ipswich

Sudbury

Castle

Hedingham

Clare

Newmarket

Cambridge

Pakenham

Bardwell

Moulton

Stour

Cam

Kersey

Chelsworth

cyclebreaks.com I 17

To find out more and book Tour 7E – call us on 01449 721555

for some serious sightseeing. Here, historic colleges line the streets, sharing life with chic
shopping opportunities. Don’t miss King’s or Trinity, Darwin’s collections in the
University Museum of Zoology, the amazing fine art in the Fitzwilliam Museum and be
sure to jump in a punt to see the colleges from ‘The Backs’.

There’s no need to race back into Suffolk towards elegant Bury St Edmunds, but you’ll
see packhorse bridges and plenty of sleek racehorses in and around Newmarket. Take time
here to visit the National Horseracing Museum or National Stud perhaps. Heading over the
heaths, you might detour to West Stow and its Anglo Saxon village; then from bustling
historic Bury, your route weaves past mills and pretty villages to Needham Market.

TOUR

Stowmarket

Debenham

Helmingham

Easton

Saxtead Green

Framlingham

Needham

Market

Woodbridge

Ipswich

MILES

0 2 4 6 8 10

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 From tea & wine to windmills

Needham Market – Debenham –
Saxtead Green

Overnight Framlingham

Day 3 A colourful route homeward

Framlingham – Easton –
(Woodbridge) – Helmingham –
Needham Market

This neat little tour is just great for getting a real taste of Suffolk. A local vineyard, a picturesque
working windmill, half-timbered villages and pink thatched cottages plus gardens stately or
small are all highlights of the gentle routes across smooth rural landscapes. The crowning glory
however, has to be the truly fabulous flint castle with redbrick, twisted Tudor chimneys in the
delightful market town of Framlingham.

Slip gently into the slower pace of Suffolk life as you relax on arrival in rural Needham
Market. In the morning, push the pedals steadily along quiet lanes through gentle
rolling landscapes to Debenham, a small village with huge church and huddles of half-
timbered houses. Stop for refreshment of the drinking or browsing kind: there are
several antique shops and a charming pottery making wonderfully eccentric and
internationally renowned teapots.

The striking white 18

th

century post mill at Saxtead Green on the outskirts of historic

Framlingham is well worth a stop, or you may prefer to detour for a glass of crisp white
wine from the local vineyard. Once in ‘Fram’, there are lovely Mere-side walks for the
very best views of the 12

th

century castle. Up on the castle’s walls, the panoramas are

similarly stunning, out over the fields, the fine church, centuries of rooftops and towards
the redbrick Victorian college.

More red bricks at Easton too, this time in the miles of crinkle-crankle wall, once the
longest in the world. Meet the famous Suffolk Punch horses at Easton Farm Park, move
on to the extensive herbaceous borders at Helmingham Hall or detour to Woodbridge
on the River Deben, before returning to Needham Market.

Why not treat yourself to a little luxury
and an extra experience in historic
surroundings and sleep in a four poster
bed at the ages old market hill
coaching inn in Framlingham?

TOUR

Gentle Debenham escaped both
industry and the railways, but it did
have a brickworks and St Mary
Magdalene has one of the most
beautiful brick floors in Suffolk.

Castles & Vineyards

TOUR 3B
3 days (2 nights)

TOP TIPS

To find out more and book Tour 3B – call us on 01449 721555

18 I cyclebreaks.com

Rec:

22

Min: 21

Max: 26

Rec:

22

Min: 22

Max: 33

GRADE

1 – 2

Offering plenty of flexibility as well as wonderful atmosphere in a period hotel, our single
centre tour is ideal if you wish to try a cycling holiday for the first time, or spend a few nights
in a luxury setting with bikes to hand and interesting sights, rivers and coastline all within easy
reach. The choice of excellent circular rides explore timeless villages, castles, countryside and
the sleepy sheltered river inlets that the Saxons and Vikings were so reluctant to leave.

As we deliver your bikes to you on the morning after your arrival, you’ve plenty of time
to enjoy the hotel facilities or get in the saddle and head off inland or towards the coast
in time for an enticing pub lunch.

We’ve put together four circular routes for you to choose from during your stay. We’ll
leave you with all of them so you can make your choice as your energy and whim takes
you. Each is designed to give you a cycling experience to remember – a river trip perhaps
through the reedbeds at Snape Maltings, around the creeks at mysterious Orford or
along the Deben from Waldringfield; a visit to the Sutton Hoo ship burial site, 12

th

century

Framlingham Castle, windmills and tide mills or traditional seaside pleasures of piers and
proms at Felixstowe with a return trip by foot/cycle ferry across the river mouth.

Whether you’re new to the saddle, getting gently re-acquainted or want a relaxing
break with a bit of fresh air thrown in, enjoy a very rewarding break in a special part
of Suffolk.

Min: 9

Max: 28

Min: 9

Max: 28

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & relax

Day 2 Take delivery of bikes

Choice of circular rides

Day 3 Choice of circular rides & depart

Overnights Near Woodbridge

TOUR

Woodbridge Tudor Treat

Single centre break

TOUR 3G

3 days (2 nights)

cyclebreaks.com I 19

To find out more and book Tour 3G – call us on 01449 721555

Framlingham

Ipswich

Snape
Maltings

MILES

0 2 4 6 8 10

Woodbridge

Sutton

Hoo

Waldringfield

Seckford Hall

Shingle Street

Orford

Saxtead

Green

Felixstowe

Foot ferry

GRADE

2 – 3

Your hotel

The enchanting redbrick Tudor mansion, Seckford Hall, is situated on the outskirts of
Woodbridge amidst beautiful parklands and rolling farmland. As well as its classic
atmosphere, there are all the modern well-being facilities to ensure a relaxing and
invigorating stay, including a swimming pool, jacuzzi, and gymnasium. A choice of
health and beauty treatments may be booked and there is an 18 hole golf course nearby.

Framlingham

Needham

Market

Woodbridge

Ipswich

Shingle

Street

Orford

Snape
Maltings

Saxtead

Green

Debenham

Helmingham

Sutton Hoo

MILES

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Rec:

22

Min: 21

Max: 38

Rec:

39

Min: 13

Max: 42

Rec:

17

Min: 16

Max: 28

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 From tea & wine to windmills

Needham Market – Debenham –
Saxtead Green

Overnight Framlingham

Day 3 Wild coast & warrior kings

Framlingham – Snape – (Orford) –
(Shingle Street) – (Sutton Hoo)

Overnight Woodbridge

Day 4 A colourful route homeward

Woodbridge – Helmingham –
Needham Market

If you like rivers and boats with a great helping of history and local flavour, then this Suffolk
escape has to be the right short break route for you. Enjoy castles and culture washed down
with a glass of crisp local wine or refreshing real ale, then snake down from reedy creeks to the
coast perhaps, as you head to listen to tinkling masts on the Deben at Woodbridge or muse
over the wonderous ship burial site at Sutton Hoo.

Follow the first stages of the Castles & Vineyards Tour (Tour 3B) from Needham
Market via half-timbered Debenham to Saxtead Green’s post mill or the local
vineyard, and on to historic Framlingham where Mary Tudor once lived within the
curtain walls of the impressive castle.

From the picturesque market town move on to the home of the Aldeburgh Festival,
Snape Maltings. The famous concert hall sits amongst the little arts community on the
banks of the River Alde. Take in some local provisions before detouring perhaps to
coastal Orford with its massive castle keep, quaint quayside and smokehouses wafting
aromas of finely cured fish. Shingle Street where the River Ore meets the sea might also
tempt you, but then again you might prefer just to head to Woodbridge to sit by the
Deben, visit the intriguing tide mill or cross the river to treasure-rich Sutton Hoo.

Take time to visit vast St Mary’s or some of the exquisite shops on Market Hill before
leaving Woodbridge en route for Needham Market. You’ll be forgiven for stopping for
tea and floral treats at Helmingham Hall, being tempted to detour for a riverside pint
and possible boat trip at Waldringfield or savour a peaceful wander through idyllic
woodland gardens at Blakenham.

Orford offers some pleasant boat
trips out from the quayside to
explore the fishing traditions,
oysterbeds and wildlife of this
unique part of the Suffolk coast.

TOUR

Sutton Hoo, ship burial site of Suffolk’s
warrior king, has wonderful walks with views
across the River Deben as well as plenty of
mystery and unburied treasure.

Castles, Rivers & Woodbridge

TOUR 4B
4 days (3 nights)

TOP TIPS

To find out more and book Tour 4B – call us on 01449 721555

20 I cyclebreaks.com

GRADE

2 – 3

A great little snapshot of Suffolk, this tour is especially designed to give you a taste of the coast as
well as some fantastic rural cycling. Picture mellow market towns or the panorama from
Framlingham’s curtain wall castle; lines of vines or rows of Southwold beach huts. The route is full of
local colour and leads to a stay near the coast itself, just a pedal push away from hauntingly beautiful
heathlands, forests, creeks and shingle stretches.

Leaving Needham Market and heading out via the leaning legacies of Debenham and
countless historic hamlets, friendly Framlingham is the second market town on the clock
with its bustling square and 12th century castle. From here it’s a short pedal past
outstretched vineyards, through rolling rural landscapes to timeless Peasenhall, Sibton
and Walpole - little villages with lots of character – before reaching market town number
three, an up-and-coming Suffolk ‘arty’ favourite: Halesworth.

Answer the call of the coast next by cycling east, past the post mill at Holton and on to
the refined greens, white lighthouse, tasteful pier and brewery delights of Southwold.
Lean up your bike against a canon on Gun Hill perhaps, look out to sea and share more
sobering thoughts about the Battle of Sole Bay. Across the creek and on through the
fishing village of Walberswick, there’s a shady forest ride and glorious heathland close
to the clifftops at Dunwich. If you’re up for it, why not go off-road to RSPB’s bird heaven

at Minsmere before nestling down for the night in the
delightful village of Westleton?

The return route meanders almost as much as the famous
redbrick crinkle-crankle wall at the thatched estate village
of Easton. Two Bells, a Crown and three White Horses
mark the way back. Stop for a pint perhaps or delight in
a banquet of local herbaceous border colour at
Helmingham Hall, before returning to Needham
Market.

TOUR

Heritage Coast Encounter

TOUR 4H
4 days (3 nights)

Southwold

Dunwich

Easton

Westleton

Framlingham

Debenham

Helmingham

Needham

Market

Peasenhall

Halesworth

MILES

0 2 4 6 8 10

Framlingham is renowned for its mighty
castle, but don’t miss St Michael’s Church
too with its famous Thamar Organ and
colourful Tudor tombs, including one
belonging to a son of Henry VIII.

TOP TIPS

Rec:

35

Min: 35

Max: 37

Rec:

24

Min: 23

Max: 29

Rec:

34

Min: 34

Max: 38

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 Market towns & more

Needham Market – Debenham –
Framlingham – Peasenhall

Overnight Halesworth

Day 3 Windmills & waders

Halesworth – Holton - Southwold –
Walberswick – Dunwich –
(Minsmere)

Overnight Westleton

Day 4 Rural return

Westleton – Easton – Helmingham –
Needham Market

GRADE

3

cyclebreaks.com I 21

To find out more and book Tour 4H – call us on 01449 721555

Framlingham

Needham

Market

Woodbridge

Ipswich

Shingle

Street

Orford

Snape
Maltings

MILES

0 2 4 6 8 10

Aldeburgh

Southwold

Covehithe

Debenham

Dunwich

Peasenhall

= 5B
= 6D extension

Rec:

22

Min: 21

Max: 38

Rec:

32

Min: 19

Max: 37

Rec:

37

Min: 16

Max: 43

Rec:

17

Min: 17

Max: 28

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 Winding lanes & windmills

Needham Market – Debenham –
Saxtead Green

Overnight Framlingham

Day 3 Through landscapes to seascapes

Framlingham – Dunwich –
Thorpeness

Overnight Aldeburgh

Day 4 Waves & warrior kings

Aldeburgh – Snape – Orford –
Shingle Street – Sutton Hoo

Overnight Woodbridge

Day 5 Rural return

Woodbridge – Helmingham –
Needham Market

Enjoy the wild variety of the unspoilt Suffolk coast and the county’s best in bold and impressive
castles. Dramatic stuff this. But gently does it. Drink in colourful heathlands, bird-filled marshes
and the fruits of the local vineyard. Work up an appetite on riverside routes or watching
fishermen land their catch on Aldeburgh beach. Experience landscapes and seascapes which
inspired writers like P.D. James. Perhaps you will hear the bells of Dunwich’s lost churches
tolling beneath the waves?

Settle into Suffolk in the small town of Needham Market before heading off towards
historic Debenham. Follow streets lined with medieval houses to the renowned teapot
pottery, or an antique shop perhaps? The white post mill at Saxtead Green sits just
outside the market town of Framlingham. Drink in the castle, or save it for the morning
accompanied by a glass or two at nearby Shawsgate Vineyard.

Rural lanes lead on to haunting Dunwich. Now largely taken by the sea, it’s good to find
the village pub intact. Thorpeness has a strange horizon - could that be a house in the
clouds? Row around Peter Pan’s islands on the elegant Meare, but mind the crocodile
or you won’t get to Aldeburgh for the night!

Composer, Benjamin Britten, leaves his legacy in Aldeburgh. At nearby Snape, The
Maltings are home to more than just the famous festival. Stock up with local provisions
before heading to Orford. The climb up the castle, the beauty of the Ness and Shingle
Street and the amazing treasures at Sutton Hoo will all take your breath away. Relax in
riverside Woodbridge, and prepare perhaps for some English country garden treats on
your way back to Needham Market.

Look out for the fascinating tide mill
sandwiched between the modern marina and
historic quayside at Woodbridge. There are
lovely walks from here along the banks of the
River Deben.

TOUR

The Edwardian holiday village of
Thorpeness has its very own
House in the Clouds, as well
as charming weather-boarded
cottages and a white post mill.

Castles & Coastline

TOUR 5B
5 days (4 nights)

TOP TIPS

To find out more and book Tour 5B – call us on 01449 721555

22 I cyclebreaks.com

GRADE

2 – 3

No tour of the Suffolk coast is really complete without a trip to timeless Southwold. Its gentle
atmosphere somehow complements the wild dunes and crumbling cliffs of the enchanting
Suffolk coast quite perfectly. Extending the Castles and Coastline Tour (5B) with a significant
detour up to Covehithe, then dropping down from Southwold to Dunwich to rejoin the coast-
hugging route, this is a breath-taking tour – not in terms of miles or terrain perhaps, but
because of the stunning views of amazingly unspoilt coastline.

Follow the first stages of the Castles & Coastline Tour (Tour 5B) from Needham
Market via higgledy-piggledy Debenham to Saxtead Green’s post mill and on to
historic Framlingham with its curtain-walled castle overlooking a vast mere.

From here, pedal on up through rolling rural countryside and villages like Peasenhall
where historic houses form tight queues along single streets. At Covehithe the road ends
abruptly at crumbling cliffs near the thatched church of St Andrews which sits amidst
melancholic ruins of it enormous former medieval self. Led in by the lighthouse, things
soon brighten up in Southwold with the colourful beach huts on the prom. Sit and sip
a very local pint, amidst pantiled Georgian cottages and watch seaside life go by.

Heading down the coast, Dunwich is haunting stuff. Little remains of East Anglia’s former
capital now apart from a cluster of cottages and priory ruins. The nearby heath boasts
bright heathers and plenty of wildlife, then it’s through the Minsmere RSPB reserve and
Thorpeness and past Maggi Hamblin’s famous scallop sculpture to Aldeburgh.

Finally rejoin the Castles & Coastline Tour (Tour 5B) from the shingle straights of
Aldeburgh to the wide Deben at Woodbridge and cross rural Suffolk to Needham Market.

Want to know more about Dunwich’s
sad fate? Don’t miss the excellent little
museum near the pub which tells of
wealth gone by and devastating effects
of the savage sea.

Rec:

22

Min: 21

Max: 38

Rec:

26

Min: 25

Max: 35

Rec:

21

Min: 21

Max: 28

Rec:

37

Min: 16

Max: 43

Rec:

17

Min: 17

Max: 28

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 Winding lanes & windmills

Needham Market – Debenham –
Saxtead

Overnight Framlingham

Day 3 Huge churches & haunting

coastline
Framlingham – Peasenhall –
Covehithe

Overnight Southwold

Day 4 Stylish resorts, cliffs & curlews

Southwold – Dunwich – Minsmere –
Thorpeness

Overnight Aldeburgh

Day 5 Waves & warrior kings

Aldeburgh – Snape – Orford –
Shingle Street – Sutton Hoo

Overnight Woodbridge

Day 6 Rural return

Woodbridge – Helmingham –
Needham Market

TOUR

For a really different view of Southwold
and the Suffolk Coast, park up and
jump aboard a powerboat at Southwold
harbour for an exhilarating whizz up
and down the coastline.

Heritage Coast Tour

Unspoilt beauty of the Suffolk coast

TOUR 6D

6 days (5 nights)

TOP TIPS

cyclebreaks.com I 23

To find out more and book Tour 6D – call us on 01449 721555

GRADE

2 – 3

If you don’t want to miss a Suffolk trick, this tour brings you an unbeatable touring
combination: castles, cliffs, coastline both wild and cultured, Constable Country and the
mellow moods of medieval treasure villages. The landscapes may be enormously varied, yet the
cycling remains reassuringly leisurely. If you feel you might like to add Southwold to the
equation, our slightly longer tour, Castles, Cliffs & Constable (Tour 9A), on page 25 is for you.

Relaxing into your two-wheeled ways across rolling Mid-Suffolk, your route starts by
following our Castles and Coastline route (Tour 5B). Discover winding lanes and
windmills, huge castles and haunting coastline, scallop sculptures and shingle beaches,
and finally waves and warrior kings as you pedal via Framlingham to Dunwich, then

down the coast to Aldeburgh and
Snape and on via Orford and
Shingle Street to Woodbridge.

Heading further inland you pedal
through the picturesque villages of
Bealings and Tuddenham on your
way towards the wool towns. You’ll
know you’ve really arrived when
you whizz downhill to the water-
splash at Kersey and reached
historic Hadleigh with its three
woolpacks on its town crest and
impressive signs of medieval
wealth.

Drop down from the River Brett
towards the Stour and the idyllic

TOUR

Castles, Coast & Constable

TOUR 8A
8 days (7 nights)

To find out more and book Tour 8A – call us on 01449 721555

24 I cyclebreaks.com

Hadleigh

Lavenham

Stowmarket

Kersey

Needham

Market

Flatford

Ipswich

MILES

0 2 4 6 8 10

Orford

Aldeburgh

Framlingham

Woodbridge

Shingle

Street

Snape
Maltings

Southwold

Dunwich

Debenham

Stoke-by-

Nayland

= 8A

= 9A extension

Rec:

22

Min: 21

Max: 38

Rec:

31

Min: 19

Max: 35

Rec:

37

Min: 16

Max: 43

Rec:

24

Min: 24

Max: 34

Rec:

30

Min: 12

Max: 35

Rec:

23

Min: 16

Max: 40

TOUR FACTS 8A

Castles, Coast & Constable

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 Winding lanes & windmills

Needham Market – Debenham –
Saxtead

Overnight Framlingham

Day 3 Huge castles & haunting coastline

Framlingham – Dunwich –
Minsmere

Overnight Aldeburgh

Day 4 Scallop sculptures & shingle beaches

A day at leisure

Overnight Aldeburgh

Day 5 Waves & warrior kings

Aldeburgh – Snape – Orford –
Shingle Street – Sutton Hoo

Overnight Woodbridge

Day 6 Weaving towards the wool towns

Woodbridge – Bealings –
Tuddenham – Kersey

Overnight Hadleigh

Day 7 From Constable’s inspiration

to medieval masterpieces
Hadleigh – East Bergholt – Flatford –
Stoke-by-Nayland

Overnight Lavenham

Day 8 Rural return

Lavenham – Needham Market

GRADE

2 – 3

TOP TIPS

cyclebreaks.com I 25

To find out more and book Tour 9A – call us on 01449 721555

English lowlands immortalised by Constable. Visit
East Bergholt where the painter was born and had
his studio and Flatford Mill where his father was
miller and John painted the famous ’Haywain’,
pedalling on to Stoke-by-Nayland whose church
tower featured in many of Constable’s timeless
landscapes.

As if that wasn’t picture-perfect enough, your last
lingering stop before returning to Needham
Market is Lavenham, brimful of leaning legacies
and half-timbered all over.

TOUR

Don’t miss St Edmund’s Church in
Southwold, one of the few survivors of the
medieval town destroyed by two fires.
Subsequent rebuilds included incorporating
the distinctive town greens to act as fire
breaks.

Fancy adding Southwold?

Our 9 day/ 8 night option Castles, Cliffs &
Constable (Tour 9A) includes a pedal up to
Covehithe before two nights in Southwold. Unlike
Tour 8A, it only includes one night in Aldeburgh.

Rec:

22

Min: 21

Max: 38

Rec:

26

Min: 25

Max: 35

Rec:

21

Min: 21

Max: 28

Rec:

37

Min: 16

Max: 43

Rec:

24

Min: 24

Max: 34

Rec:

30

Min: 12

Max: 35

Rec:

23

Min: 16

Max: 40

TOUR FACTS 9A

Castles, Cliffs & Constable

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight In or near Needham Market

Day 2 Winding lanes & windmills

Needham Market – Debenham –
Saxtead

Overnight Framlingham

Day 3 Huge castles & haunting coastline

Framlingham – Covehithe

Overnight Southwold

Day 4 Beach huts & benches

A day at leisure

Overnight Southwold

Day 5 Stylish resorts, cliffs & curlews

Southwold – Dunwich – Minsmere

Overnight Aldeburgh

Day 6 Waves & warrior kings

Aldeburgh – Snape – Orford –
Shingle Street – Sutton Hoo

Overnight Woodbridge

Day 7 Weaving towards the wool towns

Woodbridge – Bealings –
Tuddenham – Kersey

Overnight Hadleigh

Day 8 From Constable’s inspiration

to medieval masterpieces
Hadleigh – East Bergholt – Flatford –
Stoke-by-Nayland

Overnight Lavenham

Day 9 Rural return

Lavenham – Needham Market

GRADE

2 – 3

cycling in

Norfolk

Outstretched landscapes and wrap-around skies. Pretty flint cottages
and pine forests by the sea. Creeks and Staithes, and snug fishermen’s
harbours. Lobster pots and dressed Cromer crabs. Acres of sea lavender.
Wildfowl flocking over misty salt marshes. Horatio’s childhood haunts and
lost, lonely churches. Bright Breckland heaths and Broads teeming with
wildlife. Iceni villages and Neolithic flint mines. Bustling Georgian market
towns and a Victorian Royal residence. Parklands full of rhododendrons
and camellias. A Palladian mansion to remember. Poppy, after poppy,
after poppy - amidst golden crops, by village greens, near seascape and
steam train. Is that why they call Burnham Market ‘Chelsea-on-Sea’?

Accommodation

We are proud to share our superb selection of Norfolk hotels including converted flint-faced barns,
an old inn on a leafy Georgian square, a hidden stately manor and pantiled pub gone warmly
provençal. Each one has comfortable en-suite rooms to help you relax after your time in the saddle,
good facilities, a warm welcome and each is also well-located for you to get the very best out of your
gentle Norfolk adventure.

All our accommodation is of a very high standard, with many hotels and B&Bs awarded 3 or more
stars according to national classifications. We also feature a couple of 5 star B&Bs which have won
the much-coveted gold award for quality.

“A thoroughly enjoyable break,
lovely countryside, good exercise.“

Mr W. & party, Leeds

Get a taste of the place

Our hotel stays are arranged on a bed and breakfast basis and in our route notes, we point out great places
to stop for lunch, tea, a picnic or refreshing pint, encouraging you to try specialities such as Cromer crabs or
salty samphire. We also give tips for evening meals, either at the hotel or nearby restaurants.

What’s included in the price

• En-suite hotel accommodation as described with full English breakfast
• Route notes and descriptions (we post these out to you approx. two weeks before departure)
• OS mapping with marked routes provided on arrival
• Luggage transfer
• Hire of bicycle and ancillary equipment - cycles generally delivered after breakfast on day two of

your tour

• Local assistance on call, although puncture repair is excluded
• The tour price does not include the costs of getting to and from the tour area

cyclebreaks.com I 27

To find out more and book a tour – call us on 01449 721555

How to get there

Rail to: Thetford / Attleborough,

followed by a taxi transfer.

By car: Free parking is available

for the duration of your stay.

Go on, spoil yourself

Fancy a four-poster for the night in your
historic inn, an award-winning boutique hotel
experience with dining to die for, or simply a sea
view to wake up to in the morning? Upgrades
are available at a number of our hotels and, at
some destinations we can arrange for you
to stay, if you prefer, in especially sought-after
establishments. We are also pleased to book
additional nights at either at end of your tour, or
along the way too, if applicable.

For more details, please refer to our price insert,
visit cyclebreaks.com or give us a call.

Rec:

22

Min: 9

Max: 39

Rec:

30

Min: 18

Max: 41

Min: 25

Max: 37

Min: 18

Max: 30

Rec:

28

Min: 25

Max: 28

Royal Norfolk – Nelson’s County

TOUR NR5
5 days (4 nights)

To find out more and book Tour NR5 – call us on 01449 721555

28 I cyclebreaks.com

GRADE

2 – 3

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & relax

Overnight Near Watton

Day 2 From Neolithic miners to

Tudor Queens
Watton – Oxburgh Hall –

(Grimes Graves) - Cockley Cley

Overnight Swaffham

Day 3 Country pleasures

Swaffham – West Acre –
Sandringham – Bircham

Overnight Great Bircham

Day 4 Circular route options

Gt Bircham – The Burnhams –
Burnham Overy Staithe –
Holkham Estate
Or Gt Bircham – Sandringham Estate

Overnight Great Bircham

Day 5 Stop off for history

Gt Bircham – Houghton Hall –
Castle Acre – Watton

TOP TIPS

England’s first Prime Minister, Lord Nelson of Trafalgar, rebellious Boudica, even Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth - all have left their mark on noble Norfolk. Your saddle is your country seat for
a few days, to share and enjoy Norfolk’s richest pickings.

From your country house hotel near Watton, it’s only a short cycle to the delightful Tudor
Oxburgh Hall with its grand fortified gatehouse and impressive moat. Detour perhaps to
go back in time to Grimes Graves, descending deep into a Neolithic flint mine, then push
forward to Boudica’s day and a reconstructed Iceni village at Cockley Cley. A Saxon
church, medieval house and Swaffham’ graceful 18

th

century buildings will take you

further up the timeline.

Choose West Acre’s walled gardens or Sir Robert Walpoles’s Houghton Hall, before
entering the Royal Sandringham Estate. Take time out to visit this oh-so-homely royal
residence, to wander the rose garden and admire the views of the house from across the
lake. The museum in the stables is fascinating, fun and friendly too, with estate
memorabilia and royal tour mementoes as well as Prince Charles’ smart pedal car and
captivating curio cabinets.

A short pedal further and Bircham Mill is a must, but a coast-bound detour and Snettisham
deer park might be right up your country lane too.

From Great Bircham, enjoy another day at Sandringham including the famous parish
church with its silver altar and pulpit and magnificent royal memorials. Alternatively, take a
circular route towards Nelson’s native ‘Burnhams’ and Burnham Overy Staithe’s sleepy
creek. Don’t miss the endless sands at Holkham Bay, but Holkham Hall is a must-see

TOUR

Moated Oxburgh Hall sits in delightful
gardens and woodlands. Its redbrick walls
however harbour hidden secrets including
a priest’s hole and some exquisite
needlework by Mary, Queen of Scots.

Pedal down Lady Anne’s Drive
opposite the gates of the grand
Holkham Estate to discover
Holkham Bay, one of East Anglia’s
best-loved beach experiences.

Palladian masterpiece. Slightly austere from the
outside, the interiors and especially the entrance hall of
the Earl of Leicester’s historic home are breath-taking,
likewise the vistas from the lake and rolling parklands.

On route back to Watton, why not take a peek at
Houghton Hall or Castle Acre which fittingly displays
history in microcosm – a tiny walled town, complete
with castle, earthworks and the atmospheric ruins of a
once wealthy priory.

cyclebreaks.com I 29

To find out more and book Tour NR5 – call us on 01449 721555

MILES

0 1 2 3 4 5

Hunstanton

Burnham

Market

Snettisham

Great Bircham

Sandringham

Castle Acre

Swaffham

West Acre

Grimes Graves

Watton

Oxburgh
Hall

Cockley Cley

Holkham Bay

Holkham

Hall

This relaxing route tours tiny
lanes and crosses stately
parklands with a few more
energetic options.

TOUR

Encounter amazing, unexpected gems of civilisation amidst the wildest woods, heaths and
winding creeks of Norfolk’s big sky landscapes. Historic Walsingham has attracted generations of
pilgrims; today’s Norfolk visitors tend to revere the stylish ‘Burhams’, aka ‘Chelsea-on-Sea’.
Country houses fit for a queen, castles and priories, Palladian edifices and great market towns –
cycle through peaceful country lanes to see them all.

Setting out from your country house hotel near Watton, take the first stage of the Royal
Norfolk – Nelson’s County tour (Tour NR5) as far as Swaffham. Castle Acre will woo

you next, a tiny ‘town’ wrapped up by its walls in its own timeless
existence. Don’t miss the abbey site, charming medieval centre and
castle earthworks. The tour then spans the ‘roof of Norfolk’ through
peaceful countryside to Fakenham by the River Wensum.

Heading up to the coast, take the pilgrimage route of your choice:
the historic approach including Little Walsingham and Wells-next-
the-Sea, or a more contemporary combination of stylish flint
cottages, little shops and galleries and Palladian masterpieces at
‘The Burhams’ and Holkham Estate. Steam along to the coast
perhaps on the Walsingham-Wells railway, or pedal on down to
Wells’ ancient quay to try your hand at the art of crabbing, or
simply to enjoy some truly great fish and chips.

Leaving Fakenham for Watton, sample Norfolk’s rural bygone days
at Gressenhall’s living museum with its heavy horses and grisly tales
of workhouse life, or turn detective and discover the Saxon village
of Godwick through its well-preserved earthworks.

TOUR

Brecks & Beaches

TOUR N5
5 days (4 nights)

MILES

0 1 2 3 4 5

Burnham

Market

Wells

Walsingham

Fakenham

Swaffham

Grimes Graves

Watton

Oxburgh
Hall

Cockley Cley

Castle Acre

Holkham

Rec:

22

Min: 9

Max: 36

Rec:

23

Min: 21

Max: 33

Min: 16

Max: 44

Rec:

27

Min: 27

Max: 35

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & relax

Overnight Near Watton

Day 2 From Neolithic miners to

Tudor Queens
Watton – Oxburgh Hall –
Cockley Cley

Overnight Swaffham

Day 3 Market towns & hidden villages

Swaffham – Castle Acre

Overnight Near Fakenham

Day 4 Circular route options

Walsingham / Wells-next-the-Sea /
The Burnhams / Holkham

Overnight Near Fakenham

Day 5 Old ways & lost settlements

Fakenham – Gressenhall –
Godwick – Watton

GRADE

2 – 3

To find out more and book Tour N5 – call us on 01449 721555

30 I cyclebreaks.com

From haunting Iceni heathlands to the county’s captivating capital of Norwich and the
beautiful Broads, our new Norfolk tour is full of bright contrasts under one enormous sky.
Cruise by bike past far-reaching farmlands, redbrick mansions and silvery flint cottages to
creeks and coastline before finding haven in the Broads National Park. The low-lying landscapes
make for relaxed cycling on small roads, quiet country lanes or the traffic-free paths of the
Marriot’s Way - one of Dr Beeching’s Norfolk legacies.

Pedal out from ancient Thetford through the timeless Norfolk Brecks - dry sandy
heathlands punctuated by processions of scots pine and swathes of thick woodland.
Boudica hailed from here, paths pay homage to Hereward the Wake and pilgrims once
trailed northwards to Walsingham.

After Tudor Oxburgh Hall and Georgian Swaffham, and medieval Castle Acre, the market
town of Fakenham reveals the River Wensum on its way to Norwich and the Broads. But the
coast is calling and circular routes lead pedalling pilgrims to Little Walsingham, beyond to

Wells-next-the-Sea, or away to Holkham’s Palladian palace
and the stylish flint retreats of the Burnhams.

Squeeze in the tiny fishing village of Blakeney and relax in
refined Holt before reaching Aylsham, near Blickling Hall
and from where it’s plain sailing by bike across to The
Broads. Head for Wroxham to explore this watery
wonderland by boat, or follow shady lanes through
picturesque estate villages for more waterside flora and fauna.

With the Marriot’s Way you’re soon on track for Norwich,
where cafés and culture, cathedrals and an outstanding
castle vie with the very best retail therapy, inspiring
museums and walks by the Wensum.

Brecks to Broads

TOUR N8TN
8 days (7 nights)

TOUR

Rec:

36

Min: 26

Max: 36

Rec:

32

Min: 26

Max: 35

Rec:

32

Min: 0

Max: 44

Rec:

37

Min: 28

Max: 43

Rec:

25

Min: 0

Max: 25

Rec:

25

Min: 25

Max: 32

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & explore

Overnight Thetford

Day 2 Time-honoured pathways of

discovery
Thetford – Oxburgh Hall –
Cockley Cley

Overnight Swaffham

Day 3 Market towns & hidden villages

Swaffham – Castle Acre

Overnight Fakenham

Day 4 Choice of circular rides

Fakenham – Burnham Market –
Holkham – Wells

Overnight Fakenham

Day 5 Fishing heritage & Georgian gems

Fakenham – Blakeney – Holt

Overnight Aylsham

Day 6 Circular route – Bright &

beautiful Broads
Aylsham – Wroxham & the Broads

Overnight Aylsham

Day 7 Heading to the big city

Aylsham – Salle – Reepham

Overnight Norwich

Day 8 Depart after breakfast

GRADE

2 – 3

Don’t forget you can book additional nights in Norwich to enjoy
extra time in the Broads or to experience the rich cultural
offerings of this fine historic city.

MILES

0 2 4 6 8 10

Hunstanton

Burnham

Market

Wells

Sheringham

Cromer

Holt

Blakeney

Little Walsingham

Fakenham

Gressenhall

Swaffham

Castle Acre

Grimes Graves

Watton

Oxburgh
Hall

Cockley Cley

Wymondham

Wroxham and
The Broads

Aylsham

Blickling

Dereham

Steam Railways

Holkham

Thetford

Norwich

cyclebreaks.com I 31

To find out more and book Tour N8TN – call us on 01449 721555

Watch rugged heaths, far-reaching farmlands, creeks and coastline unfold under your two
wheels and one enormous Norfolk sky. Admire the boats on rivers, sea and Broads, but cruise
by bike through charming hamlets, past redbrick Jacobean mansions, silvery flint cottages,
vibrant village greens or market squares lined with smart Georgian façades. With low-lying
landscapes, small roads, quiet country lanes or traffic-free pathways like the Marriot’s Way, this
Norfolk tour makes for really relaxed cycling.

Setting out from your country house hotel near Watton in Breckland’s natural woods
and heathlands, take the first three stages of the Brecks and Beaches tour via Tudor
Oxburgh Hall and Cockley Cley to Swaffham, then on to Fakenham including Castle
Acre, the Norfolk Rural Life Museum at Gressenhall and the deserted village of
Godwick. Finally you choose from circular route options to set off coastward through
the medieval pilgrimage town of Little Walsingham, via Nelson’s smart stomping and
sailing grounds, past the elegant Palladian edifice of Holkham Hall or up to the salty
shrimping vessels at Wells-next-the-Sea.

Heading out again from Fakenham, the ancient quays and tiny flint cottages at
Blakeney are the next charming stop. So typically Norfolk, the huge church whispers
tales of wealthy times past and is well worth a visit. Back inland, Holt’s little cottages
rub shoulders with haughty Georgian fronts. The smart little shops, galleries and
delicatessens here cannot fail to please. For a real nostalgic treat though, hop aboard
the Poppyline steam train from Holt to seaside Sheringham.

Win a few extra hours on and
around the man-made lakes
and waterways of The Broads
by taking the narrow gauge
railway back to Aylsham.

TOUR

Wymondham’s wealthy twin-towered abbey
church dominates a modest, yet characterful
market town. Be sure to step inside to see the
12

th

century nave arcades, the angel roof and the

gold and glorious 10

th

century altar-screen.

Norfolk Coast & Countryside

TOUR N8
8 days (7 nights)

TOP TIPS

To find out more and book Tour N8 – call us on 01449 721555

32 I cyclebreaks.com

Rec:

22

Min: 9

Max: 39

Rec:

33

Min: 26

Max: 34

Min: 19

Max: 45

Rec:

37

Min: 28

Max: 43

Min: 7

Max: 25

Rec:

21

Min: 16

Max: 23

Rec:

32

Min: 16

Max: 34

GRADE

2 – 3

TOUR FACTS

Day 1 Arrive & relax

Overnight Near Watton

Day 2 From Neolithic miners to

Tudor Queens
Watton – Oxburgh Hall –
Cockley Cley

Overnight Swaffham

Day 3 Market towns & hidden villages

Swaffham – Castle Acre –
Gressenhall – Godwick

Overnight Near Fakenham

Day 4 Circular route options

Walsingham / Wells-next-the-Sea /
Holkham / The Burnhams

Overnight Near Fakenham

Day 5 Fishing heritage &

Georgian gems
Fakenham – Blakeney – Holt

Overnight Aylsham

Day 6 Circular route options

Aylsham – Wroxham (Norfolk
Broads) or Aylsham – Blickling

Overnight Aylsham

Day 7 Along the Marriot’s Way

Aylsham – Blickling – Reepham

Overnight Dereham

Day 8 Winding ways & wonders

Dereham – Wymondham – Watton

Aylsham makes a great base to explore the Jacobean mansion at Blickling Hall,
Anne Boleyn’s (Bullen) ancestral home. It’s also plain-sailing by bike across to The
Broads. Once in Wroxham, exploring is best by boat to get even closer to the amazing
flora and fauna.

Moving on to Dereham, there’s another chance to wonder how they cut Blickling Hall’s
huge yew hedges, before pedalling parts of the peaceful Marriot’s Way towards
Georgian Reepham. Windmills, great churches, small villages galore and a wonderful
discovery in Wymondham make for a pretty ride back to Watton.

TOUR

MILES

0 2 4 6 8 10

Hunstanton

Burnham

Market

Wells

Sheringham

Cromer

Holt

Blakeney

Little Walsingham

Fakenham

Gressenhall

Swaffham

Castle Acre

Grimes Graves

Watton

Oxburgh
Hall

Cockley Cley

Wymondham

Norwich

Wroxham and
The Broads

Aylsham

Blickling

Dereham

Steam Railways

Holkham

cyclebreaks.com I 33

To find out more and book Tour N8 – call us on 01449 721555

How to make a booking

If you have any questions about any of our tours, do get in
touch by phone or email. We’ll gladly help you plan your
holiday, making sure it meets your requirements. You can
contact us by phone, fax or email to make your booking, post
us the form within our price insert, or book online. We will
confirm back by phone or email, usually within 24 hours (Mon-
Fri), followed by written confirmation and joining instructions.

Additional tours & short breaks

For more details about the tours featured in this brochure and
other cycling and walking breaks which we just simply couldn’t
squeeze in this time around, do check out our websites:

cyclebreaks.com

walkingbreaks.com

“Superb cycling holidays, perfectly organised,
another great experience with Cycle Breaks.”

Mr S. & party, Udligenswil, Switzerland

Bradfield Hall Barn, Alder Carr Farm, PO Box 82, Needham Market, Suffolk IP6 8BW

T: 01449 721555 F: 01449 721707

e: [e-mail] e: [e-mail]

cyclebreaks.com

Call us on

01449 721555

or email us at

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

“A wonderful tailor-made holiday with

excellent friendly service & support.”

Mrs C. & party, Southampton, Hampshire

“... the bikes are excellent, the routes

are great, the scenery wonderful and

the holiday very reasonably priced.”

Mrs M. & party, London

“... an ideal holiday

for families...”

Mr & Mrs O. & family,

Bracknell, Berkshire