We are incredibly lucky here in Suffolk to have a great selection of walks available right on our doorsteps. We can head into the forest, explore open fields in the countryside, or spend a day at the beach. Here is a small selection of the places to visit with your four-legged friend for some fresh air and exercise. Read our take on the best dog walks in Suffolk.
All the dog walks in Suffolk recommended in this article come with the seal of approval from Coco, the Romanian rescue pup.
Christchurch Park
A beautiful park right in the centre of Ipswich, Christchurch Park is the perfect walk if your dog loves to be social. Get to the park around 9 am on a weekend and you’ll find plenty of morning dog walkers. You can stroll down past the mansion, follow the route around the pond, or head through some of the wooded areas. There are also plenty of wide-open spaces if your dog likes a good run around (off the lead) and has found a couple of new friends to play with.
Parking is free if you can find a spot on the road running along the east-side, or on Park Road, where you can take the north entrance into Christchurch Park. Parking spaces tend to be harder to find the later in the day you arrive.
Orwell Country Park
Orwell Country Park is an absolute gem of a dog walk. Set just on the outskirts of Ipswich, it’s hard to believe you are so close to the town when you’re walking around it. After parking up, (parking is free but spaces can fill up quickly), you head into the ancient woodland. If this is enough for your dog, you can get a great walk by just staying amongst the trees. But venture a little further beyond this and you’ll find yourself at the edge of the River Orwell, so you can continue your walk along the beach, talking in the view of the Orwell Bridge.
Pro tip: it’s worth digging out your wellies for this one!
Wherstead
Part of the Suffolk Coast & Heath ANOB, this is a great looped walk you can enjoy with your pooch. It’s set over flat terrain and gives you some amazing scenery. You can park up at Suffolk Food Hall and then choose whether you feel like taking the longer or shorter walk, exploring Freston and the Wherstead Woodlands. A handy map with the routes can be found here.
The best thing about the walk being a loop is that you end where you start, which means you can grab yourself a treat to refuel from Suffolk Food Hall once you’re finished.
Landguard
Found on the edge of Felixstowe, right next to one of the largest ports in Europe, Landguard is home to the famous fort. But it also makes for a lovely dog walk.
Parking is free and you can step right onto the beach. If you get tired of walking over sand and stone, you can step into the beautiful nature reserve. It is classed as an SSSI, so remember to be a responsible dog owner and respect the natural surroundings.
Old Felixstowe
Both the old and new sides of Felixstowe make for nice dog walks, but there is just something about the older side that feels more relaxing and enjoyable. Parking at the car park just off Cliff Road, (this is a payable car park, so make sure you have some change with you), you then take the steps down onto the beach. It is a lot more open than the beaches on the new side, so there is more space for a good run around.
To get back on the sturdier ground, you can take the path that runs between the Felixstowe Ferry golf course and the beach, following it right to the end, until you can go no further without falling into the water. Here you can pick up some fish and chips before turning around and heading back to the car.
Framlingham Castle
The castle at Framlingham is impressive from whatever angle you look at it. A dog walk is a perfect excuse for taking a full turn around the outside of the walls.
Walking around the outside of the castle makes for a good distance and you can choose to stay higher up or venture down into what would have originally been the castle moat. On the small hills to the west side of the castle walls, you can get some great views of the surrounding countryside and across the lake, you can make out Framlingham College.
Dunwich
Dunwich is a gorgeous little village set right by the beach. You can find plenty of parking right by the shore, (where the local parish just asks for a donation for charity in their collection boxes, instead of a parking charge), and once on the beach, you can choose to walk as far as you want.
It’s a great walk for tiring a dog out as you can just keep going. With the sea to one side and the cliffs on the other, just walk until you’ve had enough and are ready to turn back.
But before leaving, it’s definitely worth paying a visit to The Ship. The food is great, the atmosphere is cosy and, best of all, the place is dog friendly!
Rendlesham Forest
Found near Woodbridge, Rendlesham Forest has three walking trails you can choose from, depending on how long you want to walk. The dense forest creates a peaceful atmosphere and there are plenty of play areas scattered about. Therefore, it’s a great option if you have dogs and children you need to tire out!
Forestry England has a handy map of their trails here, but it worth investigating the UFO trail too.
These are just a few options of where to take your pet for an extraordinary walk, but there are so many to explore in Suffolk.
Where is your dog’s favourite spot to visit?