Ipswich Area

Although I have little interest in recreational boating, I loved the many children's novels by Arthur Ransome. Pin Mill and other area towns are central, named locations of the fictional Walker family. We loved the chance to see them. The voyage in We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea starts here too. We hired a boat with guide and crew to sail us to the nearby location of Secret Water. The Norfolk Broads of Great Northern are too far for one day. You need a car for any of this, or the excellent Museum of East Anglian Life.

Lavenham is lovely - do you have a car?

http://www.visitsuffolk.com/suffolk-places/

Thank you for these suggestions, yes we will have a car available and now that I have some suggestions I look forward to learning more, thanks again.

Clare is a pretty town and worth a visit. Good places to eat include The Angel in Stoke by Nayland and The Crown just down the road in Nayland. Go to the pretty seaside town of Southwold and you can eat in The Crown there, the flagship of the Adnams brewery.

Hello

Ipswich is in County Suffolk, one of the least populated areas in England. Gentle, archetypal rural farming country - nothing dramatic to see by way of wild scenery, but loads of interesting stuff. In Ipswich is Ipswich Transport Museum - loads of historic vehicles and also contains much general history of Ipswich. Woodbridge is a very attractive riverside town only about 10 miles E from Ipswich - and only 5 miles further on is the National Trust's visitor attraction of Sutton Hoo, where the famous Saxon Sutton Hoo treasure was found (its now in the British Museum). Also in the area is Bentwaters Cold War Museum - the USAF had a major airforce base there from WW2 until the 1990s, and there is a very interesting exhibition there (only open certain days though, so check their website). Indeed, Suffolk played host to many USAAF bomber and fighter bases in WW2, and there are a number of ex-airfield museums around Ipswich, although many open only on certain days.

If you like famous paintings, about 12 miles SW of Ipwich in the direction of Colchester is Dedham and Flatford, site of scenes painted by famous painter John Constable. It's a very pretty area and off the main tourist trail. And Colchester itself (actually in Essex) is also worth an hour or two - Britain's oldest town; with Roman remains and a Norman castle keep etc.

You won't be bored in the area.

Other posts remind me of the paths of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears. The actual annual festival is very short, and not everyone cares about 20th Century classical music ...

there's a small town called Orford nearby where a friend used to live, it's cute and quaint. Rumor has it they have a merMAN in the ness.

Thank You all I have made a list of all of your suggestions and I'm sure I can come up with an enjoyable tour.