Looking to discover Orford? Well it is one of those places that has a lot more to it than you first think! I have been many times this year and often take a leisurely walk around the town just to enjoy the pretty surroundings. The Suffolk Coast and Heaths Orford Explorer Guide is an excellent way to discover Orford if you have an hour or two spare and fancy going for a walk.
A number of different Explorer Guides can be downloaded for free from the Suffolk Coast and Heaths website and they are a fantastic resource for getting out and about. The Explorer Guides cover many different area’s and are a great introduction to finding out more about Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
There are 2 walks in the Orford Explorer Guide both starting from the Quay; a 2 mile ‘River and Village Stroll’ which takes about an hour and a 4 mile walk ‘Across the Marshes to the Castle’ which will take you about 2 hours.
I have been on both of these walks a number of times this year and each time I have found something new to see.
Why Suffolk Explorer Guides are a Great Way to Discover Orford
- The Explorer Guides are really easy to follow (which is great if you have no sense of direction like me!) and it’s easy to see the landmarks as you walk the route so you can’t really get lost!
- The guides provide snippets of information about some of the landmarks you will see along the way.
- The scenery is incredible at times and as you walk along there are great opportunities to just stop and appreciate your surroundings (and take lots of photo’s!)
- The footpaths along the route are well signposted and regularly used by walkers and you can easily adapt your route whilst walking to make it shorter if you prefer.
- It’s a great way to discover Orford and will help you decide what parts you want to explore further once you have finished your walk.
To give you a flavour of what you can expect to discover in Orford during your walk here are some photos I took whilst exploring on my various trips made between May and October.
My return trip in August was a scorching hot day….
Once you turn off the path that runs along the River Ore, another path takes you alongside fields heading back towards Orford. When you reach the town you will see pretty quaint cottages, walk past St Bartholomew’s Church and Orford Castle.
The walks both finish at the Quay where you can treat yourself to a snack and a drink at the Riverside Tearooms which has a fantastic view across the Quay or before you get to the quay, whilst you are near the church and centre of town you can pop into Pump Street Bakery.
Sometimes I like getting a takeaway from the bakery and walking back to the Quay and sitting on one of the benches overlooking the many boats and just soak in the atmosphere.
You can easily spend a whole day or more in Orford, but if you only have a couple of hours it really is still worth a visit!
I have already planned my next trip back to explore Orford Ness as part of my Suffolk’s Top 50 Challenge.
I hope you have enjoyed this brief walking tour and it has tempted you to discover Orford for yourself. I have put below some links to some of the places mentioned along with a few other places to discover in Orford that are also well worth exploring while you are here or planning your next trip.
Suffolk Coast and Heaths Explorer Guides, Orford Castle, Orford Ness, Pump Street Bakery, Pinney’s of Orford, Lady Florence