By Jake Little
At quarter past five on the 5th of October, I was standing on a strip of sand on the River Orwell in 22 degree sunshine, watching my four year old fox red Labrador, Lando, wade out into the water. It was the kind of evening you do not expect in October, and it is the reason I wanted to write about this walk.
The walk at a glance
- Start: the beach gate at the bottom of Priory Park
- Route: the King Charles III England Coast Path, heading east along the north bank of the River Orwell, towards Levington and Felixstowe
- Time: about 30 minutes each way at an easy pace
- Best time: a few hours either side of low tide, when a sandy beach appears below the pebbles
- Dogs: welcome, on a lead wherever the signs ask
- Good for: an evening stroll, dogs that love the water, and sunset over the estuary
Straight out of the gate and onto the coast path
I have now worked full time at Priory Park for ten years, and our family has run the Park since my grandfather, Peter Little, bought it in 1981. Of all the walks I have done in that time, this is the one I keep coming back to.
It starts at the beach gate at the bottom of the Park. Go through it and you are straight onto the King Charles III England Coast Path, the National Trail that now follows the Orwell estuary (most people round here just call it the coastal path). No car, no parking, no planning. The moment we start walking towards the gate, Lando’s tail starts wagging and the real excitement begins. Once we are through the other side and he is off the lead, he is straight into the water.
The path runs east for about half an hour, with woodland and fields on one side and open water on the other. Across the river, yachts sit on their moorings beneath the wooded far bank.
The hidden beach, if you catch the tide
Most of the foreshore along here is pebbles, and at high water that is all you will see. Catch the tide right, as I did, and the water drops back to reveal a strip of soft sand below the stones, with the river lapping right up to your feet.
On the 5th it was still 22 degrees down there after five o’clock. The sun was dropping over the far bank and laying a bright path straight across the water, and Lando stood in the shallows as if he had planned the whole thing. The photo at the top of this post is what it looked like.
It does not have a name, but you will know you have found it when you are looking straight across the river at Pin Mill and the Butt & Oyster, another fantastic local pub. Sadly it is a little too far to walk to from our side, so that one is a trip for another day.
Getting the tide right
The Orwell is a tidal estuary, so the beach comes and goes. On the 5th, low water at Ipswich was at 2.28pm and high water not until 9.24pm, so when I took that photo the tide had been coming back in for under three hours and was still well below the pebbles. As a rule, the sand is there for a few hours either side of low tide and disappears under the stones as high water arrives. Check the Ipswich tide times before you set off, and keep dogs off the soft mud at low water, which can be deeper than it looks.
The long version: on to The Ship at Levington
On summer evenings we sometimes keep going. Carry on east along the coast path past the beach and, about 90 minutes from the Park, you arrive at The Ship at Levington. It is a fantastic pub and the perfect place for a pint and a packet of crisps. Salt and vinegar are Lando’s favourite.
Why we wanted to share this
We live on the Park, and when people come to view a holiday home, it is us they meet, not a sales team. Walks like this are a big part of why we love it here, and it is the same for our owners: you can be out of your front door and onto the coast path in a few minutes. For more ideas, read our guide to the River Orwell.
If you would like to see it for yourself, take a look at our holiday lodges for sale in Suffolk and static caravans for sale in Suffolk, or get in touch and we will arrange a visit. Bring the dog.
Frequently asked questions
About 30 minutes each way at an easy pace, along the King Charles III England Coast Path from the beach gate at the bottom of the Park.
Yes. The beach gate at the bottom of Priory Park opens straight onto the coast path on the north bank of the River Orwell, near Ipswich in Suffolk.
Most of the Orwell foreshore near Priory Park is pebbly, but at the right state of tide a strip of sand appears below the stones, about a 30 minute walk east from the Park and directly opposite Pin Mill.
Yes. Dogs are welcome, but parts of the path have dog on lead areas to protect wading birds, particularly in autumn and winter. Follow the signs on the path.
A few hours either side of low tide, ideally on a clear evening when the sun sets over the estuary. Always check tide times before you go.
About 90 minutes, walking east from the Park’s beach gate along the King Charles III England Coast Path, past the hidden beach and on towards Levington.
Yes. Dogs are welcome at Priory Park, and we have always allowed four legged friends because we know what an important part of the family they are. Our only rule is that they bring well behaved owners!