Bury St Edmunds - an historic town in the heart of the Suffolk countryside

It’s the perfect time to plan your upcoming adventures in the luscious Suffolk countryside.

Surrounding Bury St Edmunds there are countless places for you and your family to stay in rural bliss, as well as many opportunities to exercise and have fun in the open air. So, start planning your perfect escape to the country now!

The Ickworth estate is an expansive National Trust site, with boundless space as far as the eye can see. Guests have the chance to immerse themselves in the great outdoors and choose from a range of self-catering accommodation options nestled away in the stunning grounds. There are five characterful holiday cottages, each with their own quirky and unique features.

‘Gardens House’ has its own private garden as well as direct access to the surrounding parkland through a secret door in its high parameter wall. ‘Keepers Cottage’ and ‘Carpenters Cottage’, as the names suggest, have been home to generations of Ickworth staff through the years and today they offer a comfortable place to experience life at the heart of the working estate. For special occasions choose the ‘Roundhouse’; a stunning building which looks like the Ickworth Rotunda in miniature. The spacious three bedroom retreat is hidden away in a tranquil woodland glade and offers relaxation and tranquillity to all who stay there.

If you want to get even closer to nature, glamping is the perfect way to balance the great outdoors with the much needed home comforts! West Stow Pods offer a unique glamping experience in the enchanting Suffolk’s countryside. Choose a cosy mega pod, a rustic forest lodge among the trees, or really go all out with the extra special ‘Pod Hollow’; a subterranean hobbit hole complete with unusual furnishings and a fantastical style.

There is plenty to do nearby, including a range of walks in the beautiful King’s Forest and Fuller’s Mill Gardens. So, pack your bags, get out into the air and spend some quality time getting back to nature.

This intriguing property is set in the lush green stately grounds of a cherished Tudor family home, the grounds at West Stow Hall are extensive and full of surprises such as woods, streams and wildlife, great for leisurely morning walks and evening strolls.

A self-catered stay in one of the gorgeous cottages or stylish studios in the grounds will certainly be a memory-maker for all, and make everyone feel like they’ve stepped back in time. The studio is a stunning self-contained retreat, complete with a wood burning stove and views of the Tudor colonnade and hall.

You can also opt to stay in ‘Gardner’s cottage’ which is a calming flint and stone building within the old walled gardens of the Hall. It is south facing- perfect for BBQs, and there are even horses to be seen grazing in the surrounding fields.

This stylish, self-catering annex at Mullion Barn is housed in a sympathetically converted 17th Century Grade II listed barn, situated in the picturesque village of Hessett, on the edge of Bury St Edmunds. The property is surrounded by beautiful countryside walks as well as bike rides along the narrow country paths leading away from the village.

‘The Stable’ sleeps up to three adults or a small family, but is especially suitable for a couple. The single storey barn is chocabloc with original features such as high ceilings, brickwork and exposed oak beams, and furnished with a contemporary twist.

Look out for the little touches, such as a big trunk full of board games and puzzles for your enjoyment, extra fluffy towels and complimentary toiletries. The kitchen comes stocked with basic essentials and you can put in an order for a delivery of local eggs, bacon and sausages.

The long winding driveway leading to Kentwell Hall makes a big impression, and you’ll see at once the spaciousness that awaits you. The breathtaking moat and two original bridges surrounding this historic Tudor house suggest an opulence and sense of adventure that you are sure to discover in the range of exciting and unique self-catering options.

Choose the Hall Barn for its spacious sitting and dining room with views over the gardens and wood burning stove. Enjoy the snug area and rooms, which sleep up to six. The Old Cow Byre is charming and stylish with pieces of antique furniture, a light and airy aspect and sleeps up to five people comfortably.

Get out and about in the fresh air and enjoy all that the Suffolk countryside has to offer!

Adventurous families looking for some high-octane outdoor fun should make their way to Explore 4x4 where there are a variety of exciting activities to get involved with.

Test out your off-roading skills with some expert 4x4 instruction- you can even bring 3 passengers along for the ride. There is also clay pigeon shooting, archery and the chance to try your hand at using weapons from through the ages.

Visit West Stow Anglo Saxon Village and step back in time.

Discover the way our ancestors lived by walking in their footsteps in this recreation of an Anglo Saxon Village.

Children will be excited to meet the rare breed pigs and chickens in the village as well as having the chance to dress up in Anglo Saxon apparel.

Try your hand at Anglo Saxon archery at West Stow with Middle Earth Adventures; here adults and youngsters alike can try out a longbow and see if they can hit the target. There’s also a chance to try modern archery, all supervised by experts in the field.

For a truly unique experience, take the 'Real Middle-Earth Tour' which reveals the fascinating Anglo-Saxon origins of The Lord of the Rings story in a visit to a reconstructed Anglo-Saxon Village on its original site at West Stow.

The huge site at stunning Ickworth, has a range of varied walks with twists and turns and places for intrigued youngsters to explore.

See if anyone in your party can spot the magical sleeping dragon guarding her eggs amongst the ferns in the ‘Stumpery’ and visit the den building area in the Albana woods to construct your own wild and wonderful nature den from sticks, branches and logs.

Families are also welcome to bring bikes and cycle around the Linnet or Monument trails; especially designed for families.

Families will love an energetic day out at Clare Castle Country Park, which has copious walks by the river Stour and plenty to do to tire out youngsters.

The castle is an outstanding look-out spot and boasts its own motte and bailey structure. Race each other to the top for the best 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside and elsewhere in the park discover the Victorian Railway buildings, ponds, streams, grassland, woodland and multiple pathways to explore.

Kentwell Hall boasts a rose covered moat, topiary gardens and a fantastic circular walk which takes visitors around the beautiful grounds of the 16th century stately home in Long Melford.

There is so much to explore including the quaint walled garden, herb garden, and various fruit trees. Look out for the original bridges, a wildlife Pond and woodland with Ancient Yews & Cedars. You can also stroll up the three quarter mile long avenue of ancient lime trees with the hall at the far end.

Striking Euston Hall is the perfect backdrop to a day of walking for all the family.

Built by Lord Arlington in 1666, this historic family home is surrounded by 10,500 acres of rolling parkland, farmland, broadleaf woodland and landscaped gardens, leaving visitors with plenty to explore.

Make your way towards the watermill and past the octagonal temple and look for the church of St Genevieve, a 17th Century church that has remained curiously unchanged through time.