Exploring the Area

I’ve noticed that the majority of people visiting the apiary for a bee experience are from out of the area, so I thought I’d put together a list of my favourite places to visit locally if you’re here for a day or few.

Bungay

Bungay town is just a few miles from us and with ample parking is a good place for a mooch around and some lunch. I highly recommend the Earsham Street Cafe which is dog friendly in the courtyard, they even have a dog menu for snacks for your fluffy companion whilst you enjoy your own meal. The Old Bank is a vintage tearooms which scrummy food and quirky decor. If you’re looking for a more substantial meal then The Fleece Inn is also on our recommendation list with dogs welcome in the bar and snug.

Whilst you’re in Bungay take some time to visit some of the independent shops. At one end of the town there’s The Recycled Weasel which is packed with local and ethical products. At the opposite end of town is my favourite mooching spot - Earsham Street. Start at Interiors at No11 where you’ll find a gorgeous selection of new and pre-loved home wear. Next door is The Front Room bakery where the cinnamon rolls are to die for and I also recommend the butternut squash rolls. Whilst you’re in Earsham Street make sure you visit the Earsham Street Deli where you can buy some locally produced and speciality foods perfect for gifts and picnics in my opinion!

If you have time, take a walk down to the river and along the marshes or visit the ruins of Bigod’s castle. There are a few walks that start and finish from Bungay and take you on a loop, exploring the countryside around this historic Suffolk town and crossing into Norfolk as you cross the Waveney River.

Around Bungay

If you’re in a hurry to get back than I recommend a brief pitstop at the Fen Farm Dairy Farm Shop which is a self serve shop at the cow yard where you can sometimes see the cows going into be milked. The award winning Baron Bigod cheese is famous and delicious and a special treat not to be missed. You can also grab a coffee with some of their raw milk whilst you’re there.

Near the Apiary

There are a few walks close to the apiary if you want to stretch your legs, they’re all very rural so a car journey is required if you want to walk and lunch.

I highly recommend a visit to Old Hall Farm just a few miles down the road towards Norwich. This cow with calf dairy farm produces its own raw milk, has a number of animals to visit on site (including an emu, peacocks and goats), a farm walk, farm shop with butchery (we buy all of our meat from here as it’s top notch). They also have a café where you can get breakfast, lunch or a snack - I recommend the milkshakes! They’re dog friendly too.

Our closest café is The Brickyard Cafe, found on the main Norwich road just a couple of miles from the apiary. This is a good spot for breakfast where the pancakes are rather yummy.

If you like wine then a visit to Flint Street Vineyard is a must, another neighbour to the apiary they run wine tasting experiences and tours that can also include lunch surrounded by beautiful views.

Further Afield

Having arrived in the area in 2021 we’re still exploring and finding the best spots, we have a few places on our ‘want to visit’ list which we’ll get to in time. We’re situated in easy access to a lot of what Norfolk and Suffolk has to offer so this post could end up being enormous if I put everything on here so here are my favourites at the moment:

Walberswick - 40 minutes from the apiary, right on the coast and separated from Southwold by a river this is a favourite escape to the beach for me, hubby and the dogs. We usually park up, go for a walk and play on the beach and then jump on the foot ferry to get over to Southwold for Fish and Chips before returning to Walberswick and walking into the village for an ice cream and then maybe a pint at the pub! We often see families crabbing along estuary inlets.

Whilst you’re in Walberswick, if you fancy a longer walk then you can head off into the reed beds towards another favourite spot that is Dunwich Forest.

Norwich city is only 35 minutes from us and has everything you could want in a city; history, shops, food! The Escape Rooms are good fun if you’re in a group, Jarrolds department store is a should visit - especially the food hall and the area around the cathedral and Elm Hill is beautiful.

There are undoubtably loads more things to do and places to visit in the area but these are a few of the favourites from our exploring so far. If you come across somewhere you love but I haven’t mentioned then do let us know and we’ll go check it out!

Happy exploring.