Beccles and Bungay
Understand
Beccles and Bungay are market towns on the River Waveney in Suffolk 5 miles (8 km) apart on the southern edge of the Norfolk Broads. They are rural towns catering primarily to the local populations rather than tourists.
In Bungay one Sunday during a church service in 1577 during thunderstorms a black hellhound apparition appeared and attacked members of the congregation. Today this dog is included in the town's coat of arms and the "Black Dog" name can be seen cropping up around the town. The dog has been linked to the Black Shuck - a dog renowned for hunting the coasts of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex (and featured in a song by the rock group The Darkness).
Get in
By road
The A146 Lowestoft to Norwich main road runs through Beccles. The A143 Great Yarmouth to Harleston and Diss and on to Bury St Edmunds runs through both towns.
By train
- 🌍 Beccles Station, Station Rd, Beccles NR34 9QJ. On the East Suffolk Ipswich to Lowestoft line, Station managed by and services provided by Greater Anglia.
By bicycle
Regional Cycle Route 30 runs through both towns through Diss & Thetford to the W and to Lowestoft to the E. In Beccles route 30 connects with National Cycle Route 1 (Shetland to Dover via Norwich & Ipswich) as well as Regional Cycle Route 31 (Reedham to Southwold).
On foot
The Angles Way long distance footpath (93 miles) Great Yarmouth to Thetford runs through both Bungay & Beccles.
Get around
Both towns are small enough to see on foot, though they are 5 miles apart.
See
- 🌍 St Michaels Church, New Market Beccles NR34 9HE.
- 🌍 Beccles and District Museum, Leman House, Ballygate, Beccles NR34 9ND, ☎ +44 1502 715722, e-mail: museummanager@btconnect.com.
- 🌍 Beccles Bell Tower, ☎ +44 1502 712109.
- 🌍 Bungay Castle, Castle Orchard, Bungay NR35 1DD. Free (donations appreciated).
Do
- Beccles Carnival, e-mail: becclescarnival@outlook.com. Annual late Aug.
- 🌍 Beccles Golf Club, The Common, Common Lane, Beccles, NR34 9BX, ☎ +44 1502 712244, e-mail: becclesgolfclub@gmail.com.
- 🌍 Beccles Lido (Openair Swimming Pool), Puddingmoor, Beccles NR34 9PL, ☎ +44 1502 713297.
- 🌍 Ellough Park Raceway (Go-Karting Track), Benacre Rd, Ellough NR34 7XD, ☎ +44 1502 717718. Daily 10AM-late.
- 🌍 Fisher Theatre (Performance Arts Venue & Cinema), 10 Broad Street, Bungay NR35 1EE, ☎ +44 1986 897130, e-mail: info@fishertheatre.org.
- 🌍 Bungay & Waveney Valley Golf Club, Outney Common, Bungay NR35 1DS, ☎ +44 1986 892337, e-mail: golf@bungaygc.co.uk.
- 🌍 Bungay Pool & Gym, St Johns Hill, Bungay NR35 1PH, ☎ +44 1986 895014, e-mail: bungayreception@sentinellt.co.uk. Centre: M-F 6AM-10PM, Sa Su 8AM-6PM.
Boat and canoe hire
- 🌍 Outney Meadow Caravan Park (Canoe Hire), Outney Meadow, Bungay NR35 1 HG, ☎ +44 1986 892338, e-mail: bookings@outneymeadow.co.uk. Canadian canoe: £24/half day, £35/day.
- 🌍 Rowan Craft Ltd, Wherry Dyke, Geldeston, Beccles, NR34 0LY (5½ miles E of Bungay, 3 miles W of Beccles), ☎ +44 1508 518208. 8:30AM–1PM, 2–5PM. Boat hire: 3 hr £50, 6 hr £80; canoe hire: 3 hr £23, 6 hr £35; two-and three-person canoes available.
- 🌍 Hipperson (Dayboat Hire), Gillingham Dam, Beccles NR34 0EB, ☎ +44 1502 712166, e-mail: info@hippersons.co.uk. Summer: M-F 8:30AM-5PM, Sa 8:30AM-5PM, Su 9AM-5PM; Winter: M-F 8:30AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-1PM. £19 per hr.
Buy
- 🌍 Bungay Market (http://www.bungay-suffolk.co.uk/business/bungay-market.asp), Buttercross, Market Place Bungay NR35 1AR. Th 7AM-.
- 🌍 Tesco (Supermarket), George Westwood Way, Beccles NR34 9QH, ☎ +44 345 677 9870. M-Sa 6AM-midnight, Su 10AM-4PM.
- 🌍 Co-op (Convenience Store), Rigbourne Hill, Swines Green, Beccles NR34 9JF, ☎ +44 1502 711156. M-Sa 6AM-10PM, Su 7:30AM-10PM. ATM
- 🌍 Co-op (Convenience Store), Hillside Rd East, Bungay NR35 1RX, ☎ +44 1986 895738. M-F 8AM-10PM, Sa 8AM-8PM, Su 10AM-4PM. ATMs. Petrol station (different hours).
Eat
- 🌍 Prezzo (Italian Restaurant), 9 Saltgate, Beccles NR34 9AN, ☎ +44 1502 715036. Daily noon-11:30PM.
- 🌍 India Gate (Indian Restaurant), 16 Newgate Beccles NR34 9QD, ☎ +44 1502 712161, e-mail: info@india-gate-restaurant.co.uk. Daily 6PM-11:30PM.
- 🌍 Graze (Cafe, Bar & Grill), 29 New Market, Beccles NR34 9HE, ☎ +44 1502 715974, e-mail: enquiries@grazewhitehorse.co.uk. Tu-Sa 11AM-3PM & 6PM-11PM, Su noon-4PM.
- 🌍 Bahn Thai (Thai Restaurant), 20 Earsham St, Bungay NR35 1AG, ☎ +44 1986 893389. Daily 6PM-10PM, Th-Sa also noon-2:30PM.
- 🌍 Suffolk Stonehouse (Pizza Restaurant), 18 St Mary's St, Bungay NR35 1AX, ☎ +44 1986 894553. M-W 5-9PM, Th-Su 3:30-9:30PM.
Drink
- 🌍 The Locks Inn (Pub & Food), Lock's Lane, Geldeston NR34 0HS (4½ miles W of Beccles, 5½ miles E of Bungay), ☎ +44 1508 518414, e-mail: info@geldestonlocks.co.uk. Pub: daily 11AM-11PM; food: M-F noon-2:30PM & 6PM-9PM, Sa Su noon-9PM.
- 🌍 Bear & Bells (Pub & Food), 11 Old Market, Beccles NR34 9AP, ☎ +44 1502 712291, e-mail: n.t.inns@btinternet.com. Pub: M-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-10:30PM; food: M noon-2:30PM, Tu W noon-2:30PM & 5:30-8:30PM, Th-Sa noon-8:30PM, Su noon-2:30PM. Free Wi-Fi.
- 🌍 Twyfords Cafe, Exchange Square, Beccles NR34 9HL, ☎ +44 1502 710614. Patisserie: M-Sa 8AM-5PM; cafe M-Sa 8:30AM-5PM.
- 🌍 Wine Vaults (Bar & Restaurant), 2A Blyburgate, Beccles NR34 9TA, ☎ +44 1502 713381, e-mail: info@winevaultsbeccles.co.uk. Bar: M-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-1AM, Su 10AM-midnight; food: M-F noon-2:30PM & 6PM-9PM, Sa noon-9PM, Su 10AM-9PM.
- 🌍 The Green Dragon (Pub), 29 Broad St, Bungay NR35 1EF, ☎ +44 1986 892681, e-mail: james@greendragonbungay.co.uk. M-F 11AM-midnight, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-5PM.
Sleep
- 🌍 The Swan Motel (Rooms, restaurant & bar), Loddon Rd, Gillingham NR34 0LD (2 miles NW of Beccles, 7 miles E of Bungay), ☎ +44 1502 470005, e-mail: enquiries@theswanmotelgillingham.co.uk.
- 🌍 The Waveney House Hotel, Puddingmoor, Beccles NR34 9PL, ☎ +44 1502 712270, e-mail: enquiries@waveneyhousehotel.co.uk.
- 🌍 Saltgate House (B&B), 5 Saltgate, Beccles NR34 9AN, ☎ +44 1502 710889, e-mail: karen@saltgatehouse.com. Double/twin from £70/night.
- 🌍 The King's Head Hotel, 4–6 New Market, Beccles NR34 9HA, ☎ +44 1502 718730.
- 🌍 The Old Grain Store (B&B), Wainford House, Wainford Rd, Bungay NR35 1TA (1 mile E of Bungay), ☎ +44 1986 894179, e-mail: rod@theoldgrainstore.net.
- 🌍 Folly Studio (B&B), 8 Woodland Dr, Bungay NR35 1PE, ☎ +44 1986 896016, e-mail: ann@annwoolston.com. Double occupancy £78/night; single occupancy £55/night.