The Great Suffolk Winter Picnic (Yes, Really)

Picnics in winter? Yes, you’ve read that correctly and we’re absolutely convinced that by the end of this blog you’ll be in full support of the idea.

Allow us to state our case.

Suffolk rewards the brave with silver light, quiet shores and the kind of crisp air that makes a hot drink taste like magic. By simply packing up a basket, wrapping up well and embracing the gentle daring of eating outdoors when everyone else is indoors, you’ll feel not only a silent smugness, but be rewarded with one of the best experiences there is to have in Suffolk.

Now allow us to set the scene and provide some options.

At Pin Mill, where the Orwell slides past old boat hulls, you’ll find some fairly tough-to-beat surroundings. Namely, benches, birdsong, and the soft rattle of rigging. Likewise, Alton Water offers mirrored reflections and easy paths, whilst Dunwich Beach gives you big skies and a soundtrack of shingle and surf. If you prefer a quiet river to a roaring sea, you might want to try a sheltered nook along the Deben near Woodbridge or perhaps Waldringfield. In these spots you’ll likely share your surroundings with a heron and the occasional dog walker.

And the menu?

Well, that part is simple, generous and warm. Think sausage rolls wrapped in parchment, hunks of Suffolk cheese, pickled onions, clementines and slabs of fruit cake. A flask (or two) is essential: hot chocolate with a secret glug, spiced tea, or mulled apple juice. Of course, a tipple of your preferred Suffolk ale is also a perfectly acceptable choice. In addition to the food and drink, you’ll also want to bring along a thick blanket or two, enamel mugs and fingerless gloves. It’s also not a bad idea to bring along an awareness and acceptance that your cheeks will go pink and your laughter will fog the air.

Any other advice?

Like all things to see and do in Suffolk, we advise that everyone takes their time when enjoying a wintertime picnic. Between bites, it pays to take the time to notice how winter strips the landscape back to elegant lines: reed beds combed by the wind, the bones of oak trees etched against pewter clouds, a sudden flare of sunset turning everything to copper. The picnic is the point, not the weather. And when your fingers finally demand central heating, your Barn or Barge for rent in Suffolk is waiting with a hot shower, a hot hot tub, a bubbling pot on the hob and lamps low against the early dark.

And once you’re done visiting one of these spots with a picnic, we’re fairly confident you’ll want to do it over again the next day at one of the other options. Indeed, you can easily swap the shore for heathland and add a detour to one of many cosy pubs on offer around our fine county. Winter picnicking really does become a rhythm and something you’ll wish you embarked on sooner: fresh air, proper food, slow evenings. You’ll go home with a clearer head and the satisfying sense that you didn’t hide from the season; you met it.

All that’s left to do now is take a look at our availability and book your next Barn or Barge holiday in Suffolk today.