We have seven luxury self-catering holiday cottages in the heart of the rural Suffolk countryside.
From our stunning 500-year-old luxurious thatched farmhouse to our six holiday cottage Suffolk barns, we can accommodate anything from a romantic weekend for two, to a full on family celebration for up to 19 adults. All in sumptuous luxury, in a beautiful, rustic country setting.
Testimonials | Dogs | Pubs | Beaches
If you landed here after searching for ‘Dog friendly cottages suffolk’ find out why dogs love Woodfarm Barns! Your dog needs a holiday too! Dogs account for a massive proportion of our guests to sunny Suffolk and we even allow some of them to bring their well-behaved owners!
We combine a dog-friendly ethos with the luxury that many don’t expect to find in holiday cottages accepting dogs. We don’t simply ‘tolerate’ guests with dogs, we welcome them.
We welcome dogs in all seven of our Suffolk holiday cottages both our barges as this is a huge part of the ‘stay at home’ holiday cottage market. We normally say a maximum of two dogs but we are happy to discuss other requirements. We are also happy to discuss other pets with you on an individual basis. We’ve had house cats and rabbits before but it’s mostly dogs!
We are also delighted to have been awarded the Pets Welcome accreditation by the English governing body ‘Quality in Tourism’ backing up our approach.
Our library of canine guests is growing! Check out loads of photos of our four-legged guests here.
Taking pets away when enjoying a holiday or break in England is an increasing trend and one of the mainstays of our business. Nearly two million dog owners and around one million cat owners take their pets away when enjoying a break away from home.
In response to customers who do not wish to be parted from their pets, the Welcome Pets scheme gives dog, cat or bird owners the confidence that they are booking quality accommodation that meets their needs and the needs of their pet(s).
The criteria that we have in place to adhere to the guidelines includes:
We are also duty-bound to display the following information at a central, easily accessible information point:
We have a special page on our other website wheredowe.co.uk giving you lots of ideas of places to enjoy dog friendly places and walks in Suffolk.
In addition, we have information for our guests on the location and opening times of the nearest shops, nearest bank/cash machine, public telephone, post office, and more.
There are info folders in all our cottages with lots of details of local dog-friendly restaurants and pubs – again, in addition to all the info we hold here, we have loads of ideas on wheredowe.co.uk
In 2012 we had a fabulous review by October Ward for ‘Out & About’ dog-friendly magazine, which really speaks for itself. October’s dog Roxy is the Dalmatian featured in the below photo, standing on the land outside Woodfarm Barns. This is the lane that leads down to the church next door and it’s perfect for stretching your dog’s legs first thing in the morning. Get a long enough lead and you won’t need to stretch yours!
This is the article:
Dog Walking
There is a great little dog walk straight from our door, popular with all our dog-owning guests. Crowfield Church is next door but one to our holiday cottages and marks the start of an easy 20-minute loop with the dog.
It is one of the last remaining timber-framed churches in Suffolk and is well worth a look. Two choices of public footpaths go from the church across the fields beyond. Instead of turning in by the church you can walk straight on for miles and there are various public footpaths across the fields – so there’s plenty of exploring to do and loads for the dog to sniff out.
This is a great area for dog walking, as is Suffolk in general. There are books in all the cottages on Suffolk walks, with or without dogs, and they are there for you to peruse whilst you are here.
The nearest dog walk in most of the books encompasses Barham, Baylham and Coddenham for a total length of 8 miles. You could cheat a little and start it in Coddenham, which is only a couple of miles down the road. The walk incorporates the Baylham Rare Breeds Centre as well as taking you right past the Sorrel Horse Pub, which is very dog-friendly.
The next nearest one is a five-miler, taking in Cretingham and Brandeston, and past The Queens Head – an excellent pub/restaurant (you can see a theme here!).
There are also lovely lake walks at Needham and Hoppit Wood, both just four miles from Woodfarm Barns, featured our page on ‘Walking in Suffolk’ here.
Dog-Friendly Pubs
Whether you’re visiting Suffolk for the first time, or are a frequent visitor or resident, it’s useful to know where you can eat with your dogs. Suffolk has a wide range of dog-friendly pubs. While some request that you keep your dog in the garden or terrace area, many allow dogs inside the pub as well. Here is a selection of pubs across Suffolk that allows pets either in the pub or garden:
The Star Inn is a cosy and friendly pub in Wenhaston that welcomes well-behaved dogs. It has a large garden and a high-quality menu.
The Tollgate Inn is a lovely restaurant and bar in Bury St Edmunds and has a large garden and seating area where dogs are welcome.
The Queen’s Head, Bramfield is an award-winning pub and dogs are welcome in both the pub and the garden.
The Sorrell Horse Inn in Woodbridge is very pet-friendly and dogs are allowed in the pub and garden. The same goes for The White Horse at Tattingstone.
The Bildeston Crown allows well-behaved dogs in the pub and they have a lovely, dog-friendly, outdoor seating area.
The Kings Head Inn in Orford allows dogs in both the pub, as well as in their rooms and The Cock Inn in Polstead allows dogs in the pub.
The George and Dragon in Long Melford allow dogs, except when food is being served.
The Crown Hotel in Southwold allows dogs in the bar areas, but not in the rooms or dining areas.
The George in Cavendish has a terrace/garden area where dogs are welcome, although they are not allowed inside the pub and the same goes for The Brantham Bull in Manningtree.
The Ship Inn in Woodbridge is dog-friendly, and so is The Angel Inn Wangford.
Please do check with any of these pubs before you visit with your dog as their pet policies may change at any time.
Dog-Friendly Beaches in Suffolk
With miles of beautiful beaches open to the public year-round, Suffolk is a great place to bring your dog on holiday. The good news is that from October through April there are no dog restrictions in force on Suffolk’s beaches so your pet can enjoy the benefits of any stretch of beach you like! In the summer, however, there are dog restrictions on some beaches, so here’s a list of some restrictions from 1st May through to 30th September: Aldeburgh – Although the main beach has restrictions during the summer months, there is a mile of wonderful dog-friendly beach just to the North of Aldeburgh which is well signposted, and stretches from the Wentworth Hotel to Thorpeness. Felixstowe – While the main beach has dog restrictions in place from May through September, there are dog-friendly beaches on either side of the restricted area, stretching from Spa Pavilion to Wheeler Road. These areas are well signposted and easy to spot. However, dogs have to be kept on leads even on these stretches.
Dunwich – With the beautiful National Trust site of Dunwich Heath and a beach that’s dog-friendly all year round, Dunwich makes a fantastic dog friendly location with plenty of long walks and refreshing water on offer. Bear in mind, however, that Dunwich is the home to RSPB Minsmere, so there are occasional restrictions on dogs on the Heath (not beach) during the nesting season. If you’re not sure that your dog will stay on the beach then it’s best to check with nearby Aldeburgh Tourist Information before you make your trip to ensure these nesting restrictions aren’t in place.
Southwold – One of Suffolk’s most famous beaches, it offers a fantastic holiday resort for the family. Although the main beaches of Southwold have dog restrictions in place during the summer months, Southwold Benes, just north of the main beach, is dog-friendly throughout.
Deb, August 2019
Our fourth year at Woodfarm Barns. The dogs walked in and were straight at home, as were we. The purpose of our visit is a week long agility competition so we are out all day from 07.00 but it’s perfect being able to come back to the hot tub after walking 20,000 steps, let the dogs mooch around the garden and light the BBQ.
I’m not sure what more Carl and his team could do to make the cottages any more perfect, the welcome basket means there’s everything for a cuppa when you arrive and a bacon sandwich for breakfast plus loads of information about the area. We had one wet afternoon and the store if DVDs kept us entertained.
Next year is already booked.
Dawn, August 2019
Stayed for 2 nights with our little dog. Fantastic location and accommodation. It has everything you need for all seasons. Hot tub was lovely after a long day out on our bikes exploring the countryside nearby. Dog loved having the garden to wander round whilst we had a drink and dinner in the garden. Carl was very helpful explained where everything was when we arrived. You can’t hear any neighbours other than them walking over the stones.
To get to the meadow on the other side of the lane which caters for all dogs nervous or confident. Our dog didn’t want to come home. Thanks for a great time; see you again soon.
Roger, July 2019
We were delighted with our stay in Deben Barn with our two golden retrievers. Carl was very helpful from the first minute of our stay and the welcome basket was a great touch. Dog exercise field was very handy. The barn was very well equipped, clean and tidy. Excellent hot tub. The location is perfect for exploring Suffolk. Would thoroughly recommend Woodfarm Barns.
Luxury Holidays in the beautiful rural Suffolk Countryside in our self-catering cottages. We have now developed a specific website, called Where Do We?… for this as there’s lots to do when you holiday around the area but have a scroll through here for just a few ideas. Check out www.wheredowe.co.uk
Walking, Nature reserves & Bird Spotting – We have a separate page for all this here
Cycling
Golf
Equestrian activities/ Horse riding
Art- Local Galleries, local exhibitions and craft shops
Theatres
Kids activities
Ski-ing & Snowboarding
Gliding
Sailing
CYCLING
We have a selection of bicycles here, free to use for all of our guests. We have ladies and gents mountain bikes, as well as a couple of racers and a couple of kids bikes too. We also have a fabulous tandem too, called Daisy! She is sure to make your holiday memorable! Some of the bikes in our shed, along with hundreds of DVD’s, books, CD’s and Tourist Information
You can cycle straight down the lane to Coddenham as mentioned above and there are some great circular routes around the nearby villages of Helmingham, Ashbocking, Framsden and Pettaugh
We have local OS maps available to you and there is one up in the shed on the wall with some of the local routes marked out
There’s a 15m cycle route either turning left or right out of here, known as the Gosbeck route. You can view the route on www.cycle-route.com
If you click on Suffolk you can see the nearest ones to here;
They are The Stowmarket County Tour (18m), the aforementioned Gosbeck Route and the Ipswich Loop South Route (18m) – There’s also one in Southwold on there (43m!)
GOLF
There are a number of golf courses and driving ranges around us;
Stonham Barns Golf Centre
Literally 2 minutes round the corner from Woodfarm, a 9 hole golf course, 28 bay floodlit driving range, mini-golf putting, Golf Direct UK golf store and PGA professional golf tuition – 01449 711545
Stowmarket Golf Course
A mature course, with a wide variety of trees that provides a wonderful spectrum of colour throughout the changing seasons. A course set amongst trees with an array of wildlife that makes one feel part of nature. At 6107 yards, Stowmarket is a par 69 that is rarely beaten, even by the most accomplished of players.
It is challenging enough for the English Golf Union to designate it as a “Centre of Excellence” to use on a regular basis to develop and train the county’s best Junior Golfers
You do need to be a member of another course to prove you are ‘serious’ enough to play – 01449 736473
HORSE RIDING/ EQUESTRIAN ACTIVITIES
There are lots of riding schools and liveries nearby. The following is a list of those within 10-15 minutes of Woodfarm House;
Topthorn
Grove Farm, Debenham Road, Stonham Aspal, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 6BX
Tel: 01449 711962
Contact: Mr Nigel Foulger
Clint Farm Livery
Clint Rd, Eye, Suffolk, IP23 7JE
Tel: 01379 870659
Contact: Mr R Owen
Copdock Riding Centre
Mace Green Stud Farm, Wenham Rd, Copdock, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP8 3EY
Tel: 01473 730678
Contact: Mrs A Withy
Haag R
Birds Lane, Framsden, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 6HR
Tel: 01728 685717
Contact: Mr R Haag
Hawkins Farm Riding Stables
Hawkins Farm, Mendlesham Green, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 5RB
Tel: 01449 766264
Contact: Mrs F Harrison
Henley
Ashbocking Rd, Henley, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP6 0SA
Tel: 01473 785055
Contact: Ms Sarah Cole
High House Riding Centre
High House Farm, Mendlesham Green, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 5RQ
Tel: 01449 766716
Contact: Mr D Nunn
ART – Local Galleries, local exhibitions and craft shops
The Grainger Gallery – Round the corner from Woodfarm on the A140/ A1120 crossroads
Pete Grainger was born and grew up in Nottingham but now lives in Suffolk. Pete has always had an interest in drawing, which led him to study an art foundation course in Ipswich. The following year he enrolled at Norwich School of Art where he studied for a degree in Fine Art. He found that he could not get enough of learning and believes he did 5 years in 3 as he would invariably arrive at university first thing in the morning and would be last to leave in the evening, with the caretakers locking up behind him!
Pete appreciates all art and is never short of ideas, he makes a mental note of anything that catches his eye, from chickens and pigs to a Suffolk cottage in the moonlight, and then sketches them down to work on later. His love of art stems particularly from his liking of people whether it is a group of people laughing in a restaurant or someone stood looking in a shop window. He is extremely inventive and enjoys trying new ideas and techniques. For the last couple of years he has been experimenting with plaster, which he calls his modern day version of frescos. Pete feels quite excited and positive because when they work they are quite beautiful.
Pete is approachable, friendly and enjoys chatting. He loves to get feedback from people who come into the Gallery where there is always a cup of tea on the go!
Open Sat & Sun 10 – 5 (Closed Jan & Feb)
Tel: 01449 711813
The Crooked House is in the heart of Lavenham – a Suffolk village famous for its preserved medieval timbered buildings built by wealthy cloth merchants in the 15th century
The Gallery is in the medieval building of the Crooked House, one of England’s most vertically challenged structures! Originally built by a wealthy cloth merchant around 1395, The Crooked House is the service wing of his grand hall house: one of many historic homes in Lavenham, Suffolk
The Gallery is run by Clare Calder-Marshall and artist/writer Alison Englefield. It is a treasure trove of original and inspiring artworks – many of which are by East Anglian artists and can be purchased by mail order
Opening hours: 10 – 5.0 daily except Wednesdays
(Summer holidays they stay open to 5.30 – 6pm)
01787 247 865 – Have a look at their website here
CRAFTS
Some crafts & gifts are available at The Alder Carr Farm, The Chilli Company and the Deben Rose in Debenham – all withing 10 minutes fo Woodfarm Barns. There are also craft items available within the Stonham barns complex just round the corner on the A1120
Other outlets nearby include;
Brook Farm, Buxhall, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 3DH
01449 736 363
C and S Crafts
20-22 Bury Street, Stowmarket IP14 1HH
01449 675 918
They make their products at home and sell them throughout East Anglia at craft fairs, via their website and also an e-bay shop
E-mail – info@candscrafts.co.uk – 01449 616838 or 07936 683239
Bridge Farm Barns – A great complex South of Needham Market – Well worth a visit
01449 740456
Monks Eleigh, Suffolk IP7 7AY
Bridge Farm Barns incorporates Corn Craft (01449 740456), Black Barn Toys & Games (01449 740456) and Bridge Farm Plants (01449 740502)
Click here to have a look at Bridge Farm Barns website
THEATRES
Corn Hall, Diss, IP22 4LB – Half an hour away to the North on the A140
The Corn Hall is a fine example of a 19th Century corn exchange, located in the heart of the historic market town of Diss, half an hour up the A140 from here
It is managed by local volunteers, ‘The friends of Diss Corn Hall’ and stages a wide variety of theatre, music, dance, cinema and comedy
The box office can be contacted on 01379 652241
or by email; boxoffice@disscornhall.co.uk Monday – Saturday 11 til 4
For the latest activities, productions and events at Diss Corn Hall click here
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1QR – ½ an hour away, A14 (West)
Now that the theatre is fully restored to its original 1819 glory, their Revisit programme will offer our visitors a unique theatrical and heritage experience.
As the sole surviving example of a Regency playhouse in this country, the Theatre Royal has a fascinating story to tell. A story not just about its own eventful past, but also about a previously missing link in the history of English theatre.
Under the banner of their restoring the Repertoire series, they’re going to be rediscovering much of the undeservedly forgotten theatrical repertoire of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries
You can also take a guided tour of the Theatre or take a more leisurely look during one of the regular Open Doors sessions. They plan to establish a programme of lectures and workshops, as well as a comprehensive library archive
Theatre Royal website – Click here
01284 755127
Box Office (for all ticket bookings and enquiries
01284 769505
New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich – ½ an hour away
Spine tingling plays, critically acclaimed aerial and music theatre, comedy confections with some of the finest comics from around the world; there’s always something for everyone
Call the Box Office on 01473 295 900 or visit their website here
KIDS ACTIVITIES
Debenham Leisure Centre
Leisure centre and community hall, facilities include a multi-use sports hall, squash courts, dance and fitness studios, sauna, bowls green, football pitches, astroturf tennis courts, and a lounge bar with satellite television. The centre also offers a range of regular sports and fitness, and cultural and social activities.
Gracechurch Street, Debenham, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 6BL
Tel: (01728) 861101
Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre
Leisure centre with swimming pool, spa bath and sauna, well equipped fitness studio, climbing wall, squash courts, indoor bowls and a selection of exercise classes. Centre facilities also include registered creche, cafe, licenced bar
‘Ocean Adventure’ indoor play centre for children
Gainsborough Road, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 1LH
Tel: (01449) 674980
Ten-pin Bowling – Solar Bowl – Sproughton Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 5AQ
01473 241242
Colchester Zoo – 35 mins away – CO3 0SL
A brilliant day out for all the family. The zoo has had millions spemt on it over the years and a great deal of emphasis has been placed on animal welfare
Tel; 01206 331292 – Colchester Zoo Website
Banham Zoo – Kenninghall Road, Banham, Norfolk NR16 2HE (45 mins away)
Tel: 01953 887445 – Banham Zoo Website
Crazy Golf @ Stonham Barns round the corner – Check out their website here
Suffolk Ski Centre, Bourne Hill, Wherstead, Ipswich, IP2 8NQ
The focus for Ski & Snowboard Activity in Suffolk, South Norfolk and North Essex with their main slope at 180 metres long incorporating a contoured ‘red’ run, a softer ‘blue’ run; and a new 40m junior slope they can accommodate beginner’s improvers and experienced skiers & boarders The main slope is serviced by 2 lifts, and all slopes are fully floodlit…..
Toboggan Fun!
If you want the chance to try something fun, fast and fabulous then tobogganing has to be it. Their plastic toboggans are great fun especially for kids, and are used on a safe carpeted slope away from the ski slopes, close to the ski lodge.
Learn to Ski & Snowboard
Whether you want to learn or improve your skiing or snowboarding they have a course to meet your needs, availability and skill levels, all provided by a first class team of qualified and certified instructors.
Closed on bank holidays.
Telephone 01473 602347 – Suffolk Ski Centre Website
Easton Farm Park, Grundisburgh, IP13 0EQ – East along the A1120 (25 minutes)
There are lots of animals to see: kid goats, bunnies, guinea pigs, little piglets and two new Suffolk Punch foals to meet. Activities take place every half hour and are included in the entry price, including pony rides, cart rides, hug a bunny, hold a chick, pig fun, barrel bug ride and the family train.
Easton Farm Park is open every day from 10:30am to 6pm – 01728 746475
Carters Teapot Pottery, Stonham Barns (2 minutes away)
Enjoy Painting at the Teapot Pottery and relax in a friendly atmosphere and create your own design. They will glaze and fire it for you, simply return in a few days and collect your creation. The Studio Fee is around £5 per person and the pots range from £3.00 – £50.00. Booking is not normally essential but preferable!
01728 860475 – Have a look at their website here
Baylam Rare Breeds – A wonderful day out with all the family. Spend a day in the country by a lovely river and a lake and enjoy feeding their friendly animals. Have a light lunch or bring a picnic and why not indulge yourselves with a Suffolk clotted cream tea or homemade cakes. You can meet breeds that were well known 80 years ago, White Park, Old Gloucester, Shetland, Berkshire, Middle White, Large Black, Norfolk Horn, Greyface Dartmoor, Balwen, Llanwenog, Herdwick, Ixworth, Scots Dumpy, Scots Grey. Meet the foreigners; the Kune pigs and the Ouessant sheep and let the children spend their pocket money in the Visitors Centre
GLIDING
We’ve teamed up with Rattlesden Gliding Club to offer our guests an exclusive short-term membership! For breath-taking views of Suffolk as experienced only by the birds, why not combine a break here at Woodfarm Barns with the tranquility and silence of a glider flight?
See our Blog Post here on the exclusive offer from Rattlesden Gliding Club
SAILING
We’ve also teamed up with Suffolk Coast Sailing for those guests wishing to enjoy a sailing adventure on board a modern Beneteau yacht. The skipper is RYA Yachtmaster Simon Read, based just down the road from Woodfarm Barns on the River Orwell (so good we named a barn after it!) at Woolverstone Marina between Pin Mill (great Pub there – The Butt & Oyster) and Ipswich
Have a look at the Blog Post we did on Suffolk Coast Sailing here
We have only covered a handful of things on this page but suffice it to say that there are lots of things to do while on dog friendly holidays at Woodfarm Barns and Suffolk in general. For lots more ideas have a look on Where Do We?…
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