Discover Sotterley: Park, Churches and Horse Trail

Sotterley combines a distinctive parkland landscape with an unusual concentration of historic buildings and a wide range of opportunities to experience the surrounding area actively. Anyone wishing to plan a trip involving nature, culture and exercise will find various starting points here for organising each day. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday house, it is therefore worth first deciding on the desired pace of the trip: should the focus be on visiting the park, historical discoveries, horse riding or a cycling tour?

Sotterley Park: Woodland, Lake and Ancient Oaks

Sotterley Park covers around 420 acres and lies in a shallow valley. The park is unusually densely wooded for Suffolk; it also contains a large number of ancient oaks. A historic lake with two islands completes the landscape. These various elements make Sotterley appealing to visitors who do not want to see just one attraction, but would rather experience nature in different forms.

The park’s history also reaches back a long way: Sotterley Park was laid out around the middle of the 18th century for Miles Barne. Sotterley Hall itself was built in 1745 for Miles Barne. Anyone interested in the connection between landscape and local history can include both aspects in their travel plans without limiting their stay to a particular type of excursion.

Historic Churches with Distinctive Character

St Margaret of Antioch has Grade I listed status and was built in the 14th century. Inside are a 15th-century rood screen and brass memorials. This gives visitors interested in religious art, architectural history and the design of older churches specific historical details to explore. A clearly marked footpath leads through the park to St Margaret of Antioch church in Sotterley.

Another notable stop is Sotterley Chapel. The octagonal building was consecrated in 1883 and features Gothic forms, local red brickwork, stone buttresses and a tiled roof. The chapel was one of the facilities provided at the instigation of the Barne family to replace the burial capacity of the churchyard at St Margaret’s Church. A visit therefore also makes it possible to trace the historical development of the area through its different buildings.

Horse Riding, Cycling and Visiting the Gardens

For a more active day, the Sotterley Horse Trail offers 12 miles of riding away from public roads around the Sotterley Estate. The trail also includes a shorter 5-mile loop. These two route lengths allow you to take the desired extent of your horse-riding excursion into account when planning.

Cyclists also have a specific point of reference: Sotterley Chapel lies on Route 31 of the National Cycle Network, which includes a section between Beccles and Southwold. Sotterley Cemetery is maintained as an area for wildlife and wildflowers, adding to the site’s nature-related impressions. The gardens of Sotterley Hall are opened to the public every May together with a garden fête. Targeted travel planning may be worthwhile for this date; this does not determine other visiting times.

Which Accommodation Suits Your Travel Plans?

If you would like to combine culture and nature, you can choose accommodation as a base for different ideas for each day: one day can be devoted to the park and churches, and another to the Horse Trail or cycling on Route 31. Those travelling in May can also plan in the garden fête. What matters is less having the most extensive possible list than deciding which combination of peaceful landscape impressions, historic buildings and activity suits your travel group.

For further options, Aldeburgh, Theberton, Stanton, Shimpling, Cavendish, Hundon, Wickham Market and Ipswich are also available.

For the broader travel overview: Suffolk.