England Coast Path - Aldeburgh to Southwold (Diversion in Place)

The England Coast Path, Suffolk section from Aldeburgh to Southwold

This 17 mile linear walk links the towns of Aldeburgh and Southwold. This entails typical English seaside villages, clifftop paths, areas of dune and shingle. The last section is a walk through marshland between Dunwich and Walberswick before crossing the River Blyth to arrive in Southwold.

Walk Statistics

• Start location: Aldeburgh 
• End location: Southwold 
• Distance:   miles (  km)
• Total Gain:   ft (  metre)
• Total Descent:   ft (  metre)
• Min Height:   ft (  metre)
• Max Height:   ft (  metre)
• Walk Time:  
• Walk Grade: Easy
• Terrain: Footpath

Route Map

Maps:

The following maps and services can assist in navigating this route. There are links to printed maps and links to downloadable GPX route data for importing into navigational software and apps.

 

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map

OS Explorer 212 - Woodbridge & Saxmundham

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map

OS Explorer 231 - Southwold & Bungay

GPX Route File

Walk Notes

This section of the England Coast Path came into force on 12th December 2024. The route has been accessible for many years and roughly follows the old Suffolk Coast Path and former permissive paths. A few changes have been made to the route with improvements to the accessibility. More information on features can be found by visiting the walks in the Suffolk Coast Path Collection.

This is a linear walk of 17 miles so is a full days walk for most. For those who wish to undertake this and return to the starting point, there are public transport options between Southwold and Aldeburgh, using the 99 bus service from Southwold to Halesworth, then the 521/522 bus service from Halesworth to Aldeburgh.

The path currently has an inland diversion where the coastal route is blocked up during weekdays at Sizewell where the construction work for the Sizewell C Nuclear power station is being undertaken. For the latest information on this see East Suffolk Public Rights of Way Acces, England Coast Path

The beach can be used throughout, apart from a section in front of Thorpeness village which is inaccessible even at low tide. Follow the England Coast Path waymarkers through the village. The beach is predominantly shingle so is hard going. There can be some sand at low tide or after storm conditions.

There is an alternative to walking through to the bridge across the River Blyth at Walberswick, where a ferry crosses close to the beach.

Refreshments

There are plenty of places to stop for refreshments, whether it be a cup of coffee, a snack or a full lunch.

There are cafes at Thorpeness by the mere, Sizewell, Dunwich Heath, Dunwich village and Walberswick.

There are pubs at Thorpeness, Sizewell, Dunwich Cliffs Holiday Park, Dunwich village and Walberswick

Directions

The England Coast Path is well signposted throughout this section. The section starts at Fort Green Car Park in Aldeburgh, which is on the southern side of the town.

1. Take the seafront path from Fort Green. Keep to this to the end of the town. A paved path continues beyond this to the point where the old Sluice cottage is on the left.
2. Continue on the grass/shingle heading towards the front of the houses on the sea front at Thorpeness
3. Continue in front of the seaside houses. There are two boardwalks leading between the houses, take the second of these. .
4. At the end of the boardwalk, turn right and follow the track onto the road, going straight ahead, parallel to the coast.
5. Where the road turns sharp left, take the first turn on the right, and follow this unmade road to the end where it turns right to lead onto an asphalt road
6. Turn right, follow the road. This leads up a shallow gradient. At the end a footpath leads through to Thorpeness Common.
7. Keep to the path across to the far end of the Common, where there are steps down the cliff to the dunes below
   
8. Keep to the dune path. This will soon undulate along the cliffside ending at the top of the cliff. Continue on the path until it meets the Beach View holiday park where the path drops back down to the dune edge
9. The broad path leads in front of Sizewell village, then passes the Sizewell power stations. At the far end of Sizewell B the path passes in front of the C construction site. This part can be inundated by storm surges and spring tides. Proceed with care.
10. At the end of the construction site, turn left, then immediately right to follow the broad path through to Minsmere Sluice.
11. Keep to the path that runs adjacent to the RSPB Minsmere site, this is in a gulley. At the far end the dunes become shingle and there is a short distance until a made up path diverges away from the shingle to emerge onto the path up to Dunwich Heath.
12. At the top of the path it meets the car park, head through the car park to pass by the coast side of the white Coastguard cottages and continue across the heather rich heath.
13. At the far end of the heath, the path crosses the access road, turn right to follow the path that runs parallel to the road.
14. Where the path meets another path on the left, turn right, cross the road and follow a path through Greyfriars Wood
15. After the wood, a track leads out onto the road. Turn right, follow the road straight ahead. Where it turns sharp left continue straight ahead past the cottages. This will turn to a track and then to a path which leads under a little bridge and on to the cliff edge, at which point turn left and follow the path through the woodland
16. Keep to the path which leads in front of the grounds of the Priory Ruins. There is a junction on the right along this route which leads to a viewing spot on the cliffs, then leads down to the village of Dunwich
17. take the road, past the Ship Inn and the Museum, and the church. Look out for where there is a path on the right just before the church that prevents having to walk along the road. Take this.
18. The path emerges onto a track, turn right and follow the track. This leads along the perimeter of Dunwich forest, then passes some scrubland and leads out onto the marsh. Keep to the designated path throughout.
19. At the ruins of the old marsh windmill, turn right down the steps and continue along the marsh path alongside the river channel until there is a bridge that passes over the river. Take this.
20. The path follows the dunes until close to where the River Blyth flows out to sea. It then turns inland where it crosses a bridge, then the road and leads down to the ferry.
21. Follow the riverside through to the bailey bridge. Cross the bridge and follow the riverside path down the other side back to the coast
22. Before the lifeboat station, turn left to take the path through the dunes. At the end of this go behind the beach huts and keep to the upper prom path that will eventually lead to the pier, the end of this section.

Directions

The England Coast Path is well signposted throughout this section. The section starts at Fort Green Car Park in Aldeburgh, which is on the southern side of the town.

1. Take the seafront path from Fort Green. Keep to this to the end of the town. A paved path continues beyond this to the point where the old Sluice cottage is on the left.
2. Continue on the grass/shingle heading towards the front of the houses on the sea front at Thorpeness
3. Continue in front of the seaside houses. There are two boardwalks leading between the houses, take the second of these. .
4. At the end of the boardwalk, turn right and follow the track onto the road, going straight ahead, parallel to the coast.
5. Where the road turns sharp left, take the first turn on the right, and follow this unmade road to the end where it turns right to lead onto an asphalt road
6. Turn right, follow the road. This leads up a shallow gradient. At the end a footpath leads through to Thorpeness Common.
7. Keep to the path across to the far end of the Common, where there are steps down the cliff to the dunes below
   
8. Keep to the dune path. This will soon undulate along the cliffside ending at the top of the cliff. Continue on the path until it meets the Beach View holiday park where the path drops back down to the dune edge
9. The broad path leads in front of Sizewell village, then passes the Sizewell power stations. At the far end of Sizewell B the path passes in front of the C construction site. This part can be inundated by storm surges and spring tides. Proceed with care.
10. At the end of the construction site, turn left, then immediately right to follow the broad path through to Minsmere Sluice.
11. Keep to the path that runs adjacent to the RSPB Minsmere site, this is in a gulley. At the far end the dunes become shingle and there is a short distance until a made up path diverges away from the shingle to emerge onto the path up to Dunwich Heath.
12. At the top of the path it meets the car park, head through the car park to pass by the coast side of the white Coastguard cottages and continue across the heather rich heath.
13. At the far end of the heath, the path crosses the access road, turn right to follow the path that runs parallel to the road.
14. Where the path meets another path on the left, turn right, cross the road and follow a path through Greyfriars Wood
15. After the wood, a track leads out onto the road. Turn right, follow the road straight ahead. Where it turns sharp left continue straight ahead past the cottages. This will turn to a track and then to a path which leads under a little bridge and on to the cliff edge, at which point turn left and follow the path through the woodland
16. Keep to the path which leads in front of the grounds of the Priory Ruins. There is a junction on the right along this route which leads to a viewing spot on the cliffs, then leads down to the village of Dunwich
17. take the road, past the Ship Inn and the Museum, and the church. Look out for where there is a path on the right just before the church that prevents having to walk along the road. Take this.
18. The path emerges onto a track, turn right and follow the track. This leads along the perimeter of Dunwich forest, then passes some scrubland and leads out onto the marsh. Keep to the designated path throughout.
19. At the ruins of the old marsh windmill, turn right down the steps and continue along the marsh path alongside the river channel until there is a bridge that passes over the river. Take this.
20. The path follows the dunes until close to where the River Blyth flows out to sea. It then turns inland where it crosses a bridge, then the road and leads down to the ferry.
21. Follow the riverside through to the bailey bridge. Cross the bridge and follow the riverside path down the other side back to the coast
22. Before the lifeboat station, turn left to take the path through the dunes. At the end of this go behind the beach huts and keep to the upper prom path that will eventually lead to the pier, the end of this section.

Images

Aldeburgh lookout

Thorpeness village pond and mere

Sizewell beach

Dunwich Heath coastguard cottages

The fairy bridge in Greyfriars Wood

Dunwich priory ruins

Walberswick beach

Walberswick ferry

Southwold

Route Validation Cards

Validation Date - 09/08/2019

• Time of Walk: 07:00:00 to 12:30:00
• Validators: Griff, Helen, Ed
• Weather Conditions: Windy but bright, some showers to start
• Notes: Initial route undertaken

Summary of Document Changes

Last Updated: 2026-03-07

• 2026-03-07 : Initial publication

Related Walk Links

• Walks around Aldeburgh
• Walks around Southwold
• Walks along the England Coast Path
• Walks for OS Map 212, Woodbridge & Saxmundham
• Walks for OS Map 231, Southwold & Bungay