Tag: Crown and Castle

Orford Castle

| July 12, 2012

Today we returned to Orford Castle, a distinct and unique polygonal tower keep in Orford.

Orford Castle dates back to the 12th century and considering the age of this tower keep, it’s in great condition.

From 1 April to 4 November 2012 you can visit Orford Castle every day of the week from 10am to 5pm.

There’s a wide selection of family friendly places to eat in Orford. We like the Pump Street Bakery, The Jolly Sailor and Ruth Watson’s The Crown and Castle.

You can discover more on Orford Castle at English Heritage.

Orford Castle

A rather spooky view of Orford Castle from the grounds

Imogen and I near Orford Castle

Imogen gets a good view of Orford Castle with the help of Daddy

First Holiday with Baby in Orford

| February 21, 2012

We ventured to Orford on our first holiday with our baby when she was just 8 weeks old.

Suddenly it was no longer about throwing a few clothes into a bag, it was now about making sure we had absolutely everything we needed for our precious little one!

The car was laden full with baby gear including her baby monitor, moses basket, baby bath, activity play mat, numerous outfits of clothing to cover all eventualities of weather, Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier, breast pump, pram, Moby Wrap (we were still in the fourth trimester) and my parents!

We weren’t even going very far, staying within the confines of the UK so we could drive a reasonably short distance. Up until this point our baby had only travelled in a taxi home from the hospital.

Travelling from London to Orford near the Suffolk coast was going to take at least 2 hours. We were certain we’d need to take several breaks to ease the journey (and calm ourselves should our baby take an extreme dislike to her car seat or the car or her Daddy’s driving)!

Pump Street Bakery


Thankfully I’d remembered to include her soothing classical baby music which helped her to sleep almost the entire journey (we were shocked) and kept us relaxed during the busy drive out of London.

Orford is a stunning small town, dominated by the 12th century Orford Castle and Orford Church.

It has some of the best restaurants in the area including Ruth Watson’s Crown and Castle and the Butley Orford Oysterage.

Orford Castle

If you’re after a family friendly pub in Orford with the best fish and chips you’ll discover it at The Jolly Sailor. And for delightful lunches and afternoon teas, the Pump Street Bakery will satisfy your food desires!

Suffolk is an amazing and fairly untouched part of England.

It has a stunning coastline and some of the most beautiful inland forests suitable for walking, horse riding and cycling with plenty of walkways and bridal paths.

You can find out more about this amazing location for family holidays at Discover Suffolk.

For somewhere to stay visit Suffolk Secrets which has some of the most beautiful cottages, houses and beach huts for holidays in Suffolk. These are available for rental by the week or for a short break.