A splash in the outdoor swimming pool. Family time out on the river. A just-you-and-me paddle through nature in a kayak made for two. Views from the Bell Tower top. A quick spin around the Waveney Valley countryside or wander along the Angles Way.
Beccles has so many adventures to offer – gentle or otherwise. What pace will you choose?
Beccles Quay and the riverside are where town and country become one.
Today, where sea-fishermen once landed herring at riverport quaysides and waterfront wharves were a hive of industry, life is devoted to leisure.
Enjoy the beautiful setting, breathe-in spaces and places to wander and watch the water-born world go by. Or why not get active and take to the water, hiring a canoe or dayboat, or enjoying a gentle ferry ride up-river ?
Moorings are available Beccles Quay. There are also car parks, cafés, a playpark and walks adjacent in the Quay area.
Rivercliff-top Beccles has a whole host of historic high points. Self-guided trails are an ideal way to discover the 11th century round tower remains of St Peter’s Church disguised within a house on Old Market, timber-framed survivors the Great Fire of Beccles (1586), stylish Georgian façades and all sorts of fascinating facts.
The 14th century Church of St Michael the Archangel may not be Beccles’ oldest, but its 30m bell tower is both standalone and definitely the most outstanding!
Have a head for heights? A climb up the Beccles Bell Tower is a must. The Waveney Valley views really are worth every step! Open regularly throughout the summer season.
plan your visit Walks & Trails
Amongst the handful of places in England recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as having a market, Beccles has a unique trading history dating back to Anglo Saxon times and not one, but two market places.
Picturesque Old Market above the river was once the home of a great fish market, flanked by a chapel and inns. Today it’s still a bustling hub – for bus journeys! The weekly Friday market takes place in New Market – founded over five centuries ago! – at the heart of the town surrounded by independent shops, restaurants, pubs and cafés.
Shopping Places to eatA real, all-round Beccles gem. Located in historic former school-room, Leman House, this little volunteer-led museum is not only accessible, fascinating and free (donations always welcome!), but brim-full of insights into what has made Beccles tick over the centuries.
Clocks, coins, butterflies, bells; a great pike and civic paraphenalia, plus everything from aviation to Anglo-Saxons – there’s sure to be something eyebrow-raising of interest!
Top tip – Don’t miss the museum’s charming little garden with its fine cliff-top river views.
plan your visit
Theatre and stage shows, comedy, concerts, film screenings, creative workshops, family fun, interview talks, pantomime spectaculars … when it comes to what’s on at this community arts and entertainment venue, the list is all-encompassing and endless!
From family-friendly holiday-time favourites to wine tasting evenings, talks and tribute bands, there’s something for all tastes, every week of the year at this volunteer-run, historic venue that’s been at the heart of the community for over two centuries.
Find out more What's onYou’ll find fab events in Beccles’ streets, venues and green spaces throughout the year.
Get stuck in to the deliciously tempting, annual food & drink festival. Browse an antiques market by the quay, enjoy the thrill of the triathlon by the Lido outdoor swimming pool or get festive with the Beccles Christmas lights and shopping event.
Family fun is so often central to town events. Why not follow some colourful characters for living history or ghost walks through the town – or perhaps the summer carnival parade?
Find out more Upcoming Events
With a 30 metre main pool, a splash pool and a toddler pool, plus an outdoor play area, all-weather exercise equipment and plenty of outdoor terrace space to picnic or enjoy a drink or ice-cream from the café, The Lido really does have something for all the family.
In its beautiful riverside setting, it has been delighting locals and visitors for generations. Look out for inflatable aquafun sessions and lane swimming opportunities too.
Plan your visitClimb to the top of St Michael’s bell tower and the countryside setting of Beccles is sure to make a real impact – a carpet of emerald green grazing meadows and woodland rolls out for miles with the River Waveney meandering its lazy course gently in between. Can you spot the swings down in Waveney Meadow by the Lido Quay?
To the east, downriver, the expanse of green at The Quay is just made for fun and games and is a great outdoor events space. There’s a playpark for the little ones and plenty of run-around room for picnics and playtimes. Set out from here for a host of family-friendly walks that trail away around the ancient marshlands of nature-rich Beccles Fen.
You’ll find more places for all types of play and a circular walk too at Beccles Common. This colourful area of heathland is tinged orange in early summer and bright with gorse bushes for much of the year. Home to Beccles Golf Club and a firm favourite with dog-walkers, it’s only a stroll away down The Avenue – the beautiful tree-lined walk behind the railway station. Or why not walk to it from The Quay via Ravensmere and take in the secret little garden in the old brick animal pound on the way?
‘Gateway to the Southern Broads’, Beccles is the ideal place to start to unlock the secrets of the biodiverse and watery landscapes of the Broads National Park. Beyond Beccles to the east, the River Waveney winds its course towards the sea, nudging past Oulton Broad near Lake Lothing and Lowestoft, to meet the River Yare – and the River Bure from the Northern Broads – at Breydon Water near Great Yarmouth.
It’s a wildly beautiful part of East Anglia, made up of land, lakes and waterways – and one which is both easily accessible and yet somehow rather elusive. It’s a natural world of rivers winding towards the sea – but has origins in the artificial too: a ‘broad’, technically speaking, is a shallow lake formed by the early digging out of peat where water levels which have risen over the centuries.
Confusingly, you can be in The Broads and on The Broads at the same time … without even getting your feet wet!
But above all, The Broads and their waterways are simply magical – home to some of England’s most stunningly wetland wildlife and landscapes, hugely diverse and to be safeguarded for generations to come.
And you’ll find them full of invitations to engage at every turn. Which one will you choose?
Thank you for enjoying responsibly.
Whether you take a wander along one of the Marsh Trails at Beccles Fen or head to one of the riverside nature reserves down-river, you’ll want to have those binoculars to hand!
Spot swans coming in to land on the river, Marsh harriers hovering overhead, tiny warblers and waders and dragon- and damselflies by the score. Discover the delights of managed reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest from all sorts of mini-beasts to amazing fenland flora and fauna.
Riverside reserves local to Beccles include:
Get up close and personal with nature, exploring the river by canoe, kayak or paddleboard.
Paddle up-river from Beccles and beyond Geldeston where the river is no longer navigable by powered craft, enjoy truly quiet waters and some real live tales of the riverbank.
Paddling not for you? Hire a day-boat cruiser from Beccles, or take a trip on the Big Dog Ferry to Geldeston and enjoy the skipper’s commentary!
Find out more HireThe gently undulating, wide river valley around Beccles is simply ideal walking country.
Sunday strollers and hardened ramblers alike will love its paths, pews and stunning views!
Just step out of town along riverside or field margin footpaths, waymarked marshland trails or sections of the Waveney Valley long distance path – the Angles Way.
Walks & Trails
From National and Regional cycle routes to the round-Suffolk Wolf Way or linear Angles Way, Beccles is perfectly placed for visiting by bike.
What’s more the Waveney Valley’s combination of quiet country lanes, rural tracks and bridleways make for some superbly scenic cycling opportunities – just take a look at the portfolio of themed Cycling Discovery Rides.
Rides & TrailsThere’s so much more of a buzz to Beccles than just its markets, shops, events and wildlife!
Spin ’round the racetrack in a kart. Dive from the sky (strapped to a professional!). Cut a shape at the skatepark or enjoy the thrill and challenge of a guided mini-expedition on the water.
Find out more
Water-based activities from boating to canoeing; moorings at beautiful Beccles Quay; the famous riverside Beccles Lido outdoor swimming pool; ancient Beccles Fen and its river walks; Beccles Common and golf course; museum, heritage and tower-top experiences; skydiving and karting; town and country walks and cycle rides; Waveney Valley view points, green spaces and nature reserves are all located in or around Beccles in north Suffolk, the gateway to the Southern Broads, connected to the Norfolk Broads National Park.
