A summer day out in Bungay and the Waveney Valley from The Firs
- Jun 26
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 16
Bungay and the Waveney Valley make a brilliant summer day out from The Firs — castle ruins, riverside walks, a historic brewery and a wonderfully quirky folklore festival. This pretty corner of the Suffolk–Norfolk border is around 20 minutes from our countryside retreat, and often overlooked by visitors who head straight for the coast. We're 45 minutes from Norwich and 2 hours from London.
Bungay is a characterful little market town built around the ruins of Bigod's Castle. Wander the antique and independent shops, follow the walks along the River Waveney, and soak up a town that wears its history lightly. The Black Shuck — a legendary ghostly black hound said to have terrified the town in 1577 — is woven into local lore.
That legend comes to life at the Black Shuck Festival, held in Bungay over 31 July to 5 August 2026 — a celebration of Suffolk folklore with theatre, live music, art and immersive performances across the town. It's exactly the kind of offbeat, characterful event that makes a Suffolk summer special.
Nearby, St Peter's Brewery — one of England's older craft breweries — sits in the grounds of the beautiful moated St Peter's Hall at St Peter South Elmham, with its shop and historic setting well worth the short drive. And Beccles, the handsome Waveney market town with its lido and riverside, is just beyond.
Back at The Firs, an evening in the gardens awaits: the pizza oven, the firepit and a wood-fired hot tub under the summer sky.
For summer UK stays that get you beyond the obvious, this countryside stay opens up the quiet, characterful Waveney Valley.
Planning a Suffolk summer break? Check availability and book direct.
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More on the area: Visit Suffolk.
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