Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a major port and 'garden resort' on the east coast of England, in the county of Suffolk.
Understand
Lying on the coast between the Rivers Orwell and Deben, the town is normally considered to include the adjoining town of Walton and the area known informally as Old Felixstowe. A seaside town that is famous for its container port (the largest in the UK).
Get in
By car
Felixstowe is about 90 minutes - 2 hr drive from Central London. It is easily reached by road from the Midlands via the A14.
By train
- Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in the United Kingdom.
- 1 Felixstowe Station, Railway Approach, Felixstowe, IP11 9UD. On the Felixstowe Branch Line from the Great Eastern Mainline. Managed by and services provided by Greater Anglia. Regular train service from Ipswich
By boat
- 2 Harbour Ferry, View Point Rd, Felixstowe, IP11 3TW, ☏ +44 1728 666329, chris@harwichharbourferry.com. April - October: 7 crossings per day between 9:30AM and 4:30PM. Ferry for foot passengers & bicycles from Harwich and Shotley £4.50.
By bicycle
- The town in on National Cycle Route 51 running the SW to Harwich and Colchester and to the NW to Ipswich and on to Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire & Cambridgeshire.
- The town is on Regional Cycle Route 41 which runs N to meet National Cycle Route 1 between Shetland Islands and Dover, and Regional Cycle Route 42 which meets NCR 1 near Halesworth.
Get around
Buses routes 75, 76, and 77 start from Ipswich. The 77 route runs to Landuard fort and port viewing area, but the town is best explored on foot or bicycle.
See
Felixstowe is long past its heyday as a tourist resort, and is best visited now as a place to enjoy some seaside calm.
Felixstowe Ferry is perhaps the most charming part of the town. It's in the far north, beyond the golf club, at the mouth of the River Deben. It's a popular place for sailing and walks. It has good real ale pub (see below). It is best to park at the cliff top car park as there is little parking at Felixstowe ferry.
The promenade stretches 1 mile north and south of the pier two limes in total, and expect for a small length there is a good path (it is part of the Suffolk Coast long distance path) between Landguard Fort and Felixstowe Ferry. North is generally quite pleasant, with landscaped gardens and quiet shingle beaches.
In the centre of the tourist area, by the sea, there are some excellent arcades, including the famous Mannings Amusement Park (including crazy golf). There is a Sunday market beside Mannings, and a car boot sale on Saturday
Further south the beach gives way to a very industrialised dock area. In the middle of this is a little wildlife haven, around Landguard Fort. It's popular with bird watchers.
The sea shore is the site of the last opposed invasion of England in 1667 and the first land battle of the Royal Marines. The fort was built in the 18th century, modified in the 19th century with substantial additional 19th- and 20th-century outside batteries. The fort is open every day from Easter to October.
The nearby submarine mining building houses Felixstowe museum’s collections of local interest and is open Sundays & Wednesdays in summer.
- 1 Landguard Fort, View Point Road, IP11 3TW, ☏ +44 1394 675900. adults £4.00, children £1.50, concessions £3.00.
- 2 Bawdsey Radar, Bawdsey , IP12 3AT (24 miles by road (round the River Deben), to get the 5 miles direct!), ☏ +44 7821 162 879 (mobile), info@bawdseyradar.org.uk. Closed until Sept 2017 for conservation works. Whilst radar was invested in Slough, the technology was developed to at Bawdsey Radar. Free parking.
- 3 Sealand (The Principality of Sealand) (Need to organise your own boat). A sea fort in the North Sea, 10 km off the coast of Suffolk. It is best known for its (unrecognised) claim to be the world's smallest sovereign nation. However, it is regarded as a micronation by most non-Sealanders, despite its cult internet 'fanbase'.
- 4 Spa Pavillion (Theatre), Undercliff Rd, Felixstowe, IP11 2DX, ☏ +44 1394 284 962. Also café & restaurant.
Do
The fantastic amusement parks are a great day out, and for those looking to party away the night, you won't forget the über-cool bandbox nightclub.
- 1 Mannings Amusement Park, Sea Rd, IP11 2DN, ☏ +44 1394 282370. 10AM-11PM.
- 2 [dead link] Forum Amusement Arcade, Sea Rd, Felixstowe IP11 2QN, ☏ +44 1394 275715.
Between the promenade and Felixstowe Ferry there's about a mile of beaches known as "The Dip". It's dominated by beach huts but not a bad place to enjoy the beach in the summer.
There are a variety of pleasant country walks around Felixstowe, particularly in the Orwell and Deben estuaries. However, you need a car to get to these areas from the town.
- 3 Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club, Ferry Rd, Old Felixstowe, IP11 9RY, ☏ +44 1394 286834, generalmanager@felixstowegolf.co.uk.
- 4 Felixstowe Leisure Centre, Seafront, Felixstowe, IP11 2AE, ☏ +44 1394 694600. Gym, swimming pools, studio
- 5 Trimley Marshes (Nature Reserve), Cordy's Lane, Trimley St. Mary, IP11 0UD (4 miles W of town; OS Grid ref TM 262 355), ☏ +44 1394 411019. Mainly birdwatching. 2-mile walk from car park to hides & centre, can be muddy. Park at end of Cordy's Lane 1 mile from reserve entrance. Dogs on leads.
Buy
The best thing that Felixstowe has to offer on the shopping front are two exceptional second-hand bookstores. The Treasure Chest and Poor Richard's are in the town centre. The former in particular is remarkably well-stocked and both are reasonably priced. The presence of two such shops in close proximity is justification for a visit to Felixstowe for any book affecionado.
- 1 The Treasure Chest, 61 Cobbold Rd, IP11 7BH, ☏ +44 1394 270717. Particularly recommended for second-hand and antique books.
- 2 Poor Richard's (Richard's Books), 17 Orwell Rd, IP11 7EP, ☏ +44 1394 283138.
- 3 The Sausage Shop (Speciality sausages and premium butchers), 290 High Rd, Trimley St. Martin, IP11 0RH (3 miles NW of town), ☏ +44 1394 277203, realsausages@msn.com.
Supermarkets
- 4 Morrissons (Supermarket), Grange Farm Ave, Felixstowe, IP11 2XD, ☏ +44 1394 671333. M-Sa 7AM-10PM; Su 10AM-4PM. ATMs. Petrol station (different hours). Pharmacy (different hours).
- 5 Lidl (Supermarket), 2-4 Langer Rd, Felixstowe, IP11 2BU. M-Sa 8AM-10PM; Su 10AM-4PM.
Eat
There are a few restaurants of note, a few very good Fish & Chip shops, and a decent Indian and Chinese on the lower Hamilton Road.
- 1 Blue Naan, 7-9 Hamilton Rd, IP11 7BE, ☏ +44 1394 671144. Daily noon-2PM, 5:30–11:30PM. Offers an all-you-can-eat buffet, as well as takeaway.
- 2 [dead link] Sam Moi Oriental, 8 Hamilton Rd, IP11 7AU, ☏ +44 1394 282100.
- 3 The Regal Fish Bar (Restaurant & Take-away), Sea Rd, Felixstowe, IP11 2DH, ☏ +44 1394 273977. M-Sa 11:30AM-2:15PM & 4:30-8:15PM, Su 11AM-4:15PM.
Drink
The few pubs in Felixstowe offering a wide of atmosphere to suit all tastes. The young and trendy should try either the Grosvenor which is behind the main shop street on Ranleigh road, or The Alex on the sea front. The Cork has a balcony with views across the sea.
- 1 [dead link] Grosvenor, 25-31 Ranelagh Rd, IP11 7HA, ☏ +44 1394 284137. M-F noon-11PM, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-11PM.
- 2 The Alex, 123 Undercliff Rd W, IP11 2AF, ☏ +44 1394 282958.
- 3 The Cork, 129 Undercliff Road West, IP11 2AQ, ☏ +44 1394 283562.
Sleep
Felixstowe being an English seaside resort, there is no shortage of overpriced, poor-quality B&B accommodation.
- 1 [dead link] The Fludyers, Undercliff Road East, IP11 7LU, ☏ +44 1394 691929. 12-room hotel in renovated Edwardian building
- 2 The Orwell Hotel, Hamilton Rd., ☏ +44 1394 285511.
- 3 Bawdsey Manor Bed and Breakfast (B&B and Guesthouse), Bawdsey Manor, Bawdsey, IP12 3AZ, ☏ +44 1394 411633. Large bed and breakfast in a beautiful house set in outstanding location in Suffolk.
Go next
- Ipswich, the Orwell and Deben estuaries are all easily visited from Felixstowe. The town makes a good base for all of Suffolk and North Essex.
- Harwich
- Orford
| Routes through Felixstowe |
| Birmingham ← Ipswich ← | W  E |
→ END |