Motorhome friendly trip to Sunny Southwold

True to our word, after our relaxing week at Willow Fields the first stop on our Motorhome trip was a Pub! 

Hey, it’s all about supporting local and we are more than happy to oblige. Plus it is one of our favourite ways to get a taste of authentic Britain. There is something truly magical about experiencing proper pubs. Ones that have low beam ceilings and crooked doorways. 

It’s a far cry from the chain pubs we are used to and one of the (many) things we love about travelling. We were still travelling with John, Mandy and Daz and this was our first time all hanging out together since our Scotland Motorhome trip in October last year.

Two for Two

We actually did two pub stops in a row. First up was The Kings Arms in Scalford, Melton Mowbray. We were the first Motorhomes they had ever had stay over! The owners were more than happy to trail it and I think it was a success. They said that now they know Motorhomes can fit through the entrance and in to the car park, they will consider offering this as an option.

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How fantastic, a fab new pub for Motorhomers (and Campervan-ers!) to stop at plus an expansion in business options for the pub. Exactly what both parties need, especially in the year of the staycation and getting the economy back on its feet!

Second Times a Charm

The second pub stop was the Swan Inn in Hoxne. Now this was right up our alley. Even though we were not able to go inside, we did get a peek when going to the toilets and it was low beam ceilings and huge fireplaces all round! It looks medieval inside so I took my time walking to the toilets (as best I could without taking the Mickey) as I was busy gawping at the gorgeous architecture.

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The food here was absolutely stunning and to top it off the grounds were so picturesque. There was a river running along the back of the immaculately kept beer garden and out front, the local village convenience store was just across the road. This also served as the local B&B, Bakers, Tea Room and Post Office! As I said, we love this kind of place, full of charm and character, such a contrast to what we’re used to.

Back to the Coast 

Off the back of two absolutely awesome Pub Stopovers, we made our way East to Southwold. 

Jon and I have been past here before but didn’t do much exploring in the area. John, Mandy and Daz had all visited last year on a previous Motorhome trip and wanted to go back again, mainly to visit the Sole Bay Fish Company. It’s a smoke house along the harbour front serving the most amazing fish. We can see why they wanted to return. We’ve never had fish and chips like it!! 

Catch of the Day

Ok, if you’ve watched our YouTube video of our visit here, you will know that Jon and I actually ordered battered sausage and chips. Jon doesn’t really like ‘fish that’s too fishy’ (I have no idea what that means either) and I wasn’t sure what to order in case I didn’t like it. We played it safe but Daz and Mandy kindly let me have samples of their dishes and wow! It was incredible! 

I tried battered oyster for the first time which was delicious. I also sampled the fishcake and the fish goujons. Both of those sound like simple dishes but let me tell you, they were out of this world. The fishcake had just the right amount of potato mixed with prawns and other fish (I’m not quite sure what they were but it was tasty!). 

The goujons, well, the batter was just the right consistency. Not too heavy and not too stodgy and the fish inside was melt in the mouth. In fact my mouth is watering slightly thinking about it now.

Parking, no Problem!

Before we had even tried the food, we had a feeling it was going to be a good visit when we pulled up. Why? Because the car park was huge! All 3 Motorhomes fit with no issues. I believe I have said it before but when you can park easily and comfortably it makes such a difference to your day. 

Especially when you are within walking distance of the local town/attraction/sights. Even better, it was only £4.10 to park for the whole day and you can pay via RingGo so you don’t need to faff about finding change. The What 3 Words location is ///ushering.terminal.behalf

Ladies of Leisure

After our fish feast, the boys all wanted to chill in the vans. Mandy and I, however, wanted to go off exploring! More specifically, we wanted to find the local tat shops.

Like two giggling school girls, we set off to town. It is literally a 10 minute walk from the car park and has all of the British seaside charm we were hoping for.

Everything you could want

The shops of Southwold did not disappoint! There is such a lovely mixture of traditional gift shops, funky modern homeware shops (In particular we loved Max Southwold and Lift) and a few high street shops selling all the outdoor gear you need for a visit here.

Sprinkle in some bakeries, breweries and coffee shops and you have yourself the perfect afternoon out by the seaside. We were gone for a few hours, making sure we looked in every shop. I think the best part, though, was the people

Supporting Local

We chatted to a fair few of the owners and people working in the shops and each one was as lovely as the last. They clearly enjoy sharing their beautiful town with visitors and were only too happy to engage. Most were interested in what we were up to and the fact we tour full time in our Motorhomes. 

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I can’t describe how much I love that. We tour because we want to see all the different cultures, towns and people in our country so when they are as excited to share as we are to experience it, it really is special. 

Ending on a High

Practically worn out from all the laughing, chatting and squealing at anything cute or miniature, we ended our day by grabbing mochas from the H&J coffee shop and ice cream parlour (WTW: ///vibrate.gentlemen.arrived) and made our way slowly back along the promenade and to the vans.

As the sun began to set, we got ready to head off to our next stopover, excited for what the next few days may bring!