Mid-Suffolk Light Railway

Steam trains still run on a stretch of track that closed to regular passengers back in 1952. The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway, based near Eye, operates heritage services that let you actually ride these vintage engines - proper transport from another era, not just a museum piece you stare at through glass.

You'll board at Brockford Station (if that's where the service runs from - it shifts about) and rattle along a few miles of restored line. The carriages are wonderfully tatty in that authentic way, all worn plush and creaky doors. On a good day you get views across the Suffolk countryside - gentle, rolling, very eastern England. The whole trip takes a couple of hours at most, which suits families with young kids who'd fidget on anything longer.

Historically minded types will appreciate the genuine engineering here. These aren't modern replicas - they're actual locomotives and stock from the steam age, maintained by volunteers who clearly know their business. It's the sort of place where you overhear proper enthusiasts discussing valve gear while families point out the puffer and smoke.

Check the website for running dates before you go - heritage railways don't operate year-round. Winter services are thin on the ground. Summer weekends are your best bet. Admission costs a few quid for a return ticket, roughly speaking.

If you're camping at Hill Farm Suffolk or Stonham Barns (both within five miles), this makes a solid half-day outing. Eye itself is small but functional for supplies. Don't expect theme-park thrills - expect the gentle pleasure of vintage travel and the smell of coal smoke.