Woodbridge

Just fifteen minutes from Ipswich, this historic market town feels properly English without the tourist crowds. Woodbridge sits where the River Deben winds towards the North Sea, creating a landscape that's half maritime Suffolk, half ancient woodland. The town centre has that lived-in quality you get in places where locals actually shop - independent bookshops next to proper butchers, Georgian facades hiding modern cafes.

Martlesham Heath Control Tower Museum tells the story of when this was the edge of Britain's wartime defences. It's a bit of a trek but worth it for aviation buffs. The surrounding countryside offers brilliant walking through Lumber Wood and Welham Plantation, where you can lose yourself for hours among ancient oaks and birdsong.

Waldringfield, just downstream, is where weekenders come to mess about in boats. The golf club there has views across the estuary that make even a terrible round bearable. Back in town, St Michael & All Angels dominates the skyline - classic Suffolk flint and stone that's been watching over market days for centuries.

Getting here is straightforward enough. The A12 brings you close, though parking in the town centre can be a nightmare on Saturdays. Stay at one of the nearby parks and you've got easy access to both the Deben Valley walks and the coast at Felixstowe, twenty minutes away. It's that rare combination - proper Suffolk countryside within reach of everything else.