I went to ‘the happiest place in the UK’ to discover what’s so jolly about this small town in Suffolk

It might not have appealed to one outspoken former footballer, but for Andrew Day, the many charms of Woodbridge – from cosy pubs to winding alleys and a lazy quayside – are clear to see. Here’s how to spend time in and around the town

Monday 16 December 2024 05:47 EST
Comments
Down by the river: The flowing water of the Deben gives Woodbridge a beautiful backdrop
Down by the river: The flowing water of the Deben gives Woodbridge a beautiful backdrop (Getty/iStock)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

While walking up Seckford Street, passing a market stall selling freshly baked bread outside the handsome Flemish-looking Shire Hall, I reflect that this must have been the fifth occasion today I had asked myself: “What the hell is Roy Keane’s problem?”

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone with a bad word to say about Woodbridge. That is, unless you bump into the former Manchester United captain, who, when he was Ipswich Town manager, claimed it was a nice town – but only for “a holiday weekend in summer, maybe”.

Naturally, I’d never say this to the fiery Irishman’s face: Roy, I disagree profoundly. Woodbridge is one of the best towns in Britain, year-round.

I love its wild colour and wonky beams, its old cosy pubs, winding lanes, and the distinct Suffolk-ness of the place – it has a marvellous three-storey tide mill, still in working order, and probably in better nick now than when it was built in 1793. But it’s the small things that make a big difference here: taking a stroll along the River Deben, you’ll invariably spot houseboats, bobbing under Turner-esque skies, stacked with jolly flower pots as smoke dances up from their chimneys. You’ll hear the gentle lap of the tide and find seagulls scavenging on someone’s discarded fish and chips.

I am not alone in holding a soft spot for Woodbridge. Even before the market town topped Rightmove’s list of “the happiest places to live in the UK” for the first time – knocking Richmond upon Thames off the top spot – locals knew they lived somewhere special.

Woodbridge was rated as the UK’s happiest town for 2024
Woodbridge was rated as the UK’s happiest town for 2024 (Getty)

Read more: Want a foodie holiday in the UK? Our guide to butchery courses, pasta making, whisky tasting and more

During my visits I’ve learnt that there’s more to Woodbridge than its lazy riverfront. The Thoroughfare, the town’s main pedestrianised shopping street, is highly wanderable, with book shops, tea rooms and cafés, antiques, fishmongers, while an enjoyable day would involve fuelling up on Belgian waffles and a strong coffee at breakfast spot Honey + Harvey.

Impeccably tasteful homeware stores have opened up: Scandi-inspired Vanil – founded by former creative director Amanda Leeson – and Pascale, which offers a curated selection of ceramics and glassware. In New Street, you’ll find Denny Hodson’s boutique, Homespun, which sells international fashion brands alongside clothes designed in Suffolk.

At the top of Market Hill, Woodbridge has a few high-end boutiques dotted around its lovely old square; you can pick up Vivienne Westwood at Fanny & Frank, while the town’s twentysomethings and thirtysomethings – many, who’ve left London in search of cosmopolitan living near the coast – shop at Uniform Research.

Andrew and his family stop for a drink at The Anchor
Andrew and his family stop for a drink at The Anchor (Andrew Day)

Read more: The best hotels in Penzance, Cornwall

If you’re more into feasting than fashion, head downhill to The Anchor pub for an English staple, like Gressingham duck breast or slow roast Dingley Dell pork – it’s always packed, so book ahead.

There are other excellent drinking holes in town, including The Red Lion in prime position on The Thoroughfare, the Old Mariner with its grassy pub garden, Ye Olde Bell and Steelyard, apparently the 12th oldest pub in England, and the Angel – which serves no food, but you do have over 270 choices of gin.

Another part of Woodbridge’s charm? It’s not on the mainline to London. As a result, it manages to be both peaceful, and do-able for a part-time commute. Many travel to the capital from Manningtree (about a 30-minute drive), as the station tends to be quieter than Ipswich.

After exploring the town, there’s beautiful countryside waiting: only 10 minutes away, on the opposite side of the River Deben, lies Sutton Hoo – an Anglo-Saxon royal burial site, better known since featuring in the 2021 film The Dig. A reconstruction of the longship, unearthed in 1939, is currently being crafted by volunteers on Woodbridge’s quayside.

Woodbridge has plenty of drinking holes, antiques and book shops, tea rooms and cafés to explore
Woodbridge has plenty of drinking holes, antiques and book shops, tea rooms and cafés to explore (Getty)

Read more: What Rishi Sunak can expect on the Coast to Coast walk – as he bids to make it ‘UK’s greatest national trail’

Rendlesham Forest makes for a pleasant afternoon escape (a 20-minute drive). Home to a stretch of coniferous woodland – and the UK’s most infamous UFO sightings in 1980 – there’s dizzying beauty and immense old silence everywhere you turn, lovely for walks or cycling.

Just outside Woodbridge, in Bromeswell, The Unruly Pig can’t stop winning awards. With excellent food (British with an Italian tinge), it’s a lovely laid-back gastropub and pretty good value, too. Very handy before or after a visit to Sutton Hoo or Rendlesham Forest.

Back in Woodbridge, the town feels like the last outpost of normality before you hit the A-list Suffolk coastal towns with second-home buyers and six-figure beach huts. Woodbridge has all the charm of Aldeburgh or Southwold, but is a proper 365-day place.

I love to walk the hidden alleys and poke about the shops, but I always seem to end up down at the quayside. I pick up cooked-to-order cod and chips at the Cumberland Fish Bar, and find a spot by the river.

Listening to wading birds calling from the mudflats, I tuck in, and can’t help but ask myself for the sixth occasion today: “Seriously, what the hell is Roy Keane’s problem?”

Read more: Barry Island travel guide – where to eat, drink, walk and stay in the home of Gavin and Stacey

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in