This coastal bolthole on the Suffolk coast makes a fantastic couples’ retreat or base for a small family. You’ll be close to Aldeburgh’s quaint shops and woof-friendly eateries, and you can join the coastal path directly from your front door. The property has a sociable, open-plan kitchen/diner that’s ideal for hosting dinner parties and family celebrations.
The Victorian property still retains many of its period features, including sash windows and an original, ornamental fireplace. Enter the cottage into a handy lobby area, where you can store your sandy boots and dog-walking gear. At the heart of the home is a stylish kitchen/diner, with plenty of worktop space for whipping up tasty feasts, as well as a farmhouse-style dining table and a cosy window seat. After dinner, retire to the lounge, where you can watch a film on the Smart TV or pick something to read from the bookcase. The two elegant bedrooms are upstairs, one of which has a gorgeous four-poster bed and an en-suite cloakroom. Completing the accommodation is a family bathroom. Outside, you and your hairy sidekicks can watch the world go by from the south-facing courtyard that runs the full length of the front of the cottage.
There are some excellent woof-welcoming beaches near Aldeburgh. If you’re visiting out of season, you and the pups can enjoy strolls along the sand and shingle shore of the main beach, admiring the iconic Scallop sculpture, commemorating the composer Benjamin Britten. In summer, the beach is a paw-free zone. However, just north of the town is a vast, 1-mile stretch of beach which welcomes four-pawed beach-goers all year. A popular dog walk from the town is the 2-mile coastal path leading to the quirky holiday village of Thorpeness, with its mock Tudor architecture and picturesque boating lake.