Monday 10 January 2011

Short Romantic Breaks - spoil your loved one this valentine's day with a luxury log cabin break in Suffolk UK


Now that Christmas is behind us and we have nothing but the dreary months of January and February  to look forward to, why not put something in the diary to cheer you and your partner up? Valentine’s Day this year (2011) falls on a Monday, why not book some quality time away with your loved one and spend Valentine's weekend from Friday 11th – Monday 14th February here at Windmill Lodges? If you have it in mind to treat yourselves to a longer break away, you could always book to stay with us from the Monday to the Friday of the week prior to the day or for Valentine’s week itself.

Log Cabin Holidays are Romantic

Windmill Lodges offer 4 and 5 star luxury accommodation in the form of romantic log cabin holidays. Our log cabins are very warm and snugly, thanks to their solid wood log construction, gas central heating with gas log effect fires and under floor heating. Set in picturesque and peaceful surroundings, they are grouped around a delightful catch and release fishing lake in the village of Saxtead, near to Woodbridge and Framlingham in Suffolk. Their setting provides you with the space to relax and unwind and the quality of their finish and interior décor gives you the opportunity to enjoy your time together, in complete comfort and absolute luxury. As an added bonus and a real treat, all our log cabins come with their very own, private hot tub so you can relax and pamper yourselves to your heart’s content, sipping champagne, under the stars.

Suffolk is an ideal choice for a short break

The ideal location for a short break, Saxtead in Woodbridge, Suffolk is easy to get to from the surrounding areas of London, Essex and Kent making it just perfect for anyone wishing to get away from it all for a short while. Close to the coast, it is ideal for those romantic walks along the beach followed by a warming pub lunch.

Exploring the locality, you’ll find the ancient fortified town of Framlingham. This jewel in Suffolk’s historical crown boasts the well preserved remains of a 12th Century fortress. Now in the care of English Heritage, Framlingham Castle, which was once the refuge of Mary Tudor, features a wealth of history, going back some 800 years and details what life was like in the castle with permanent installations and changing exhibitions.

Impressive as they are, there’s more to Framlingham than its curtain walled castle remains; lovely views can be had of the Mere and should you tire of such natural beauty, you can take one of the town trails. Framlingham is peppered with themed trails which take you on a journey of discovery, aided by an audio guide. Plaques set in the pavements and on the walls act as markers and help you to navigate your way around as you are given a potted history of the town and its people.

Other must sees in the area are the gorgeous seaside towns of Aldeburgh, Orford and Southwold. Aldeburgh is of course famous for its music festival. This year-round music venue inspires and energizes artists at all stages in their careers, bringing them together in an atmosphere of creativity and musical exploration. You can attend concerts given by some of the world's most talented musicians; discover new works by young composers or marvel at the artistic installations laid out on the beach. You can even experience the creative process itself, through an open session or master class given by performers and artists that have reached the very pinnacle of their professions.  Here you really can get involved, learn new skills and take part in an open air event or simply soak up the creative mood, with a relaxing walk among the reed beds or along the beach.

The beautiful seaside town of Orford offers life at a wonderfully relaxed pace and a visit here, will leave you feeling chilled out and ready to face your busy world again, if that is, you want to return to it at all. It is the perfect place to explore whilst on a short break in Suffolk, with plenty of fine eateries and entertainments in place for both the older and younger generations. Those seeking historical gems will delight in St Bartholomew's Church. This Grade One listed 14th Century building, with 12th century remains, is open to visitors daily and well worth a look, as is Orford Castle which was built between 1165 and 1173. The castle’s keep is all that remains here and yet, it is still an impressive sight. It is the perfect place to take a brisk walk whilst paying a respectful nod to the past. Another English Heritage property, the circular interior has five floors including kitchens and a chapel. The 27 meter climb, to the top of the tower provides a rewarding view of the village and surrounding countryside, including the River Ore and Orford Ness.

The nature lovers among you will love Orford Ness. It is Europe's largest vegetated shingle spit and as such,  is protected by the National Trust. There are many rare species here and natural coastal wildlife habitats including shingle, saltmarshes, mudflats, brackish lagoons and grazing marshes, all of which provide important locations for breeding and migratory birds as well as for coastal flora and fauna.

For a different kind of beauty, a visit to the lovely seaside towns of Southwold and Walberswick won't go amiss. You’ll find these two charming and picturesque places buzzing with activity but whilst life moves a little faster here, it maintains a reverence for the past and a deep respect for nature’s glorious bounty which is much in evidence.

In Southwold, a beautifully restored pier plays host to shops displaying artistic souvenirs and there is a wonderful lighthouse which you can climb. The promenade is just like that out of an old movie, a scene which is properly set by the ice cream coloured beach huts that line the soft, golden sanded beach. Set quite a way back from the beach, is a thriving high street featuring many independent shops and fine restaurants and there’s a market held here every Monday and Thursday featuring many stalls selling fresh local produce.

The once thriving port of Walberswick is now little more than a village, but what a beautiful village it is; testament to this is that a large percentage of the properties in the area are now holiday homes, owned by wealthy Londoners who nip to the seaside for long weekends.  Walberswick has long been known as a busy and thriving place due to its appeal as a tourist attraction. Over one thousand acres of heath and marshland around the village have been designated Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB) and the wide variety of flora and fauna in the area makes Walberswick popular with ramblers and visitors alike.

A popular and exciting attraction, particularly among young children is the annual British Open Crabbing Championship which has been held here for over thirty years. The competition raises funds for various local, county and sea related charities and attracts entrants from around the world. Attendance to this event, held at the beginning of August has been steadily increasing year on year and is expected to top the 1000 mark again in 2011.

Romantic ways to spend your valentine's break

Here are five ideas to help you enjoy your Valentine’s Day break in Suffolk

Share a romantic meal 

Your holiday lodge is equipped with all the mod cons and everything you would expect to help you to prepare and enjoy the loveliest of romantic meals. All you need to do is bring the food. Our lodges are beautifully presented and furnished to 4 and 5 star ratings, set the tone with some soft music and ensure there is just enough candlelight to enable Cupid to hit his mark.

Enjoy a glass or two of Champagne in the hot tub

A hot tub, your loved one, the stars and a glass of bubbly, what could be more romantic than that? You can look for patterns in the stars together or see how many constellations you can name. You can plan the following day’s activities or look back over your favourite bits of the day just gone or you could just simply lie there, in each other's arms.

Enjoy a concert together at Snape Maltings
Concerts of various kinds are always taking place at the Snape Maltings Concert Hall. There is a rich program of musicality held all year round. In June each year, the concert hall plays host to the famous Aldeburgh music festival which was started, back in 1948 by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears. The Red House in Aldeburgh, where Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears lived and worked together for almost thirty years, is now the home of the Britten-Pears Foundation established to promote their musical legacy. Recent additions to the world-famous concert hall at Snape have been the Hoffmann Building and the Britten–Pears Building which contain a mixture of rehearsal and performance spaces including the Britten Studio and the Peter Pears Recital Room.

Enjoy a romantic river cruise together

You could dine in style aboard The Lady Florence River Cruise Restaurant. Setting sail from Orford Quay, the boat sails up the Rivers Ore and Alde, passing by Havergate Island and Orford Ness on the way. The Lady Florence offers brunch, lunch, dinner & romantic sunset cocktail cruises to a select group and is the ideal way to spend a romantic evening together.
Sailing year round, with a cosy coal fire to keep you warm on Valentine’s Day, The Lady Florence provides a very different fine-dining experience. As the vessel cruises the calm waters, freshly prepared fine foods and drink are served whilst you glide past some of Suffolk’s most outstanding scenery. The romantic sunset cruise is timed to take place in the two and a half hours leading up to sunset, during which an a la carte supper and cocktails are served. 

Go for lovely long walks in the beautiful Suffolk countryside

If you're fond of the great outdoors then there’s no better way to enjoy it than wrapping up warm and going for long, leisurely walks through Suffolk’s stunning countryside. You're never too far from a riverside view and there’s plenty of wildlife to spot on the way. There are a number of castles and stately homes to visit if you wish. There are the ancient castles of Orford or Framlingham, there’s the Abbey in Bury St Edmunds or the famed Sutton Hoo, with its far-reaching views over the river Deben, all of which remain open for Valentines week. Other places to visit for a romantic stroll include the many quaint seaside towns and villages that line the coast. Look out for Aldeburgh, Southwold and Walberswick or head inland for Lavenham, Framlingham and of course, Woodbridge.

Log Cabin Holidays – click here to view our luxury log cabin accommodation

Ten Things to Enjoy on a Log Cabin Holiday

Windmill Lodges specialise in log cabin holidays in Suffolk. Windmill Lodges is a select development of just 7 luxuriously appointed holiday log cabins set in beautifully tended grounds, around an idyllic catch and release fishing lake in the rural village of Saxtead, near to Framlingham and Woodbridge. You can relax and unwind in true luxury here, knowing that each of our award winning 4 and 5 star log cabins comes equipped with everything you will need to ensure that your log cabin holiday is as restful, enjoyable and comfortable as possible.

Our log cabins are built to the very highest standards and depending upon which one you choose, will comfortably accommodate up to 8 people, providing the ideal short break holiday for you and your family.

1. Being Immersed in Nature

There are few things more nurturing and kind to the soul than being able to get away and relax in the English countryside, regardless of the time of year. In the spring and summertime, country walks bring you the pleasures of nature at its best; vibrant and full of life and in the autumn and winter months, whilst the colours and the scenery may have changed, the beauty remains for all to see. How many times have you been enchanted as you gaze at a frosted winter scene, filled with the joys of spring, struck by the beauty of a summer meadow or found yourself lost in the ever-changing colours of an autumn forest?

2. Luxuriating in your own private hot tub

All of our lodges come complete with their very own private hot tubs. Always maintained to the highest standards, our hot tubs are a delight for the whole family. Adults love them because they are the perfect antidote to a stressful week at work or a lovely way to relax aching limbs after a long country walk and kids love them because they’re great for splashing around in. If you are holidaying as a couple or can put the kids to bed early, then you can relax and enjoy the pleasure of your own company in your own private hot tub sipping champagne as you luxuriate under the stars.

3. Visiting Suffolk's Heritage coast

Suffolk’s heritage coast is a quiet and natural place consisting of low marshes and reed beds. These are interspersed with sand and shingle beaches and the pretty little seaside towns of Dunwich, Aldeburgh and Southwold amongst others. There is calmness and serenity here and life proceeds at a delightfully slower pace than that of many other coastal regions. Visitors can take stock here as they relax into a calmer more peaceful way of life

Bird life is prevalent in the area with 3 RSPB run nature reserves at Aldeburgh, Orford, and Minsmere. Here you’ll find avocets, bitterns, and marsh harriers as well as numerous butterflies and rare wildflowers. Much of the heath land and coast, including 215 acres of cliff and sandy beach has been put in the care of the National Trust, who are charged with the job of protecting the landscape and its wildlife as well as many of the older and significant buildings in the area.

4. Snuggling up with under floor heating, gas effect fire and thick bathrobes

The solid log construction of our log cabins keeps them nice and cool in high summer and lovely and warm throughout the autumn and winter months but we provide you with more than just natural insulation. All of our lodges are fitted with a gas log effect fire and under floor heating and we also provide luxuriously thick bathrobes to add to your comfort.

The log effect fires are ideal for snuggling up in front of as they give off a lovely heat, filling the room with dancing shadows and warmth. Before long, your log cabin will be toasty warm and you’ll be enjoying the romantic glow of a roaring fire. The under floor heating in our cabins is a super touch. It means that when you wake in the mornings, you’ll be able to slip comfortably out of bed and your toes will be saved the insult of a cold hard floor.

5. Spending quality couple time together

One of the very loveliest things about holidaying as a couple, in a luxurious log cabin set deep in the Suffolk countryside, is that you get to spend every minute of every day with each other. Not as perhaps you might at home, with a myriad of distractions and things of seeming importance to interrupt, but rather, alone together, in an environment that is at once, peaceful, relaxing, nurturing, fulfilling and recharging.

Too often these days, hectic work schedules and social lives clamour for your attention, jostling for position in an attempt to get to the top of your to do list and in doing so, making you lose sight of what’s really important in life such as the simple things like togetherness, partnership, love, affection and fun. Log cabin holidays give you the chance to take your foot of the gas, to touch base with your partner, to re-acquaint yourselves with what it was that attracted you to each other in the first place.

6. Getting an early night

Busy work and social lives often eat in to evening relaxation time giving you less chance to recover from the day. This forces you to stay up later in order to wind down before going to sleep and leaves you with fewer resources to call upon for the following day. A short break in a luxurious log cabin will give you the chance to get a few early nights and help to restore a sense of balance and equilibrium to your body and mind.

7. Eating locally reared meat and fresh vegetables - cooked on the BBQ (in the summer)

The county of Suffolk is one of England’s largest natural larders. A vast range of locally made/reared, free range and organic foods are produced here including meats, fish, fruit and vegetables. Suffolk even produces its own beer, wine and ice-cream. Much of this produce can be sourced from one of the many farmers markets or farm shops in the area.

In the summer time there is nothing better that getting together with the family and cooking up a feast on the BBQ and there’s something reassuringly wholesome about knowing that the meat you are eating has been reared and cared for properly and that the vegetables were not soaked in chemicals or transported hundreds of miles before appearing on your plate.

8. Going for long, refreshing walks through gentle Suffolk countryside

Suffolk’s countryside is gently undulating, it’s not Norfolk or Lincolnshire flat, but then it’s not too hilly either. At its highest point, it is less than 130m above sea level, so it is a county given to gentle slopes and slow flowing rivers. It is what all good long walks in the country should be; not a challenge, nor a bore.

Suffolk’s heritage coast from Aldeburgh in the north to just shy of Felixstowe in the south is primarily heath land displaying all the species typical to this landscape such as heather, gorse and pine. Great swathes of it have slipped away into the sea over time and so there are many areas where walking can be hazardous but these are generally, clearly signposted and well worth a visit since the scenery can be really quite dramatic. Inland and soil turns more alkali than acidic lending itself more to deciduous treescapes and fertile arable lands.

9. Quietly contemplating life whilst fishing in our catch and release lake

Fishing is not everybody’s bag but if it happens to be yours or you’ve always fancied giving it a go, you’re in luck. Our luxuriously appointed log cabins are arranged around a sizeable 40m x 60m catch and release fishing lake which we ensure is continually well stocked with carp and tench weighing in at between 2 and 6lbs. You will not be bothered by the public or poachers since this is a private lake, solely for the use of guests staying at Windmill Lodges. You don’t need to bring any tackle with you since you can buy everything you need from our reception desk including bait, hooks and floats and you can hire the larger items like landing nets and rods. There’s even a book telling you how to do it.

10. Having a swim in our heated pool (summer months only)

For some, there can be nothing more relaxing than going for a good long swim or watching as the kids play around in the water. With this in mind we have installed a heated swimming pool which is open to guests throughout the summer months. Feel free to take the plunge whenever you feel the need.

Log Cabin Holidays – click here to browse our lodges