Orwell Country Park - Ipswich

Orwell Country Park must rate as one of Kopek and Malli’s favourite places in Suffolk. Set on the north bank of the river Orwell, just outside Ipswich town and off the A14; this is the first of a series of glorious walks and open spaces to be found as the river makes its way to sea.  Orwell Country Park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and when walking your dog here it is important to follow the Country Code and keep your dog under close control at all times.  Similarly pooper-scooping is especially important in this environment and Ipswich Borough Council, who maintains the park, have very kindly provided lots of poo bins to make this easy for dog walkers to do.  The park has two main areas, Pipers Vale and Bridge Wood, separated by private land. For our walks we always go to Bridge Wood. The park was opened in 1995 and as such facilities for the visitor are very good. A large, free car parking area is available, and recently the park received further investment with new picnic benches and public compostable toilet facilities. The circular walks around the wood are marked and graded for terrain, and there are information boards dotted about giving details of local wildlife and plants to be found in the park. The park is open all year round, 24x7, and offers a myriad of woodland paths.  This means that you can go time and time again and always find a new route to explore. The park offers a great safe space as it is bounded by a golf course, Priory Park campsite and the tidal coast of the river Orwell. "The Beach" as it is known to locals is a haven of muddy pools and wading birds. The Orwell Estuary has many national and international wildlife designations due to its importance for wildlife. During the winter months from October through to March the Estuary is visited by 50,000 migrant birds that come to feed on the mudflats. Ipswich Borough Council asks that dogs be kept on leads whilst using this area. A tip for visitors on wetter days is to take a clockwise walk around the wood. That way you can walk off the mud from both dogs and wellies before heading back to your car. Orwell is a great place to go in any weather; a little bit of wilderness just a stone’s throw from town and more information on the park can be found on the Ipswich Borough Council website. For a great day combine a trip to Orwell with visit to The Ship at Levington.is just 10 minutes further down the coast by car is the very picture of a quintessential English village.