Newmarket

Newmarket in the county of Suffolk is approximately 65 miles from North London. It is recognised as the birthplace of horse racing and is known across the globe for its breeding centres and training stables.

Newmarket is also known for its famous racecourse which draws enthusiasts from around the world. With over 3000 racehorses in Newmarket this is vital to the local economy with one in three jobs in the town being attributed to horseracing.

Home of the National Horseracing Museum, the town has a busy high street and some branded and independent shops. There are some good cafes, bars and restaurants.

For more photos of Newmarket click here 

Ipswich

Ipswich in Suffolk is situated on the estuary of the River Orwell. It used to be a manufacturing town but most of the manufacturing has moved away or closed down. This is the largest town in Suffolk with a population of 133,000. Much new building has take place to improve the town.

This town has a rich architectural history and many important and influential people have had connections with the town. Geoffrey Chaucer, Thomas Gainsborough, Charles Dickens and Lord Nelson would all have been familiar with the town having been either born or resident here.

Although the likes of Ransomes lawnmowers, Sims & Jefferies and the large sugar beet factory have all closed or moved this is still a Haven Port through which millions of tonnes of freight passes through it every year. Serviced by a reasonable number of small cafes, restaurants and bars Ipswich is a pleasant town with an excellent dock area and well worth a visit.

For photos of Ispwich click here or view on You Tube

Lowestoft

Lowestoft should not really be in this section since it is actually situated in Suffolk. Having said that, any visitor to Great Yarmouth is likely to pay a visit to Lowestoft.

This is the most easterly town in the UK and also acts as the southern gateway to the Broads. It is a popular holiday destination as well as being the second largest town in Suffolk. The town takes its name from the Viking name of Hlothver and toft which means Homestead. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book as a small village with 20 families.

This was originally a fishing village but the decline of the fishing industry and the increase in tourism brought with it the expansion of the town and its range of leisure facilities. Although tourism is very important to the town in terms of its prosperity, the growing population has caused problems. There have been several regeneration campaigns to try and address this issue.

Lowestoft has two piers, of which only one is still open, a harbour and its own railway station. The port of Lowestoft is to become the operations centre for the world’s largest offshore windfarm. The actual turbines will be some 15 miles away from the Suffolk coast.

There are good award winning beaches at Lowestoft where an Air Festival is held on the seafront each year for two days. A source of amusement for children in front of the entrance to the South Pier is the water fountains where children can be seen ducking and diving between the erratic and unpredictable water jets.