Aldeburgh's food and drink festival

By Olivia Abbott on August 25th 2011

September is a great time to visit Aldeburgh. The holiday crowds have gone and the kids are back at school; there’s still plenty of warmth in the days and the evenings are long enough to enjoy an after-dinner stroll along the beach to visit Maggi Hambling’s scallop. Mmm, scallops… now you’re talking. Because of course the best reason to visit Aldeburgh now is that it’s the month of the Food and Drink Festival.

This two-week event celebrating good food and drink kicks off on the weekend of 24 and 25 September with a host of programmes, workshops and demonstrations at nearby Snape Maltings. There are more than 90 exhibitors showing off produce such as organic vegetables, fresh and smoked fish, rare breed meat and game, cheeses, frozen yoghurt, jams, beer, wine and lager. There’s also the chance to meet famous chefs such as Fergus Henderson and Matthew Fort.

The festival continues for two weeks with a number of fringe events taking place around the county until 8 October – including tours of the Adnams Brewery and Distillery in nearby Southwold, food tastings, fish and chip evenings and a seafood festival. You might be just about getting used to the idea of East Anglian wines, but did you know we have chilli growers too? You can visit a chilli farm, and the Munchy Seeds factory, discover edible hedging and even take part in a food drawing class. So even if you’re on a diet, there’s something to enjoy.

Beach babes

You can’t spend your whole holiday eating, though – well, I suppose you could - so we went in search of things to do to work off all that good food. You don’t have to go far - Snape Maltings has nine independent shops offering interiors products, books, gifts, jewellery and art. We browsed the galleries and the food hall, opening ourselves up to temptation from some original paintings and jewellery pieces (not to mention fudge), and it wasn’t long before we decided we needed more sustenance and headed to Café 1885 for tea and cake.

We were, though, itching to get out and explore the area, so after wrapping up our purchases we headed into Aldeburgh itself and checked in to the White Lion. The hotel occupies a perfect spot just yards from the beach and a stroll into town, and it’s definitely worth booking a room with a sea view– we looked out of our window across fishermen’s huts with gaily painted signs and the famous red valerian that lines the beach. Weathered fishing boats drawn up on to the shingle were begging to be artistically photographed, and – if we leaned out the window far enough – we could just see up the beach to the scallop.

Beach patterns

The late afternoon sun was breaking through heavy dark clouds, creating gorgeous light, and it was warm, with the promise of even better weather tomorrow, so we headed out with cameras to make the most of the beach’s particular picturesque qualities. You could spend your whole weekend right here, discovering the treasures of the shore – bright yellow horned poppies grow in profusion around old boats that clearly haven’t been on to the water in years; nets are laid out to dry, chains and ropes create intricate patterns, rusting old tractors wait to haul boats out of the sea.

Fishermen sit at the doors of their huts mending nets, or string them out across the beach to dry, and of course, there’s Maggi’s marvellous Marmite scallop – you either love it or hate it. I’m firmly in the love it camp. Kids clamber all over it, photographers try to take an unusual picture of it, art lovers admire it, and whatever your opinion, the poignancy of the words cut through the metal ‘I hear those voices that will not be drowned’ is indisputable.

Having had fun exploring the beach, though, our thoughts turned to scallops of a different kind and we headed back to the White Lion for dinner. The hotel has recently been refurbished, with the bar and brasserie decorated in cool and elegant shades of grey and blue, with a nautical feel to the paintings and deocrations. Driftwood-inspired statues and picture frames complete the picture. It’s modern and comfortable, but traditional in its hospitality and the quality of the food. We had those scallops – King scallops seared on black pudding – plus mussels in white wine and garlic, followed by lamb chump for him and salmon and sea bream with Thai butter and samphire for me, finishing with a triple chocolate torte to share. The food is locally sourced, with breakfast kippers from Orford and other fish from the fishermen’s huts literally just across the road.

Family friendly

Lulled to sleep by the distant shushing of the waves on the shingle, we woke ready for a hearty breakfast and prepared to do some more exploring. The town of Aldeburgh is full of chic boutiques, art galleries, friendly cafes, great fish and chip shops and proper pubs. Strolling along the prom we had a look at the brand new RNLI Lifeboat station, contrasting with the ancient Moot Hall, and the quirky South Lookout with its winding metal staircase and distinctly unsafe looking tower window.

On our way to take a look at the Martello Tower (now a holiday cottage), we passed a Punch & Judy show and a choir of youngsters having an impromptu singalong while one family ate a late breakfast sitting on the sea wall. This is definitely a family-friendly, traditional seaside destination.

There’s plenty to explore around Aldeburgh, too – we debated visiting the historic remains of Leiston Abbey, or going up to Minsmere RSPB reserve and Dunwich Heath for a walk among the heather. But it seemed silly to get in the car on such a lovely day, so we settled for a stroll upthe beach  to Thorpeness nature reserve, before returning for lunch and an Alder Tree cream ice at Aldeburgh Market. Really, once you’re here, why would you leave?

• Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival, 23 September to 8 October, visit aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk. Olivia was a guest of the White Lion Hotel, Market Cross Place, Aldeburgh IP15 5BJ, 01728 452720, whitelion.co.uk. Rooms from £158 per night b&b for a double inland room.

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