Not the top destination on the Suffolk Coast, probably as there is no beach - but Orford is certainly the 'most charming and interesting.' Orford Quay is a fascinating, and quite busy, focal point for sailors, fishermen and boat trips. Today there is a fine fresh fish stall, a tea rooms with a lovely verandah giving super river views and a jetty from which one can take excellent river and coastal trips on the Lady Florence.

A fine excursion to make from Orford Quay is by boat across to the National Trust's Orford Ness. This is the 'largest vegetated shingle spit in Europe, the Reserve contains a variety of habitats including shingle, saltmarsh, mudflat, brackish lagoons and grazing marsh. It provides an important location for breeding and passage birds as well as for the coastal shingle flora and wildlife, including a large number of nationally rare species. The Ness was a secret military test site from 1913 until the mid-1980s. Visitors follow a 5½ml route, which can be walked in total or in part (the full walk involves walking on shingle). Other walks (approx. 3ml) are open seasonally.'

In the 17th century smuggling wool to the continent was rife along this part of the Suffolk Coast and catching smugglers, ironically known as 'free-traders', was something of a sport for customs and excise officers. (See articles on smuggling elsewhere on this site).

From Orford Quay one can walk back up to the centre of town along Quay Street. The scene here has changed very little over the years and you will pass rows of red-brick Georgian cottages including the Jolly Sailor pub. This smugglers inn is well worth a visit if only for the wealth of momentos of 'seafarers and smugglers, floods and gales'.

The great floods of 1953 surged up Quay Street inundating most of the little cottages. So it was, according to the Miles Jebb in his book 'Suffolk' that 5 years later this event brought back personal memories for the audience of the very first performance of Benjamin Britten's opera Noye's Fludde which took place at Orford church at the top of Quay Street.

Market Hill - or Market Place - is really the epicentre of the village and it is from here that many people start to explore Orford. Eastwards down Front Street will take you past the magnificent church of St Bartholomews and onto Orford Quay whilst in the opposite direction you will reach Orford Castle. The square is studded with a local stores and post office, two wonderful smokehouses, a great pub and two famous restaurants - The Butley-Orford Oysterage and the Trinity Bistro at The Crown and Castle Hotel.

In the past it would have been just the local bus waiting in the middle of Market Hill but inevitably the square has become a bit of a car park although strangely enough this hasn't really impacted on the special ambience that Orford exudes. It is however, usually better to drive down Quay Street and park in the large car park on the left just before you get to the Quay.

Today Orford is still very much a working village despite the numerous holiday homes and weekend cottages there are. But then they do bring a not inconsiderable spending power to local businesses.