Thorpeness - If there was ever a village that deserved to be called ‘fantastic’, it is Thorpeness, built at the start of last century by a wealthy Scottish barrister with a penchant for mock Tudor and Jacobean architecture. Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie was a Scottish barrister who had made his money designing railways, bought the land from north of Aldeburgh to Sizewell and built Thorpeness as a holiday village centred around the Meare.



He also ingeniously disguised the village’s water tower as an overgrown house, the striking ‘House in the Clouds’ above, lest it offend the eye! This 5 storey house is still in use today and overlooks the golf course on one side, with views of the boating lake, village and beach on the others.


The Meare is an artificially created, shallow boating lake covering several acres, with several streams running off the main lake with landings marked with names of the Peter Pan theme. Tiny islands on the Meare contain locations found in J. M. Barrie's novel such as the pirates lair, Wendy's home, and many others which children are encouraged to play on.


(Image courtesy of Sylvia Speak at robsyl87@tiscali.co.uk) What can you spot in this one? Don't worry, it's not real!

J.M. Barrie fans of all ages can find his work realised at the Meare boating lake where islands and coves are given names taken from Peter Pan. It's no wonder he was inspired by this magical place, which is great fun for kids of all ages. The boating lake is open for hourly hire from Spring until the end of Summer and occasionally in Autumn weekends on fine days (call 01728 832523)

The Dolphin Inn


At the heart of the community and ideally located for tourists, The Dolphin Inn welcomes you to its fantastic restaurant & bar with a great selection of whiskeys, ales & wine - all of which can be enjoyed in the lovely, large beer garden. There are also Four-Star bedrooms available. Please click on the link above for full details.

Thorpeness Lake

(Image courtesy of Sylvia Speak at robsyl87@tiscali.co.uk)

Thorpeness Hotel, Apartments & Golf Club

When visiting the area, the Thorpeness Hotel, Apartments & Golf Club is a wonderful choice for all. This 3 star hotel is situated in a peaceful location overlooking the Meare, and offers 36 rooms with fantastic views of the Meare, the House in the Clouds, the beautiful gardens and the golf course. There are also 12 self-catering apartments, each sleeping between 10 and 12 guests at a time, just five minutes from Thorpeness Beach. All are fully equipped to make your stay as comfortable as possible, and make ideal accommodation for large families or group holidays. For more information on their self catering properties please see Aldeburgh Bay Holidays

Visitors may enjoy traditional British fare in the Thorpeness restaurant for breakfast and dinner whilst watching other guests play golf – if you intend to play a round later in the day, this is the ideal spot from which to gain a few tips or to check out the competition! Golf tuition is available, and the course makes for a fun family activity, a great way to unwind, and also a unique corporate or society pursuit. Also on the grounds are 7 tennis courts and eye-catching landscaped gardens.





The Thorpeness boating lake, Almshouses, library, beach and a large community centre are also prominent and attractive features of this village, which is an ideal holiday spot for families on the Suffolk Coast. Check out Beach View Holiday Park which is located close by and offers a variety of self catering options from Luxury Lodges through to campsite pitches, plus rental caravans and apartments on site overlooking the beach. So all are catered for in this fantasy village!