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Kessingland guide

To the south of Lowestoft is Kessingland, a large village in an area that has been occupied since Paleolithic times.

Vikings, Romans, Saxons and Normans have all walked this land at some point, and now people from across the country spend their holidays here, exploring the local area and the rest of the Suffolk Coast.

Did you know?

Kessingland is a site of great interest for archaeologists as the crumbling cliffs regularly expose fossils from the Jurassic period and even Palaeolithic and Neolithic implements. During the early part of world war two anti-tank defences and gun batteries were put in place in Kessingland to help protect the coastline and the south of Lowestoft, the remains of some of them can still be seen today.

Notable author Sir H Rider Haggard spent his summers at Kessingland, often visited by his friend Rudyard Kipling. Haggard famously wrote ‘King Soloman’s Mines’ and the classic novel ‘She’, which sold 83 million copies when it was first published and is considered one of the best selling books of all time. Rider Haggard Lane in Kessingland pays tribute to the author.

things to do kessingland where to stay kessingland where to eat kessingland

Location

Kessingland Highlights

1. Discover some of the UK's rarest birds

Towns & Villages - Kessingland - Nature reserve

Walk on the beach keeping the sea on your left and after a few miles you’ll arrive at Benacre National Nature Reserve, a great place to spot migrating birds in the spring and autumn.

2. Take a trip to the African savannah

Towns & Villages - Kessingland - Giraffe at Africa Alive

On the opposite side of Kessingland is Africa Alive! - one hundred acres of parkland that is home to giraffes, rhinos, flamingos, lions, meerkats, and a hundred other exotic species that you’d never see without going on an expensive safari. One of East Anglia’s most popular tourist destinations its open all year round.

3. Grab a bargain at Kessingland Car Boot!

TTDA - Car boots - vintage games

Every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, car booters selling their wares descend upon Kessingland for one of the biggest car boots in Suffolk. Alongside those looking to have a clear out, the car boot hosts a range of stalls including plants, butchers, fruit & veg, wood work and much more. The car boot starts at 7.30am and is free to enter, with free on site parking.

Kessingland Beach Guide

TTDA - Kessingland Beach - view from cliffs

Kessingland Beach is less commercial than neighbouring Lowestoft or Southwold, making it the ideal place to enjoy the quiet and explore nature. Awarded the Seaside Award in 2024, recognising the highest standards of beach management, the beach here is actually growing, protected from erosion by a combination of shingle and marram grass that was planted by author H. Rider Haggard, who spent his summers there.

To find out more and plan your visit to Kessingland Beach, check out our Kessingland Beach Guide.

Useful Information

Public Conveniences and Baby Changing Facilities in Kessingland

Public conveniences with disabled access are located on Church Road

Accessibility

Check out AccessAble's detailed access guides to Suffolk and work out if a place is going to be accessible to you.

The access guides cover multiple locations and venues across Suffolk, including places to stay, attractions, places to eat, stations, shops, trails and more.

The access guides are 100% facts, figures and photographs, checked by AccessAble's trained surveyors in person, people who know everyone's accessibility needs are different and understand how important it is for information to be detailed and accurate.

How to get to Kessingland - Public Transport

With Suffolk on Board you can plan journeys using public transport from and to a town or village, named station or stop, or point of interest.

As many destinations along the Suffolk coast are rural there can be limited public transport services on many routes, but there are journey solutions through various local community transport services that will get you to where you want to go/your final destination. These tend to need to be booked in advance but you can find out more and plan your journey at Suffolk on Board.

By Bus: Local services run from Lowestoft and Beccles. Onward connections are available at Lowestoft. Timetables and tickets can be found at www.suffolkonboard.com

By Rail: Nearest railway station is at Lowestoft with connections to Norwich, Ipswich and London. Greater Anglia operates frequent train services. All train tickets can be purchased via the Greater Anglia Website or the app.

Car Parks in Kessingland

To find parking places in East Suffolk and where parking fees apply, visit the council’s RingGo parking service .

The free RingGo app allows drivers to locate a parking place before starting their journey, receive navigation to it, see how busy car parks are within an area, pay for your parking session and extend it if you need to. Signing up to RingGo is as easy as entering your car’s registration and your payment details. Find out more about registering and using the service on the RingGo how it works page.

Church Road, Kessingland - Church Road, Kessingland NR33 7RP - 45 Spaces - Free Parking

Walking in Kessingland

Walking in East Suffolk has just become easier. In partnership with East Suffolk Council, walking app Go Jauntly has launched a collection of East Suffolk walks.

Go Jauntly is a free community-based app to promote walking, wayfinding and nature connection. You can find local walks created by people who know and love them, discover the greenest walking routes from A to B, create your own jaunts and enjoy outdoor adventures with friends and family.

Go Jauntly is available to download, for free, on the App Store and the Play Store.

Cycling in Kessingland

Cycle Routes: Click here for Komoot's tried and tested cycle routes around Kessingland.

Cycle Racks & Storage:

Cycle racks are located in the beach car park on Church Road and opposite the 'Sailors Home' public house in the beach garden. Railings on the promenade can also be used. Cyclists will need a padlock or other means of securing their bicycle.

Cycle Shops and Supplies:

CycleRecycle, 78 High Street, Kessingland, Suffolk NR33 7QF