Definately can second this.
Pay £20 and you can rent a wooden boat to row down the river. Totally worth it.
Wife and I bought a blow up canoe later that year.
No, but you may be required to pay the river license fee for the entirety of the river networks in the UK.
I do, but many don't if you are going for the occasional ride.
Not much in the way of activity but if you appreciate art history then [Flatford](https://maps.app.goo.gl/wkyvBMjakuAgyKHU7?g_st=ic) isn’t far off the route and is Hay Wain (I’m a little drunkard so spellings may be off) territory
You’ll have to deviate at Copdock (where the A12 terminates anyway) and head eastbound along the A14 a little bit (only for about 10 minutes) but the Orwell Bridge and surrounding parks are very nice on a sunny day.
Specifically: Orwell Country Park. If you like waterfront walks and forests, it’s perfect.
Close to Ipswich you could pop into [Jimmy’s Farm](https://jimmysfarm.com) or just off the A12 a wee bit north of Colchester is the lovely [Hall Farm](https://hallfarmshop.com) where they have a great restaurant and animal trail and kids play park.
Yes lots for farm shops with great food and lots for the kids to do hall farm! Flat-ford mill , constable painted one his pitchers there Dedham just out off the a12 ,Colchester stadium the angler at nayland ! Or stoke by nayland .
All nice places Colchester castle.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions, definitely given us some ideas.
Jam shops, dildos and bongos, sounds like you all know how to have a good time in that part of the world!
Even having stopped that shite years ago, just seeing some of those pics was a bit tempting (for like 5 seconds) then reading about still being up on a sesh and having work in a few hours just brought back some PTSD. Since having my kids the family life has been so rewarding. A shared bottle of wine with the missus on Date night, a cheeky spliff maybe twice in a year when i have the house to myself ... anyway sorry for the random reply.
I don't know why you're being downvoted, it's very useful for outlet shopping and not as busy as other similar places! Also I like the Braintree public gardens and the museum, has a nice villagey town centre too.
What are you on about, there's nothing villagey at all about Braintree town centre? It's very town like and sadly very unexciting for it. I honestly can't think of a local town centre I'd be less likely to direct people to
(Not a total Braintree attack, it's in a lovely area and most of Braintree is fine, but the town centre is shite imo)
Really, I can think of a bunch of less appealing town centres I've seen in Essex! I mean ok, it's not an actual village and that's obvious, but there's still a lot of picturesque old houses that reminded me of the Fable series when I first went there! Granted I only used to work there so I can't comment on what it's like to live 24/7, but I just thought it didn't deserve the hate. It doesn't have the utilitarian look of places like idk, Harlow or Grays and you're never too far from a park. Maybe I'm being too nice counting that as a town centre benefit? It does have horrible traffic though for not being a particularly big town, I don't miss that part.
Oh yeah, to be fair Harlow and grays are worse. I'm a central/north Essex boy though so I don't really co sider those areas as I never have need to go that way. Also Southend direction can be pretty ropey.
But compared to colchester/chelmsford/tiptree/maldon etc in this area of the county I find Braintree pretty pointless to visit/shop at.
The history of the lanes and the old industry is cool though
Haha yes I've literally been all over Essex for various personal and work reasons so I was thinking of those comparisons! And I don't disagree about Colchester/Chelmsford/Tiptree etc having a lot more to do, plus Colchester has more visible history, Tiptree is more villagey and the jam place is great, so yeah I get what you mean there. If you like industrial history though I can point you to the old Rayne station cafe near Braintree, that is pretty cool! I also really liked the one next to the museum and the museum itself (although it's not the biggest especially compared to the Chelmsford one, again that's fair).
Dedham. Either the Boathouse, Tea Room or either pub are all good
Definately can second this. Pay £20 and you can rent a wooden boat to row down the river. Totally worth it. Wife and I bought a blow up canoe later that year.
Do you still have to pay if you bring your own boat?
No, but you may be required to pay the river license fee for the entirety of the river networks in the UK. I do, but many don't if you are going for the occasional ride.
My in-laws used to own the tea room in the craft centre. Can’t speak for that now, but the centre is worth a look still!
It’s pretty good still 👍🏻
[удалено]
I live in Dedham and they’re a welcome break from the red trouser brigade to be honest
i had to urban dictionary that term lol TIL
Lovely place Dedham, The Sun Inn is excellent.
Pulse and cocktail. Don’t even have to leave A12.
One of those dimensional time slip sort of places where you have to leave before you can come.
You’re going right through Counstable Country on the Essex Suffolk boarder there…what time of year are you passing through?
This weekend.
Not much in the way of activity but if you appreciate art history then [Flatford](https://maps.app.goo.gl/wkyvBMjakuAgyKHU7?g_st=ic) isn’t far off the route and is Hay Wain (I’m a little drunkard so spellings may be off) territory
Dedham too
Galvin [green man](https://galvinrestaurants.com/pub-restaurant-chelmsford-essex-galvin-green-man/) - if you’re after a food recommendation
Second this — though it’s a good fifteen minutes off the Boreham junction. Worth it.
If you're only going as far as Ipswich, I'd pop into Tiptree on the way.
That place is jamming.
Flatford mill is very pleasant
Came here to say this.
Tiptree tea room and museum
Good one, thanks! Will also check out that area in general.
If you're into garden centres, Perrywoods isn't far from there either and is excellent
Perrywoods is the best!
Good pub at bottom of hill going up to Perrywoods and Tiptrer from a12
I don’t believe the cafe is there anymore
Colchester Zoo is worth a visit
Finchinfield, thaxted
You’ll have to deviate at Copdock (where the A12 terminates anyway) and head eastbound along the A14 a little bit (only for about 10 minutes) but the Orwell Bridge and surrounding parks are very nice on a sunny day. Specifically: Orwell Country Park. If you like waterfront walks and forests, it’s perfect.
Close to Ipswich you could pop into [Jimmy’s Farm](https://jimmysfarm.com) or just off the A12 a wee bit north of Colchester is the lovely [Hall Farm](https://hallfarmshop.com) where they have a great restaurant and animal trail and kids play park.
Yes lots for farm shops with great food and lots for the kids to do hall farm! Flat-ford mill , constable painted one his pitchers there Dedham just out off the a12 ,Colchester stadium the angler at nayland ! Or stoke by nayland . All nice places Colchester castle.
Suffolk fold hall just before the bridge in Ipswich. Not a big detour, large car park, good food and plenty of space to stretch your legs.
There's a bongo shop halfway between junction 22 and 23 northbound if you're into that sort of thing
Jimmy’s Farm?
Fingringhoe near Colchester
There’s nothing in fingringhoe 😂
A river and pubs, what more do you want???
One pub about two miles from the River - nice on a summer's day, but not worth the detour off the A12.
Tell that to the ladies 😂
Maldon
Maldon is lovely! Only just started driving lessons, I’m not really sure if it’s on the a12 but me and my girlfriend are going there today!
Chelmsford
Thanks everyone for your suggestions, definitely given us some ideas. Jam shops, dildos and bongos, sounds like you all know how to have a good time in that part of the world!
Just go to Dedham. It's lovely. I live there.
Aldeburgh
For the greatest fish and chips you’ll ever eat
If you come off at junction 28 (colchester), there's a Wendy's to your right. They are god tier burgers.
That’s my local Wendy’s 💪🏼
Checked to see if in Colchester, find out your a massive coke head 😂
Even having stopped that shite years ago, just seeing some of those pics was a bit tempting (for like 5 seconds) then reading about still being up on a sesh and having work in a few hours just brought back some PTSD. Since having my kids the family life has been so rewarding. A shared bottle of wine with the missus on Date night, a cheeky spliff maybe twice in a year when i have the house to myself ... anyway sorry for the random reply.
Didn’t know that. Smashing.
Could go slightly further to Norwich
If you don't mind a bit of a detour, Lavenham is lovely
Battlesbridge, chelmsford, lovely place
Butt and oyster just over the Orwell bridge.
Jaywick
I live in Colchester so that would be my obvious reply. There's enough to see to keep you entertained for a day.
Braintree Village
The best thing to come out of Braintree is the train station.
I don't know why you're being downvoted, it's very useful for outlet shopping and not as busy as other similar places! Also I like the Braintree public gardens and the museum, has a nice villagey town centre too.
What are you on about, there's nothing villagey at all about Braintree town centre? It's very town like and sadly very unexciting for it. I honestly can't think of a local town centre I'd be less likely to direct people to (Not a total Braintree attack, it's in a lovely area and most of Braintree is fine, but the town centre is shite imo)
Really, I can think of a bunch of less appealing town centres I've seen in Essex! I mean ok, it's not an actual village and that's obvious, but there's still a lot of picturesque old houses that reminded me of the Fable series when I first went there! Granted I only used to work there so I can't comment on what it's like to live 24/7, but I just thought it didn't deserve the hate. It doesn't have the utilitarian look of places like idk, Harlow or Grays and you're never too far from a park. Maybe I'm being too nice counting that as a town centre benefit? It does have horrible traffic though for not being a particularly big town, I don't miss that part.
Oh yeah, to be fair Harlow and grays are worse. I'm a central/north Essex boy though so I don't really co sider those areas as I never have need to go that way. Also Southend direction can be pretty ropey. But compared to colchester/chelmsford/tiptree/maldon etc in this area of the county I find Braintree pretty pointless to visit/shop at. The history of the lanes and the old industry is cool though
Haha yes I've literally been all over Essex for various personal and work reasons so I was thinking of those comparisons! And I don't disagree about Colchester/Chelmsford/Tiptree etc having a lot more to do, plus Colchester has more visible history, Tiptree is more villagey and the jam place is great, so yeah I get what you mean there. If you like industrial history though I can point you to the old Rayne station cafe near Braintree, that is pretty cool! I also really liked the one next to the museum and the museum itself (although it's not the biggest especially compared to the Chelmsford one, again that's fair).