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Family activities at Dunwich Heath

Den building at Dunwich Heath and Beach, Suffolk
A family enjoying the den-building area at Dunwich Heath | © National Trust Images/Trevor Ray Hart

Head outdoors for some family fun at Dunwich Heath! Here's what you could get up to on your visit...

Tracker packs

10am - 3pm | Free

Collect a tracker pack from visitor welcome and see what wildlife wonders you can discover! With spotter sheets, pots and magnifying glasses you can study nature of all shapes and sizes on your wanders. Just ask one of the visitor welcome team and they'll be happy to help sort one out for you.

Geo-caching

9am - 4pm | Free

How about a treasure hunt while you take in the beauty of the heath? Download the geo-caching app before you visit, then once you've arrived and got yourselves orientated, open the app and navigate to the geo-cache of your choice. There are 13 on site, so can you find them all...?

Trails

10am - 3pm | Free

We have the Dunwich Discovery trail and Tree Trek available for you to have a go at. Discover the history of Dunwich Heath, from smugglers to coastguards and through two world wars, or learn more about the trees that you can find on the heath. Once you've completed your trail, head back to the visitor welcome hut for your prize!

Den building

9am - 4pm | Free

Are you a stick architect? Head to our den building area and gather your sticks, then build your stick structure! Will it be long and thin, short and wide, or a bit of both? The possibilities are endless...

Heath Barn crafts

10am - 3pm | Free

Release your inner crafter in Heath Barn! From stick swords to natural mandala's, and leaf crowns to Hapazome, let your creative side shine at the craft table.

A mother and her two daughters walking their dog on a lead through the heathland at Dunwich Heath
A family enjoying a dog-friendly walk at Dunwich Heath | © National Trust Images/Trevor Ray Hart

Planning your family visit

Here's some information to help make your family day out at Dunwich Heath and Beach as easy to enjoy as possible:

  • The buggy-friendly accessible route takes in a good portion of the heath, just grab a map from visitor reception.
  • Baby changing can be found in the toilets, adjacent to the car park.
  • High chairs, cups and water jugs are available in the Tearoom.
  • If you fancy a picnic, you'll find picnic benches all around the coastguard cottages. Or you're welcome to take a picnic blanket and find a spot on the grass or on the beach, but please put your litter in the bins provided by the cottages.
  • The toilet block is adjacent to the car park, while there is an accessible toilet in the cottages.
  • The beach is two minutes walk down the slope from the car park.
  • The tearoom is situated in the coastguard cottages, just next to the car park. See our opening times for more details.
  • Visitor welcome is at the edge of the car park. Please collect your parking tickets from here.
Children playing outside coastguard cottages at Dunwich Heath and Beach in Suffolk

Find out more about Dunwich Heath

Find out how to get to Dunwich Heath, where to park, things to see and do, and more.

A couple sitting on a bench with their dog at Dunwich Heath and Beach, Suffolk
Article
Article

Bringing your dog to Dunwich Heath 

Dunwich Heath is a three pawprint rated place. The nature reserve is a wonderful place to explore with your dog. Here’s all you need to know about visiting with your four-legged friend.

Dartford warbler (Sylvia undata) on yellow gorse with Heath moth in its beak at Ibsley Common, New Forest, Hampshire
Article
Article

Things to see at Dunwich Heath 

Discover the different areas to explore, and the variety of wildlife you can spot when you visit Dunwich Heath, with some rarer species highlighted...

A soldier standing in front of the coastal gun battery at Dunwich Heath during the Second World war
Trail
Trail

Dunwich Heath wartime trail 

A trail taking you on an in-depth dive into the wartime history of Dunwich Heath, stopping at locations around the site that still show evidence of the military activity.

Activities
Walking
DistanceMiles: 2.75 (km: 4.4)
Catering assistant with a tray of coffee and hot chocolate in the cafe at Llanerchaeron, Wales.

Coastguard Cottages tea-room

The tea-room is open for hot and cold drinks, snacks and light meals. If you have an allergy and would like ingredient information, ask one of the staff, who’ll be happy to help.