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Christmas at Dunwich Heath

Father Christmas sat down next to a fire and Christmas tree waving at the camera
Meet Father Christmas inside Dunwich Heath's cosy second-hand bookshop | © James Beck

Meet Father Christmas and enjoy some festive magic at Dunwich Heath.

Book now to meet Father Christmas in our cosy second-hand bookshop, where you'll receive a special gift to take home.

Afterwards, snuggle up with an indulgent hot chocolate or a festive sweet treat from Coastguard Cottages Tea-room and then head outside on our free family trail to find the nine wooden reindeer hidden in the heath - or blow the cobwebs away with a bracing walk along one of the region’s most fascinating coastlines.

On select Sundays throughout December, you can also take part in one of our Christmas craft workshops, where you'll create your very own wooden reindeer. Or why not join us on Saturday 21 December for some festive folk tunes? Our resident folk band, The Belle Heathers, will be performing a selection of songs inspired by the season.

Family-friendly events this Christmas 

Meet Father Christmas
7, 14 and 22 December | 10am-1pm | Booking essential

Meet Father Christmas in our cosy second-hand bookshop and receive your own special gift to take home.

Christmas craft workshops
1 and 8 December | 11am-12pm and 1pm-2pm | Booking essential

Make your own version of the wooden reindeer from our festive family trail and in this hands-on workshop. 

Reindeer trail 
Weekends from 30 November-Monday 23 December | 10am-3pm | Free* 

Santa’s reindeer have come to Dunwich for a bit of downtime – but can you find them all? Collect a special trail map from visitor welcome and follow it around the heath to see how many you can find. 

Festive folk tunes
Saturday 21 December | 1-2.30pm | Free*

Come and join us in our cosy tea-room with your cup of tea and scone, and listen to our resident band, The Belle Heathers, perform festive folk tunes in the tea-room.

A wooden reindeer as part of the reindeer trail at Dunwich Heath, peeking out from behind a tree.
Can you find all of Santa's reindeer on the reindeer trail? Look carefully, they may be hiding like this one! | © Daniel Payne
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)