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Photo: Keith Roper, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Orford Castle is a castle in Orford in the English county of Suffolk, 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Ipswich, with views over Orford Ness. It was built between 1165 and 1173 by Henry II of England to consolidate royal power in the region. The well-preserved keep, described by historian R. Allen Brown as "one of the most remarkable keeps in England", is of a unique design and may have been based on Byzantine architecture. The keep stands within the earthen remains of the castle's outer fortifications.
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No bikes or dogs. Take your own food & drink. Note that Orfordness Lighthouse was dismantled in July 2020. Completed in 1792, it was inactive and stood on a fast-eroding shingle spit; it couldn't be relocated or reinforced against the sea. It's hoped to place some of the structure as a memento on firm ground somewhere nearby.
Walking trails, bike paths, picnic area, children's play area.
Parking: off of the B1069 Tunstall to Snape rd. Viking Trail 10-mile red grade mountain bike trail. Forestry harvesting operations take place so check before visiting.