Letheringham Mill Cottages

Dogfriendly Magazine Review

Read our comprehensive review of this listing printed in our bi-monthly magazine.

The Woodshed, Letheringham Mill
Review by Jenni and Arran Eley

The rain lashed down as we arrived at the historic market town of Woodbridge in Suffolk to pick up some supplies, before heading to our holiday cottage. ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing,’ Billy Connolly once said. Swapping our sunglasses for wellies and raincoats we changed our mindset to fully embrace the Great British summer time. Woody loves water of any description so he was more than happy to explore in the rain, past boutique shops and cafes and to the harbour. He was particularly taken with the traditional Woodbridge deli.

Our base for the weekend was The Woodshed, one of four supremely dog friendly cottages at the stunning Letheringham Water Mill, eight miles from Woodbridge. A warm welcome from Jacqui, the owner, on arrival along with greetings from the resident labradoodles, made us all feel instantly right at home. At first glance, it certainly looked like a big step up from your standard dog friendly cottage. A converted Grade II listed water mill no less, set within seven acres and surrounded, like a mini-island, by the river Deben and the mill water channels.

They’ve won lots of awards for their five-star self-catering accommodation and it is easy to see why. Woody took one look at the dog box in our cottage, with bowls, blankets, poo bags and, most importantly, treats, and he knew he was in for a good stay. Woody had spotted the ‘Free Range Dogs’ sign when we came in and couldn’t wait to set off on his first lead-free wander around the grounds. The sun came out right on cue, and as we admired the gardens, he scooted around stopping every now and then to look at some interesting garden sculptures. 

There are thoughtfully placed benches all around the grounds, and Woody enjoyed demonstrating his new trick of jumping up on each one he saw, sitting and waiting to be told he was a good boy.  To show us his full appreciation for bringing him to such a splendid place he then did his favourite run-dive-roll routine around the wild field area. 

The Woodshed cottage is all about luxury and comfort. It is well-designed and very well equipped; with all the kitchen kit you could ever need plus extra touches like quirky dog-themed mugs and tasteful nods to our four-legged companions at every turn. Woody was also pleased to discover a dishwasher, meaning he wouldn’t have to miss his usual daily attempt to pre-wash incoming plates. The doors from the living space and the bedroom open out onto the decked terrace, providing a great sense of light and space.

A bottle of wine was kindly left for us in the cottage, and we were enjoying a glass on the terrace taking in the peace and the view. I think we were talking about the beautiful hydrangeas in the gardens when Woody decided that things had got too relaxed for his liking. We watched as he launched himself from the decking through some tall reeds and landed with a muddy squelch right into the river. He ignored our stern warning of ‘Woody no’ and emerged a few minutes later looking thoroughly pleased with himself. Luckily for us the shower was easily accessible for dogs. We didn’t think we’d be making use of the dog towels provided quite so soon.

Early evening and with a freshly washed Woody in tow, we took a ten-minute stroll into the village of Easton to the popular local pub, The White Horse. Dogs are allowed indoors and out. We sat outside in the garden and enjoyed some lovely steaks and desserts – the limoncello panna cotta was heavenly. Woody had already had his dinner but kept a close watch on us just in case.

 The next morning the rain had returned but unperturbed we headed out to the National Trust Dunwich Heath and Beach, 20 miles away. Parking is £6 and the nature reserve has good facilities, a café, toilets, and plentiful poo bins. We picked up route maps and a Woof guide to Dunwich Heath from the visitor information point while Woody was rewarded with some fuss and a few treats. Here we found a wild and rugged landscape, heather aplenty, wonderful footpath trails to explore and a ‘lead -free zone’ beach, where dogs are allowed year-round. While we sat on the beach with takeaway cups of tea to warm up, Woody enjoyed running about and another chance for a dip in the water. His prized yellow ball was, however, lost to the North Sea, but he was having far too much fun to notice. We then set off on a three-mile trail route. We enjoyed the heathland and open vistas with Woody on his lead, as dogs roaming here could disturb nesting birds. Soon we reached a section called was again allowed to roam free.

Next stop was a late lunch at the Marlesford Farm Café and Shop, an unpretentious local gem, with quality food from locally sourced ingredients. Even the ketchup was from Suffolk. On arrival we chose to sit on the picnic benches in the large garden at the back, as the sun had made an appearance again. There were many other dogs sitting nicely under their tables next to their owners. To our embarrassment Woody, clearly sensing another good boy moment within easy reach, jumped up on top of the table. We vowed to unteach him his latest trick. We enjoyed full ‘Suffolk Brunches’ with the best sausages and bacon we have ever had. Woody, despite his naughtiness, was still offered a treat from the waitress on her rounds to all the dogs in the garden. After a mooch around the farm shop we headed back to The Woodshed for a leisurely evening and more relaxing on the terrace.

Our time was almost up, and we’d hardly had time to explore any of the many walks close by. The owners have produced the most comprehensive information folders we have ever seen, with stacks of information about dog friendly places, bird spotting, ideas for days out and a whole folder brimming with favourite dog walks. There is so much to explore here that a weekend is not enough. Perhaps if we hadn’t spent so much time enjoying the surroundings at the Water Mill, we’d have had a chance to sample the delights at the highly recommended Greyhound Inn in Pettistree or enjoyed a four-mile circular walk trail, from the cottage around Letheringham and Easton.

Before heading home, we popped over to Thorpeness, described as ‘a whimsical holiday village’, with mock-Tudor cottages and a boating lake inspired by JM Barrie’s Peter Pan. Rowing boats and kayaks are available to hire to explore the little islets on the lake, all named after Peter Pan locations. Dogs aren’t allowed on the beach at Thorpeness between May and September, so we continued a mile or so towards Aldeburgh and to our final stop, to see the iconic Scallop sculpture. 

Dogs are allowed year-round on this stretch of beach, and the 4-metre-high Scallop piece, constructed from steel and representing two interlocking scallop shells, is certainly impressive. A quote says, “I hear those voices that will not be drowned”, a tribute to composer and past Aldeburgh resident Benjamin Britten. Predictably, Woody needed a closer look, so jumped up onto it and slid around for a while. It turns out that the creator, local-born artist Maggi Hambling, designed it wanting people (and presumably dogs) to interact with it. So, this time at least, he wasn’t being a bad boy.

This area of Suffolk has so much to offer come rain or shine, and a stay at Letheringham Water Mill’s cottages is an idyllic retreat for dogs and their humans. Woody enjoyed a weekend full of water, treats, and the freedom to explore as he pleased. We appreciated the evident dedication and attention to detail that has gone into creating the cottages and beautiful grounds. It really is a special place. We explained to Woody on the way home that although whether he had been an entirely good boy all weekend is up for debate, we’re looking forward to coming back again soon, to give him a second chance.

The Woodshed, Letheringham Mill, review by Jenni and Arran Eley and appears in DogFriendly magazine issue 69.  For more information on the DogFriendly magazine visit  https://www.dogfriendly.co.uk/magazine