
How many times have you driven down the A12 and seen the sign to Dunwich and gone straight pass? If you are like me then the answer is too many times, Dunwich is one of those seaside villages tucked away from the main roads making it a quiet and tranquil place, if you have not visited Dunwich your are really missing out on one of the Suffolk gems.

The area is full of wildlife with the nearby Minsmere bird sanctuary and miles of heath lands surrounding it. This is the place for those peaceful family walks on a Sunday afternoon with the bonus of the Ship Inn public house in the village to help you relax from the daily grinds of the past week.

Like all villages it has a story to tell, the locals will tell you that way back in the mists of time Dunwich was the lively bustling capital of East Anglia, one night during a storm the raging sea washed against the cliffs until it started to fall, most of the town was swept away by the cruel sea with hundreds of people being drowned. It is also said that you can still hear the church bells ring from the seabed, spooky or what.

The beach is shingle and shelves quite steeply into a good depth of water all the way along the bay, in the winter codling and whiting make up the bulk of the catches with summer comes the flatties in the form of Soles, Dabs, Flounders and the odd Plaice. It has been known for Turbot to show but I doubt very much you will see one here, it is said that in April 1973 Derrick Dorling managed to catch a 28½lb one in the early hours of the morning.

	Dunwich has everything you need for a great fishing trip, there is a large car park with space for about 100 cars which I believe is free. Situated in the car park is a cafe and toilet block. The beach is only only 10 yards away. You have a choice to make once you get on the beach, do you walk left or right?


Dunwich has two very different sections of beach in a very short space, to the right of the car park you have the South beach which has 100ft cliffs towering over it, both beaches are pretty well featureless with no groynes or rocks, in fact this is a very snag free venue, the lack of features should not put you off, the water is very deep and could be compared with Aldeburgh which lies just a few miles north.

To the left of the car park you will find a wind swept North open beach, the whole area's on the edge of the heath land making it very exposed on those breezy, bitterly cold winter trips.

The water is still as deep as the South but during a windy night I know where I would rather be fishing. There are a few fishing boats on the beach in front of the car park, I would suggest not to fish here, there is enough room for everyone without having to upset the natives.

Useful Information
		Dunwich is one of those places that you never really know what you may catch, winter see Codling and Whiting with the summer bringing in the flatties such as Dabs, Soles, Flounders and the chance of Plaice.
		With the beach being clean and snag free you can get away with 12 to 15lb main line, casting distance is not of great importance as the water is pretty deep, during the winter I would try a 2 hook bomber rig, 2/o to 4/o hooks baited with with a lug and squid cocktail or maybe plain rag, try crab if they are available on a pennel for those bigger cod. The summer would best suit maddies, small rag on a simple pulley rig with 1 to 1/o hooks.
		From the north get on to the A12 towards Ipswich, 1mile passed Blythburgh take a left turn, signed "Dunwich 4", follow signs to village and then "P" Beach Car Park. From the south get on to the A12 towards Lowestoft, just after Yoxford and before Darsham there is a signed right turn, follow the signs to Dunwich. Once at Dunwich follow the signs to the Village (not the heath) until you see either a "P" Beach sign or the Ship Inn pub, the car part is right on this bend.
		Nearest tackle shop is probably Saxmundham Angling Centre
		This is a quiet, peaceful and clean part of Suffolk please take care to look after the area by being respectful and taking all your rubbish home, the locals are nice and friendly lets try and keep them on side.

	Dunwich - Suffolk
	Dan Silverwood	October 2003