Orford Castle – River Alde Riverside Walk loop from Orford
Orford Castle – River Alde Riverside Walk loop from Orford
1.0
(2)
13
hikers
Orford Castle – River Alde Riverside Walk loop from Orford
07:05
27.7km
100m
Hiking
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.
Last updated: May 14, 2026
Tips
Your route passes through a protected area
Please check local regulations for:
Waypoints
Start point
Bus stop
Get Directions
39 m
Pump Street Bakery
Highlight • Cafe
Money Saving Tip: If the weather is good, take away and sit in the village to enjoy the views.
Tip by
176 m
Orford Castle
Highlight • Castle
The unique polygonal tower keep of Orford Castle stands beside the pretty town and former port, developed by Henry II.
The castle is remarkably intact allowing visitors to explore from the basement, through the lower and upper halls to the roof where there are magnificent views seaward to Orford Ness.
Tip by
952 m
River Alde Riverside Walk
Highlight • Viewpoint
Tip by
1.02 km
View of the river Ore at Orford
Highlight • River
Tip by
2.59 km
View of Havergate Island Nature Reserve
Highlight • Viewpoint
The reserve features a diverse range of habitats including saltmarshes, mudflats, and reedbeds which provide refuge for a number of wildlife species including avocets and little terns. If you're an avid bird-water, it's worth bringing your binoculars along for a closer look.
Tip by
12.7 km
Pig Farm View on the Suffolk and Essex Coast and Heaths
Highlight • Structure
Tip by
13.2 km
Oak Covert
Forest
21.8 km
River Alde
Lake
24.1 km
Beach
Beach
26.8 km
Orford Quay
Highlight • Viewpoint
Tip by
27.6 km
St Bartholomew's Church, Orford
Highlight • Monument
'The Church of St Bartholomew is the parish church of the town of Orford, England. A medieval church, dating from the fourteenth century, with reconstructions in the nineteenth and twentieth century, it is a Grade I listed building. In addition to its listing, the church is notable as the location for the first performances of four of the works of the composer Benjamin Britten: Noye's Fludde, Curlew River, The Burning Fiery Furnace and The Prodigal Son.
The church comprises a ruined 12th century chancel, begun in about 1166 and abandoned in the 18th century, the Decorated nave and aisles, restored in the late 19th century, and the tower, restored in the late 20th century after the collapse of its upper storey in 1830. The chancel to the original church was built at about the same time as Orford Castle, and demonstrates a similar "grandeur". By the eighteenth century, the chancel was completely ruined and reconstruction concentrated on the nave and the tower. In the early 1880s George Edmund Street prepared a plan for a comprehensive restoration of the whole complex but this was not undertaken. Instead, rebuilding work spanned almost a hundred years, with J T Micklethwaite undertaking the reconstruction of the nave and aisles between 1894 and 1900, H M Cautley repairing the chancel in 1930, and Bruce George restoring the tower in 1971–72.
Tip by
27.7 km
End point
Bus stop
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
12.8 km
11.2 km
3.05 km
416 m
270 m
Surfaces
13.4 km
9.78 km
2.89 km
1.16 km
551 m
Sign up to see more specific route details
Sign up for free
Elevation
Sign up to see more specific route details
Sign up for free
Weather
Powered by Foreca
Saturday 11 July
23°C
16°C
0 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 27.0 km/h
to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route
Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.
Comments
Want to know more?
Sign up for a free komoot account to join the conversation.
Sign up for free