Orford Ness

28/08/2026

Nature, beauty and history await you at Orford Ness this Bank Holiday Monday. Book a seat on the ferry to explore this once top-secret military testing site now left to nature.

Meander past grazing marshes and lagoons, go bird watching and moth spotting and climb to the top of Bomb Ballistics for breath-taking views across the Ness' lunar-like landscape.

Enjoy the peace and quiet of Suffolk's big skies, visit our cosy second-hand bookshop to find your next great read and then head to the NAAFI to discover more about the top-secret tests carried out on Orford Ness during the early 20th century.

Book your tickets here: https://rebrand.ly/BookForOrfordNess

📸: National Trust Images

26/08/2026

We've got just a few spaces left on our final Birds and Beasts walk of the year, which is taking place on Wednesday 9 September.

Join one of our rangers on a guided walk around Orford Ness and discover how nature has taken over this once top-secret military testing site.

Book now: https://rebrand.ly/OrfordNessEvents

📸: National Trust Images

25/08/2026

Last week, Steve was joined on a boat patrol by three officers from Suffolk Police's Heritage and Rural Crime team.

This is all part of our regular work to reduce wildlife disturbance on the Southern End of Orford Ness, where important species nest and raise their young.

📸: National Trust Images

31/07/2026

Over the past few days, many of our team have been assisting Suffolk Fire and Rescue with the major incident at National Trust Dunwich Heath and RSPB Minsmere.

We are absolutely heartbroken by the total devastation we are seeing due to the fire, which is impacting one of the UK's most important coastal heathland landscapes.

Thank-you to everyone for your concern and well wishes. Orford Ness will be open tomorrow, Saturday 1 August, and if you're out and about in the countryside over the weekend, please remember to take extra care by not lighting barbecues or ci******es and taking litter home with you. Nature really does need us right now. 💚

📸: National Trust Images

25/07/2026

Tune in to BBC One tomorrow at 7pm to see us featured in the final episode of Anita's East Coast Road Trip!

The team came out to film earlier on in the year as part of their four part series exploring the Suffolk and Essex coast. Sunday's episode features Anita visiting Orford Ness and discovering how the landscape, once shaped by weapons testing, has been reclaimed by wildlife.

We can't wait to see what's made the final cut!

📸: National Trust Images

24/07/2026

We've got just a few tickets left for tomorrow's ferries, so if you're thinking of visiting us this weekend, you better be quick!

Discover Suffolk's secret coast on a visit and explore how this once top-secret military testing site has been taken over by nature. It's a day out you just don't want to miss.

Book your tickets here: https://rebrand.ly/BookForOrfordNess

📸: National Trust Images

19/07/2026

From Anglo-Saxon settlements and Cold War radar posts to tracks and roads that reveal medieval trade routes, history really is everywhere along the Suffolk coast.

At Orford Ness and National Trust Dunwich Heath we're really lucky to have the Heritage and Archaeology Rangers Team (HART), small groups of fantastic and devoted volunteers who are helping us to identify, record and monitor the landmarks in our care.

It's all part of a new initiative in the East of England and was recently featured in Suffolk Magazine, which you can now read online. Click the link to take a look!

The National Trust volunteers helping archaeologists to survey some of our coast’s most historic features

17/07/2026

With so much space under big Suffolk skies, Orford Ness very rarely feels 'busy' - even on a visitor open day! But if you're looking for an even quieter experience, we recommend booking the last few ferries of the day.

Orford Ness is open every Thursday and Saturday until the end of September, with ferries running every 15 minutes between 10 and 2pm. Plan your visit here: https://rebrand.ly/OrfordNess

📸: National Trust Images

14/07/2026

The Bailey Bridge offers fantastic views over Stony Ditch and connects one side of Orford Ness' more 'traditional' landscape to its lunar-like stretch of vegetated shingle on the other side.

The current bridge has been here since 1995 and took only two and a half days to build, replacing two unsafe concrete bridges further downstream.

It's thought that bridges of various shapes and sizes have crossed Stony Ditch at a similar point since the 17th century.

Orford Ness is open on Thursdays and Saturdays. Plan your visit now at the link in bio.

📸: National Trust Images

13/07/2026

A cuckoo and a stonechat, captured on camera at Orford Ness.

Find out how nature has reclaimed the land and buildings at Orford Ness this Wednesday and take a guided walk with one of our rangers.

You'll find out how the Ness - once a hive of military activity from the First World War right through to the Cold War - has been taken over by nature, learn about the different species that live here and find out how we look after the landscape.

We have just a few tickets left! Book now: https://rebrand.ly/OrfordNessEvents

📸: Tom Allen