One of the areas most popular tourist towns is gearing up for a Christmas to rival any other

Love Beccles has been given a sneaky peek around the Christmas plans for the popular market town of beccles on the Norfolk & Suffolk Border this Christmas. It is clear that there is going to be something for everyone. Carol singing, Christmas Markets, Late Night Shopping, Roasted Chestnuts, Xmas Lights Switch-on, Christmas Shows and the not to be missed Fritton Lake Winter Wonderland.

If you live in or around Beccles then make sure you come into Beccles town around Christmas time to help support local traders and get into the Christmas spirit. See what’s on in Beccles in Christmas this year.

The Beccles Duck Race is always a brilliant occasion and this years event was a great success

With every light hearted event featuring an animal reports are always filled with puns. If it were needed the report of this years duck race could go something like this:

“This years Beccles Duck Race sent the crowd ‘Quackers’ with competitors waking up at the ‘Quack’ of dawn to get to the river to practice some high speed duck racing. With a £100 prize for first place, winning would certainly fit the ‘Bill’ and would make a brilliant ‘deducktion’ to the weekly shop. It certainly was an ‘Egg-stravagent’ race with a river full of contenders separating the bollards from the ‘Mallards’.”

Obviously here at Love Beccles we would not need to resort to such puns! The event saw huge crowds of spectators on the edge of the river watch all manner of rubber ducks descend the river. Racers made their ducks stand out from the crowd by painting them in some wacky designs, which were needed in such a huge flock!

As well as the race local companies also ran stalls, along with shows to keep everyone entertained including a Circus Workshop, a Dog Training show, a Martial Arts group as well as the Beccles Sea Cadets making an appearance.

People in Beccles are already looking forward to next years event, with the lucky race winners waiting to collect their ducks from Beccles library on September 17th. For the latest updates on next years event keep up to date with Love Beccles.

Beccles celebrated the one year countdown to the London 2012 Olympics yesterday, by hosting it’s own Olympic event

The town on Beccles turned out in numbers yesterday to see the streets packed with hopeful competitors on the Beccles Olympics.The events included the Chariots of Fire Race, triathlon, synchronised swimming and diving competition.

The Chariots of Fire race saw competitors run around the Newmarket, to the sound of the clock striking noon. The race had both serious and recreational runners, including the local lido lifeguards and Waveney MP Peter Aldous.

The triathlon also saw competitors do laps of the Chariots race, plus a cycle route around Beccles and finishing off with the laps of the Lido Pool.

One of the days backers, local business woman Christine Pinsent told the EDP of the events brilliant success,

“It’s gone really well and there’s been great atmosphere in town. The races went amazingly well and the triathlons whizzed by and I am just really pleased with the way it’s gone.”

As well as athletics, the town also hosted a Great British market and a puppet theatre, to finish off a brilliant day in Beccles. It’s great to see such a patriotic celebration of the countries sporting events, with everyone getting involved.

As Beccles looks forward to this summer, have a look at what else is happening in the town, by visiting our What’s On page.

Beccles is known for it’s superb market atmosphere, and local residents are celebrating, as it’s antiques street market returns for September.

On Sunday 4th September the quaint streets of the Suffolk town will come alive with people bustling to find some truly unique items. The market, which has been brought back by popular demand, will have everything from furniture, silver and jewellery, to books, clocks and decorative items, sold by both general and specialist dealers.

A market in such a traditional town is always a great day out. The great thing about Beccles Market, is that everyone in the town comes together to make the event even better. Local shops and restaurants all play a part with Suffolk Hog Roasts and ice creams available to keep you energised, to find those antique bargains.

If your planning to come down, parking is signposted throughout the town, so your day should run smoothly from start to finish. If you haven’t visited Beccles before, the antiques street market is the perfect introduction.

Come along if you love antiques, trinkets and a good day out!

SUNDAY 4th SEPTEMBER 2011 8am – 4.30pm

For further details please contact Kate Lee on 01502 711174

As the summer is on the verge of coming out in full bloom, getting outdoors is the best way of soaking up those sunny days.

With beautiful countryside, winding woodland lanes and a wonderful coastline, Suffolk is a great destination for outdoor activities, cycling being one of the most popular of these.

Cycling holidays and days out are getting ever more popular. With more and more cycle routes across the county, getting around on your bike has never been easier. You really don’t have to brave blind corners on high speed roads, to get from A to B on your bicycle.

And if your thinking of cycling in Suffolk, there is even more to tempt you, with a new national cycle route between Beccles and Southwold, culminating routes 1 and 30.

The route gives cyclists 13 miles of glorious countryside, avoiding main roads and passes through many quaint villages including Sotterly, Ellough. Stoven and Reydon Wood.

Graham Elliot, who set up a cycling group in Beccles, told the Beccles and Bungay Journal,

“We wanted it from a tourist and leisure point of view as many people want to cycle from Beccles to Southwold without going on main roads. In fact some people did not even know you could cycle between both towns without going on main roads.”

“Before the route people had to read maps and could easily end up on the A12 if they took a wrong turn.National Cycle Routes are vital for supporting sustainable tourism and transport in Waveney Valley.”

A cycling holiday is a brilliant way to get out in the British countryside. For more information on cycle routes in Suffolk check out the National Cycle Route Site in the East of England.

And we also have details on where to stay in Beccles and Southwold, as you’ll need somewhere to rest after all that cycling!