One of my favorite things about living in England is the ease of finding interesting, natural places to visit– and with great walking paths built in. A place that my family goes back to again and again is Pin Mill. Pin Mill is a hamlet on the banks of the River Orr, and has a long history with fishing and sailing industries. It is also designated as a conservation area.
We like to take walks along the water there, and then finish up with a pint of cider at the local historic pub, The Butt & Oyster (don’t laugh!)
On this particular Sunday, we brought a picnic and ate it in the grass at The Suffolk Food Hall a few miles away. They have a huge “bouncy pillow” for Amelia to play on, so we try to give her a shot at that whenever we make it out to that area. Plus, the view is so lovely. I never get tired of seeing those sailboats out there.
Summertime is particularly nice in Pin Mill. There are so many fields of wildflowers.
This time, I took out my pocket knife and collected a small bouquet. This little collection of blooms actually imbued my dining room with the smell of a meadow– small but powerful!
We were able to stake out some future forage, as well– loads of apples, elderberries, hazelnuts, and sloes in the works…
I love being near the water.
This part of the river is near the sea, so everything smells nice and salty.
And at the Butt and Oyster, everything feels pretty timeless. In the winter, everyone’s wearing traditional wool sweaters and wellies. I read that there are about 25 families living in houseboats nearby– that seems both tricky and wonderful.
It must be a lot of work, to keep everything in good prepare, and to manage with the tides (it’s a very tidal river) and I kind of envy the kind of knowledge that must come with living and sailing on a river like this. 
(Also, I just have to show you some of the really lovely flowers growing in the super charming gardens. So totally sweet and English.) 
Pin Mill is always such a treat to visit– low-key, lovely, and a completely different sort of environment than our little town.
Thanks for coming along with us!
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