Felixstowe spectator guide
Felixstowe will host the AJ Bell Women’s Tour stage six finish on Saturday 9 October.
Felixstowe will host the AJ Bell Women’s Tour stage six finish on Saturday 9 October.
Please consider the following information when planning your journey ahead of race day.
The seaside town of Felixstowe sits within the county of Suffolk on the east coast of England and is around 12 miles east from the county town of Ipswich, and approximately 90 miles northeast of London.
Train
Greater Anglia operate a regular hourly service from Ipswich throughout the day (around 30 minutes journey time) to the unmanned train station at Felixstowe, however times may vary on weekends.
At Ipswich you can join mainline services to London (Liverpool Street Station) and Norwich, plus routes west to Bury St. Edmunds, Cambridge and The Midlands/North of England.
The Ipswich to Felixstowe line is part of the East Suffolk Lines community rail partnership.
Bus
FirstGroup operate frequent bus services on routes 75 and 77 between Ipswich and Felixstowe. In addition, there is an express bus service, the X7, which runs at various times of the day from Monday to Saturday.
firstgroup.com/norfolk-suffolk
Car
Felixstowe is located at the end of the A14 which runs west to Cambridge and The Midlands, joining the M1 and M6. From Ipswich, the A12 heads south to meet the M25 at London. There are several car parks in the town which serve both the main shopping area and seafront.
Click here to find the nearest car park.
Where parking charges apply, East Suffolk Council operates the convenient and easy to use RingGo service.
Click here for more information.
Ferry
The Harwich Harbour Foot and Bicycle Ferry runs from the John Bradfield Viewing Area at Felixstowe to Harwich and Shotley. It is the only public ferry service connecting Suffolk and Essex.
It is advisable to buy tickets online in advance, or first come first served on board. The ferry will only operate in safe weather.
Cycle
Felixstowe sits on Sustrans Route 51 (part of the National Cycle Network).
Click here to download a copy of the Felixstowe Cycle Map.
Please note: road closure will be in place along Sea Road and the car parks along that road will not be accessible over the weekend. There will be limited off road parking along the side roads due to the road closure. It is advised you use one of the car parks located away from the seafront or use public transport and/or cycle/walk to the event.
Click here for a full list of the road closures and parking suspensions.
If you plan to watch the race along any part of the stage route, there are a few things you’ll need to remember.
–> Have a plan B – if you arrive at any point on the routes and find it is busy, please be prepared to move on to another location.
–> Personal Responsibility – only stay at a location if you have space. Consider wearing a mask if it makes you feel safer.
–> Give people space – avoid crowded areas and remember face masks are advised as they often help others feel safe too.
–> Respect the safety of the riders – please give them space as they pass along the route.
–> Please note that you may not be able to access the team parking areas at any of the start or finish areas.
Come and celebrate the Women’s Tour returning to Suffolk the free FelixFest event, which is taking place along Felixstowe’s Seafront on Friday 8 October – Sunday 10 October.
Friday
The fun starts at 7pm on the Friday night with the movie, Yesterday, with the local Suffolk and Norfolk connections this is the perfect choice of movie suggested by the Felixstowe community. Just pitch up with a blanket and some chairs at the Beachside Events Space.
You could grab some food beforehand at The Alex Cafe Bar, the Boardwalk Café Bar who will have a special Movie Menu available or maybe grabs some food from Beach Street.
Saturday
There will be lots to do and see in Felixstowe while you wait for the Women’s Tour to arrive. Felixstowe parkrun takes off at 9am and visitors and regulars are always welcome to walk, jog or run the course.
From 10am, you can bring along your bike and have a go on a Pump Track, test your nerve on the High Ropes course or get some friends together and test your skills with laser tag and our football cage.
Meanwhile, at Felixstowe Leisure Centre there will be instructors doing demonstrations throughout the day so you can join in with a bit of exercise or visit the Tour Village and speak to one of the town’s many community organisations including Felixstowe Police who will be on hand to do some bike coding. Visit Felixstowe will also be there, promoting everything about the town as well as Level 2, who will be here with the Youth Bus and Felixstowe Fire Service, who will be talking about the Longest Ride. There will be so much going on, you don’t want to miss it.
If that wasn’t enough, world renowned football freestyler, Jamie Knight, will be entertaining us with his amazing skills, and you may even spot Captain Jack Sparrow, the infamous pirate wandering around.
Why not round off the evening with a visit to one of the many fantastic cafés, restaurants or bars that Felixstowe has to offer including Beach Street? Or if you fancy some live entertainment you can visit the Spa Pavilion to watch the All Singin, All Swinging show staring Ray Quinn.
Sunday
Come along to watch the first-ever Felixstowe Triathlon, which starts at 8:30am. With three distances on offer – Standard, Sprint and Super-sprint, and a sea swim to start and
The pump track will be open from 10am for people to come and try out.
For more inspiration on things to do in Felixstowe, please visit:
Visit the Tour Village to make the most of your visit to the AJ Bell Women’s Tour.
OneLife Suffolk
Offering variety of free healthy lifestyle programmes and is commissioned by Suffolk County Council. These services include weight management programmes for adults, children and families, stop smoking services, NHS Health Checks, help to get people more active, and training for professionals. To sign up to any of these services, please visit the OneLife Suffolk website or call 01473 718193.
On the day OneLife Suffolk will be offering FREE NHS Health Checks to those aged 40-74years. The NHS Health Check can be used to identify any risk of Cardio-Vascular Disease and includes BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol readings. Full results will be given on the day.
I Can Run
A not for profit Community Interest Company (CIC). They are a unique women only running group who believe that all woman – regardless of their size, shape, age, ability or background should have the opportunity to learn to run and to progress with like-minded women. They are proud to be partnered with Sport England’s ‘This Girl Can’ campaign. They all wiggle and jiggle too.
On the day they will be available to answer questions about how to get involved with I Can Run, either as a runner, a beginner or as a volunteer. icanrunclub.co.uk
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service
Providing information about recruitment, with a focus on recruiting women in the fire service. They will also be promoting their LEJOG team who will have just cycled from Lands End to John O’Groats in September and spread a message of mental wellbeing and support of The FireFighters Charity. They will also be challenge you to help them cycle the distance between Haverhill to Felixstowe. firefighterscharity.org.uk
The Blossom Charity
The charity has helped over 1,000 people since it was launched in 2013. They support people going through personal difficulties and challenges, or those facing hardship for many reasons. They run a variety of programmes to help people to live their best lives. They achieve this by focusing on topics such as improving confidence and problem solving, developing communication skills as well as stress and body management, and helping people to get a sense of purpose while learning new skills.
Visit Felixstowe
The official tourism organisation for the seaside town of Felixstowe in Suffolk – promoting holidays, short breaks and day trips. Come along and pick up information on what to see and do.
Community Action Suffolk (CAS)
The ‘go to’ organisation for VCSE organisations in Suffolk. They exist to ensure the sector, and its volunteers, is supported, safe and sustainable and that our communities are active and resilient. They provide (or signpost) whatever is needed behind the scenes to enable this, so the sector can concentrate on doing what it does best – making Suffolk an incredible place in which to live and work.
Wilco
With a vast knowledge of car parts and spares with many years of experience, and a huge range of care products and accessories to see you through all seasons, Wilco is the place to visit. If you’re into pedal power not petrol power, they stock a wide range of bikes for children and adults, from beginners to enthusiasts. Road, racing, mountain, heritage, BMX and a range of quality electric bikes, all assembled and safety tested if you collect from your local branch of Wilco.
This Girl Can
The Active Partnership for Suffolk’s aim is to develop the provision of sport and physical activity in Suffolk by working in conjunction with a wide range of partners, including local authorities, national governing bodies (NGB’s), the education sector, the health sector, charitable/voluntary organisations and third sector organisations. As part of their remit, they are involved in sharing the messaging of Sport England’s, This Girl Can campaign encouraging women and girls to be more active. Visit their stand on the day to hear more about promoting female participation in exercise and talk to their ambassadors to share the message too.
Parkrun
Parkruns are free, weekly, community events all around the world. Every Saturday morning, they meet at the Beachside Events area, you can take part in a 5k at 9am. On Sunday mornings, there is a 2k junior parkrun for children aged four to 14. parkrun is a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience where there is no time limit, and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along, whether you walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate.
Site Facilities and Accessibility
All activities and the Women’s Tour route are at street level and accessible to wheelchair users and those with mobility issues. Most of the activities are taking place on grassed areas.
First aiders will be on hand to assist, if required. If you require first aid support, please contact any steward or member of staff wearing high visibility clothing.
Existing public toilets are available and additional toilets will be placed within the Tour Village.
When you’re not cheering on elite cyclists or taking part in the many activities on offer over the weekend, there’s many other parts of Felixstowe to explore
Nestled between the rivers Orwell and Deben on the east coast of England, Felixstowe is a charming Edwardian seaside town with a vibrant town centre and a wonderful mix of attractions and activities to suit all ages and interests.
The promenade along the seafront offers fine architecture, colourful beach huts and four miles of lovely beaches – don’t forget your bucket and spade! Overlooking the sea are the restored Seafront Gardens, with their colourful and unusual planting, historical features and structures.
For family fun, try your luck on the games and slot machines at Felixstowe Pier, Forum Amusements and Manning’s, then head to the thrilling children’s rides at Ocean Boulevard. Make a splash at the Leisure Centre and challenge your friends to a round of Adventure Golf. Martello Park offers fun play areas and kiosks. You can’t visit the seafront without trying our fish and chips or an ice cream made using the milk from Felixstowe’s very own dairy herd. In the evening, enjoy shows and entertainment at The Spa Pavilion.
Just up the hill is the bustling town centre, home to a great selection of big name stores, plus speciality boutiques, crafts, gifts and independent shops – pick up something special to remember your day by the sea, then relax with a classic cream tea on the cliff-tops.
At the northern end of the town is the charming fishing and sailing hamlet of Felixstowe Ferry. Take a walk along the banks beside the river Deben, hop on the little foot ferry for a trip to Bawdsey, pick up some fresh fish for tea and see how many of the iconic Napoleonic Martello Towers you can spot.
Head south to visit the unique Landguard Peninsula with its 18th C. Fort, one of England’s best-preserved coastal defences, alongside the fascinating collections of the Felixstowe Museum. Stroll along the boardwalk at the Nature Reserve, home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna. While the Viewing Area here offers spectacular views of the giant ships arriving and departing at Britain’s busiest port.
For further information on where to stay, where to eat and what to do visit visitfelixstowe.org.uk
