Delight in the sights and sounds of a river trip this summer along one of Suffolk's most beautiful rivers with regular departures from Aldeburgh's Slaughden Quay. Skippered by a retired commercial deep sea diver, John Pask, who now runs trips for tourists on a 12-seater open boat - 'The Sandpiper'.

Visitors to this section of the Heritage Coast will already know of the world famous concert hall at Snape Maltings, just a few miles away in its beautiful setting, along the uppermost tidal reaches of the river Alde. Trips aboard 'Sandpiper now offer you the chance to experience the historic charm of the upper reaches of the Alde as it wends its way down to Orfordness and the open sea.

During the summer months, John will be operating a return ferry service between Aldeburgh and Orford, giving passangers a minimum of 2½ hours to enjoy the facilities in either Aldeburgh or Orford. Find out more on our routes and timetables page.

The Alde flows from the shifting sand and shingle banks of the mouth (from where, until it passes the historic town of Orford, it is called the River Ore) to the head of navigation at Snape where Benjamin Britten founded his internationally famous Maltings Concert Hall.

On its way it passes some of the most significant coastal marshland sites for birds in the country and the former secret military site – now owned by the National Trust – where early experiments in the development of radar, and much else, were conducted. The valley of the River Alde has long been an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.