Southwold isn't, strictly speaking, part of the 'Blyth Valley', but it is where the River Blyth meets the North Sea and as such is probably a natural place to visit when in the area.
It has an award-winning beach and one of the country's most famous piers - originally built in 1900, this was devastated by a severe gale in 1934 and further damaged during WW2. For many years was a shadow of its former glory but following a major refurbishment, the pier has attracted huge visitor numbers and reversed a nationwide declining interest in coastal piers. Another attraction is the colourful array of beach huts!
The 'Battle of Sole Bay' (1672) was fought off-shore as the English and French fleets clashed with the Dutch with an inconclusive outcome. Southwold (like many towns) was bombed in WW1. The German army considered that Southwold might be a 'fortified place' because of the 18lb cannons from 1746 located on Gun Hill - in WW2 the guns were concealed!
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