Dunwich Heath is one of the last surviving pieces of the lowland heath that once covered much of coastal Suffolk, among the rarest habitats in Britain; its heather and gorse support nightjars, skylarks, Dartford warblers, adders, slow-worms and the silver-studded blue butterfly, with the RSPB's Minsmere reserve alongside and a shingle beach below the cliffs. The heath has a turbulent past as a smugglers' haunt, a coastguard station and a D-Day training ground, and the former Coastguard Cottages house the tea-room and shop. Visitors valued it for wide sea views, clifftop and heathland walks, and birdwatching, with free parking for members. Since a wildfire on 29 July 2026 destroyed more than 100 hectares of habitat, the heath, beach, car park, tea-room and every right of way across the site, including the King Charles III Coast Path, have been closed while safety assessments are completed, and the Trust asks visitors to stay away.
