Butley River

The Butley River is a tidal tributary of the River Ore in Suffolk. It rises in Rendlesham Forest east of Eyke and flows inland past Butley Mills and Chillesford before joining the Ore at Boyton. The river once carried goods by boat but silt blocked its course by 1948. Today it winds through the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The river’s tidal stretch supports salt marsh at Boyton Marshes, an RSPB reserve at its mouth. The Alde & Ore Association works to protect the river and its banks from Shingle Street to the tidal limits. A small ferry, the Butley Ferry, links Orford and Boyton for walkers and cyclists along the Suffolk Coast Path in summer. Visitors find quiet paths beside the water and views across the marshes. The ferry offers short crossings between Orford and Boyton when the tide allows. The river’s history appears at the old mill at Butley Mills, first recorded in 1530. The surrounding heaths and woods provide walking and birdwatching in a peaceful landscape.