North Norfolk - Worth a trip with my van this November?

[King Biscuit Time]

For various convoluted reasons I might have to drive down to North Norfolk this weekend at some point.

Seeing as I have a camper van - it occurred to me that it might be worth making a weekend of it. Find a decent campsite, decent pub. Few books and a bottle of wine etc. Maybe take advantage of the insanely flat terrain to get a few long runs in.

But I know nothing about the area. Anyone have any tips? There seem to be quite a few campsites that fit the bill along the A149 but I don't really know where to start!

 

[mattie]

Blakeney Point/Spit is well worth a stroll - going back a few years since I went, but I recall there's a nature reserve in the wetlands the spit forms, and it's a lovely place to wander.

I also vaguely recall there's some sort of whale watching (eta: sorry, mad moment - Seal watching) from near there, but I may have that wrong.

There's a steam train that goes along the more central part of the north coast, but the view wasn't all that great - the best of these sorts of railway tend to be in more mountainous regions (e.g. Blaenau Ffestiniog in North Wales). Still a decent enough way to spend some time.

 

[DotCommunist]

 

[King Biscuit Time]

just done a bit of investigation - Is Sheringham any good? Found a nice campsite and looks like a decent enough base for coast walks to Cromer for Fish and Chips. And there's a parkrun. I'm pretty much sold.

 

[joustmaster]

I wonder how many people will click on this thread, hoping to make that joke!

 

[marty21]

just done a bit of investigation - Is Sheringham any good? Found a nice campsite and looks like a decent enough base for coast walks to Cromer for Fish and Chips. And there's a parkrun. I'm pretty much sold.

I've been to Sherringham - it's alright - nice woodland nearby which is great to stroll around

 

[twentythreedom]

Sheringham's great. Got in a massive fight with some punks on the seafront in 1986. I'm sure they'll have gone by now though.

Have a good weekend

 

[bi0boy]

Yeah I met a nice person in a pub in Sheringham once, before walking to a free party north of Stiffkey.

 

[Mapped]

My wife's from round there so we go a bit.

I prefer the area around this camp site http://www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/camping/index.asp better walks, nature and pubs than around Sheringham IMO. It's a bit less built up, there's loads of flat terrain round there

 

[Leafster]

Blakeney Point/Spit is well worth a stroll - going back a few years since I went, but I recall there's a nature reserve in the wetlands the spit forms, and it's a lovely place to wander.

I also vaguely recall there's some sort of whale watching (eta: sorry, mad moment - Seal watching) from near there, but I may have that wrong.

There's a steam train that goes along the more central part of the north coast, but the view wasn't all that great - the best of these sorts of railway tend to be in more mountainous regions (e.g. Blaenau Ffestiniog in North Wales). Still a decent enough way to spend some time.

I'd second this. I stayed in Blakeney many years ago and took a walk around the nature reserve and went out in a small boat to watch the seals.

 

[fen_boy]

My uncle and aunt run the shellfish stall in Sheringham. Sheringham is nice, but there are nicer places nearby. Blakeney, Morston, Cley-next-the-sea, Stiffkey are nice. Wells-next-the-sea is nice if you've got kids, tbh it's nice even if you haven't. The walk from Wells to Holkham along the beach is amazing. All the salt marshes are fantastic too, great if you're a twitcher. The further towards the Burnham's you go the posher it gets. Holt is nice too. In fact you can't really go wrong anywhere from Cromer to Hunstanton. You'll never be far from a decent pub and a pint of Wherry.

That bit of coast is one of my favourite places in the world to be.

 

[fen_boy]

Did I say it was nice? nice. nice. nice. It's stopped making any sense now.

 

[trashpony]

It's also a really nice walk from wells to blakeney (so going east)

 

[pogofish]

I once got accused of being a spy in North Norfolk. I take it that Scots don't often venture there?

Otherwise I remember it being a nice picturesque place and well worth the visit.

 

[ViolentPanda]

just done a bit of investigation - Is Sheringham any good? Found a nice campsite and looks like a decent enough base for coast walks to Cromer for Fish and Chips. And there's a parkrun. I'm pretty much sold.

Sheringham is very nice, in an old-town narrow streets sort of way. Like everywhere in Norfolk, the population is mostly middle-aged and above, and although most of north Norfolk is breezy, it's also more often rain-free than it isn't (dryest county in England, historically).

BTW, if you're driving past Bacton gas terminal, resist the temptation to get out and take photos. The armed police love an excuse to play at being members of the SAS apprehending an al Qaeda suspect!

 

[ViolentPanda]

I once got accused of being a spy in North Norfolk. I take it that Scots don't often venture there?

Otherwise I remember it being a nice picturesque place and well worth the visit.

North Norfolkers are jealous of anyone who has a funnier accent than theirs, pogo!

 

[geminisnake]

Pogo doesn't have a strong accent really though.

We had an urban walk in Norfolk about 5 yrs ago, marty or trashpony should remember where it was. If you like bird watching that was the area to do it in.

 

[Andrew Hertford]

The trouble with Norfolk is that it's just so.....flat really, but Holkham beach is fantastic and almost certainly the biggest beach in the world!

 

[stuff_it]

For various convoluted reasons I might have to drive down to North Norfolk this weekend at some point.

Seeing as I have a camper van - it occurred to me that it might be worth making a weekend of it. Find a decent campsite, decent pub. Few books and a bottle of wine etc. Maybe take advantage of the insanely flat terrain to get a few long runs in.

But I know nothing about the area. Anyone have any tips? There seem to be quite a few campsites that fit the bill along the A149 but I don't really know where to start!

Camp site? What's one of those?

Lots of them may be closed for winter now that we're into November so ring ahead or be prepared to make do without the joys of a power hook up and a hot shower.

 

[8115]

North Norfolk in November? Be prepared for Jane Eyre style bleakness and people hunkering down for the winter like you've never seen before and probably never will again.

Seriously, do it. Any beach, anywhere. Beautiful.

 

[8115]

Drink beer and talk to fishermen

 

[marty21]

Pogo doesn't have a strong accent really though.

We had an urban walk in Norfolk about 5 yrs ago, marty or trashpony should remember where it was. If you like bird watching that was the area to do it in.

Trying to remember ! It was very cold and rainy and I remember people falling over trying to put their waterproof trousers on -

South Creake? near Fakenham, we had a jolly drink up in the pub in South Creake I think (although I was driving as Mrs21 wanted to stay in a b&b rather than the bunkhouse - a b&b which turned out to be freeing

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Remember visiting Happisburgh and other villages some years ago. Nice campsite with a fantastic pub. But lots of places were already falling into the sea 10 years ago. It might not be there any longer.

e2a; Manor caravan park/campsite (Happisburgh).
Hill House pub (at entrance to campsite).

Nice easy stumble back to your camper. Worth a look if ales and coastal hikes are your thing.

 

[Callie]

near Fakenham

one of my favourite place names because its sounds a bit sweary( to my mind) im probably pronouncing it wrong though

 

[twentythreedom]

I once got accused of being a spy in North Norfolk.

Surveillance op on someone that posted a new thread?

 

[Balham]

Been there a few times many years ago, I enjoyed it. An easy going uncomplicated place for a relaxing weekend (well, it was).

 

[_pH_]

My uncle and aunt run the shellfish stall in Sheringham. Sheringham is nice, but there are nicer places nearby. Blakeney, Morston, Cley-next-the-sea, Stiffkey are nice. Wells-next-the-sea is nice if you've got kids, tbh it's nice even if you haven't. The walk from Wells to Holkham along the beach is amazing. All the salt marshes are fantastic too, great if you're a twitcher. The further towards the Burnham's you go the posher it gets. Holt is nice too. In fact you can't really go wrong anywhere from Cromer to Hunstanton. You'll never be far from a decent pub and a pint of Wherry.

That bit of coast is one of my favourite places in the world to be.

Agree with all that apart from Hunstanton which is shit. Oh alright, to be fair, the old town's quite nice and the cliffs are attractive. But much of Sunny Hunny is a bit crap. Oh alright it's not all bad, a bit tacky but I have some fond memories of days there.

Is that little cafe on Cley beach still there? The one down the twisty single lane track over the saltmarsh through the reeds to the beach car park in a little shed heated by Supersers. I used to love a long walk on the beach on a freezing cold windy winter's day then dive into the cafe just before frost bite set in for a mug off coffee and a browse of the hundreds of second-hand birding books on the shelves, while watching the elements doing their thing outside through the steamed up windows. Blow winds, and crack your cheeks!

It is one of my favourite places in the world too.

 

[Balham]

Had a cousin that had a rather smart hotel at Kings Lynn a few years back. Totally useless info I realise but hey ho . . .

 

[ViolentPanda]

By the way, OP, NEVER make the mistake in north Norfolk of assuming that a place-name is pronounced as it's spelt. For example:

Happisburgh is pronounced "Haze-borough" and Cley is pronounced "Cleye". They're weird, I tells ye, and that from someone who has one line of his family from there!

 

[Greebo]

North Norfolk in November? Be prepared for Jane Eyre style bleakness and people hunkering down for the winter like you've never seen before and probably never will again.

Seriously, do it. Any beach, anywhere. Beautiful.

FFS take thermals at heat packs or hot water bottles at that time of year - when it's cold there it really gets right through whatever you're wearing. I agree about the beaches though.