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There’s Nowhere Like Norfolk… and there’s nowhere better to enjoy your holiday, short break or long weekend –as you’ll discover in this fabulous e-magazine.
In these fact-packed pages we’ll take you on a tour of Broadland’s villages and towns, we’ll show you how to get high in Norfolk and we’ll show you how you can go deep underground in Europe’s first industrial sites, from 5,000 years ago.
And we’ll demonstrate that you don’t have to leave Norfolk to go around the world! Yes, we choose some of the best destinations on earth and give you Norfolk’s equivalent. We’ll also give you a quick guide to the seven destinations of Norfolk so you can discover which one is best for you and a run-through of Norfolk’s top attractions. Whatever you choose to do, wherever you choose to go, we hope you have a fabulous time in Norfolk!
Well, there are seven distinct parts of Norfolk and all are very different so it’s very difficult to say what’s best. All of them are great, depending on what you want to do. So let’s talk you through them all...
The Broads is the only National Park that is part man-made
A National Park unlike any other… 125 miles of navigable, lock-free waterways. They are best explored by boat – you can hire day boats or take one out for a whole holiday. There are great riverside villages to explore, pubs and restaurants to moor up at, amazing wildlife to see and visitor attractions like BeWILDerwood and Wroxham Barns.
You can’t have a better seal of approval than being home for the Royal Family, can you? That’s Sandringham, whose hall and gardens are open most of the year. If you like that, try Houghton Hall as well. On the coast there’s seaside Hunstanton, from where you can take boat trips to see the offshore seal colony, and if you like birdwatching don’t miss RSPB Snettisham and Holme Dunes. Visit King’s Lynn to see the UK town with the most graded buildings, including the stunning Custom House and Guildhall. There’s
Enjoy walking and cycling in ancient heathland, spotting Deal Rows and Pingoes or red deer, discover market towns such as Swaffham, Thetford and Wymondham. Best of all, explore the massive Thetford Forest. Here you’ll have almost 16,000 acres of pines to play in. Head to High Lodge where you’ll find masses of waymarked walking and cycling paths as well as things to do such as archery and Go Ape aerial ropes.
The best seaside resort town on the east coast, with its unrivalled Golden Mile of family-friendly amusements, attractions and entertainment. There are great things to do, including the water spectacular at The Hippodrome, myriad rides at The Pleasure Beach, amazing marine wildlife at The Sea Life centre, strolling around The Venetian Waterways and you can learn about the town’s maritime history at the award-winning Time & Tide Museum.
Bustling, vibrant and never short of amazing things to do, the best preserved medieval city in the country has at its heart the largest permanent covered market in Europe, with superb shopping at High Street brands and a huge range of local independent stores, particularly in The Lanes.
Discover the city’s history at The Bridewell Museum of Norwich, take in a show at one of many theatres, and don’t miss the Norman Castle and the magnificent Cathedral.
Stunning coastline is the highlight of north Norfolk, punctuated by seaside Cromer with its Victorian pier, charming Wells-nextthe-Sea with its 200 higgledypiggledy colourful beach buts, the country’s largest seal colony at Blakeney Point, stunning coastal views at Sheringham Park and the magnificent Holkham Hall and beach. This is also an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Head inland for the lovely Georgian town of Holt, and the National Trust run Blickling Hall and Felbrigg Hall.
Norfolk has a huge collection of gardens, from small higgledy-piggledy cottage gardens to wonderfully relaxing water gardens and magnificent stately home gardens.
Laze around on the grass listening to bird song and gazing up at the sky. Feast your eyes on a riot of glorious colour – tumbling wisteria, clambering sweet peas, rambling roses and delicate hellebores. Rub your fingers over the lavender and mint or stoop to smell the parsley and sage. You can’t beat wandering around someone else’s garden and enjoying the rewards of all their hard work!
Pensthorpe is home to three delightful wildlife-rich gardens by award-winning designers, stunning meadow and a lakeside environment with year-round interest and growth. There’s the Wildlife Habitat Garden, the innovative Wave Line Garden, structural beauty of the acclaimed Millennium Garden or you can take a relaxing stroll through the Norfolk countryside in the tranquil Wildflower Meadow.
> pensthorpe.com
Close to Swaffham, this is a chance to immerse yourself in six acres of gardens with a natural trout stream, four ponds, waterways, thirteen bridges, grass paths and nature trails, mature trees and shrubs.
> gooderstonewatergardens.co.uk
A secret hideaway in the heart of the Norfolk Broads. Wonderful woodland walks, gardens rich in wildlife with an eclectic mix of native and cultivated plantings, plus a private broad from where you can take boat trips.
> fairhavengarden.co.uk
The National Trust’s Blickling Hall has 55 acres of topiary, sweeping lawns, herbaceous borders, temple and lake. There’s something to see all year round. Don’t miss the fragrant beds of the parterre and inspiring double borders. You’ll find hellebores and primroses, daffodils and bluebells, azaleas and rhododendron, wisteria and peonies as well as quiet places to sit and enjoy the view. Afterwards, take a longer walk around the magnificent estate… and try to find the county’s only pyramid.
> nationaltrust.org.uk
Holkham is putting the finishing touches to the rejuvenation of 6 acres of walled garden which was originally laid out by Samuel Wyatt during the late 1700s. Head through Italian iron-work gates which were brought from Venice in 1908 and into one of the seven sections, known as ‘squares’ and ‘slips’. The walls within the garden act as a windbreak and reflect the sun to create a gentle microclimate. In Victorian times the garden would have provided a constant and varied supply of food and decoration to the hall, ranging from vegetables and flowers to a wide variety of both common and exotic fruits.
> holkham.co.uk
The Royal Family’s country residence is set in 24 hectares of glorious gardens (see p6), and is perhaps the finest of all the Royal gardens. Every generation of the Royal Family which has lived here has added something of their own times and tastes, from the peace of the woodland walks to the drama of the carrstone rockeries, from the formality of the North Garden with its pleached lime avenues to the intimacy of the Stream Walk. In the 1960s Queen Elizabeth II invited Sir Eric Savill, famous for his gardens at Windsor, to re-landscape the Woodland Walk and the Bog Gardens, and in 1996 the then Head Gardener created the beautiful Stream Walk.
> sandringhamestate.co.uk
The gardens at the medieval moated manor house of Mannington feature a wide variety of plants, around 50 varieties of trees and shrubs in many different settings. Throughout the gardens are thousands of roses especially classic varieties. In the Heritage and Modern Rose Gardens are roses in areas with designs reflecting their date of origin from the fifteenth century to the present-day. The Contemporary Garden features more roses, shrubs and herbaceous borders with brighter colours and modern varieties.
> manningtongardens.co.uk
WALKS open every day of the year dawn to dusk Boardwalk, Bird hide & Arboretum
GARDENS open May 15th to September. Wed,Thurs, Fri Sun 11am-5pm
GARDEN TEAROOM on open days 11am-4pm
EVENTS
• MAY 12: Little Vintage Lover Fair • JUN 15:
Wild About Mannington Day • JUL 12 -14 Music Weekend
• AUG 9: ‘The Importance of Being Ernest’ • SEP 1
Charity Day • OCT 4- 6: Book Bash Literary Festival
For updates please see website: www.manningtonestate.co.uk admin@walpoleestate co uk | 01263 584175 | NR11 7BB
This park was the personal favourite of its designer, Humphry Repton. Take a wander and you’ll soon realise why. Visit the Repton exhibition to see the story of his 1812 design during a turbulent period of history. Famous for its vast collection of rhododendrons and azaleas, the last owner, before the National Trust took it on, would hold rhododendron champagne parties in the 1950s to show them off.
> nationaltrust.org.uk
There are six distinct gardens across 17 acres, including Alan Bloom’s Dell Garden, 48 beds of hardy perennials with 5000 different species and varieties. There’s also Adrian Bloom’s Foggy Bottom Garden with 500 different conifers and 100 heathers, The Summer Garden, The Fragrant Garden and Winter Garden.
> thebressinghamgardens.com
The National Trust’s Oxburgh Hall has four main garden areas dating from Oxburgh’s Victorian era, including an impressive French parterre, with its colourful pattern of flowers, a herbaceous border which is a glorious mix of colour and form, woodland trails and kitchen garden.
> nationaltrust.org.uk
A hidden gem in the middle of Norwich, behind the Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Plantation Gardens has architectural features that include a 30ft Gothic fountain, an Italianate terrace, rustic bridge and woodland paths. Mature trees and superb planting schemes provide year round colour. Just 10 minutes’ walk from the city centre, this Grade II English Heritage Listed garden has lots of special events.
> plantationgarden.co.uk
One of the county’s best-kept gardens has to be the East Ruston Old Vicarage. A privately owned garden, it is open for public viewing so visitors can see the love and attention that has been put into a wonder collection of gardens from exotic to woodland and plants from desert cacti to prehistoric tree ferns. Look out for framed views of Happisburgh lighthouse and church.
> eastrustonoldvicarage.co.uk
The gardens at Felbrigg are a delight, with visitors returning seasonally to see how things have changed. Discover Felbrigg’s widely renowned Walled Garden, as well as the West Garden, home to our orangery, built in the 18th century. Get up close to the double borders and herb beds in the Walled Garden and breathe in the scent of lavender, sage and mint. You can find a good many modern surprises within this traditionally laid out garden, including one of the few octagonal working dovecotes in the country, dating back to the early 1750s.
> nationaltrust.org.uk
Ten acres of gardens, consisting of themed gardens and the hedge maze, based on the ruins of the adjacent Beeston Priory. The natural feel of the gardens, and the diverse plant habitat it provides, creates a perfect habitat for a wide range of mammals, birds and insects, including resident pheasants, woodcock, snipe, kingfisher and goldcrests. You might also see waxwings, firecrest, crossbills and tree creepers. The wildflower meadow provides habitat for moths and other insects during midsummer, and in the early summer there are bee orchids and the common marsh orchid.
> priorymazegardens.co.uk
Brilliant beaches are a given when you visit Norfolk, so we’ve found 10 different ways to spend your hols...
Norfolk has some Premier League birdspotting, with nature reserves including Cley-next-theSea, Holme Dunes and Titchwell. If you’re an early riser, enjoy the Snettisham Spectacular at dawn – hundreds of thousands of waders taking off from the mudflats and doing aerial manoeuvres over your head. Amazing!
Cley Marshes © Norfolk Coast Partnership
During the Summer there are two boat trips from Morston Quay to see the seals at Blakeney Point. It’s the largest seal colony in the country and they’re very curious mammals, so some might be basking on the sand while others swim over to have a look at you. At Hunstanton you can enjoy a Searles Sea Tour to see seals in The Wash on their cool amphibious Wash Monsters.
There are fabulous marram grasstopped dunes around the Norfolk coast at places like old Hunstanton, Brancaster, Holme Dunes, Sea Palling, Horsey Gap and Great Yarmouth North, but perhaps the most interesting are at Winterton-onSea where you’ll find extensive trails backed by a gorgeous beach and you might even get to see a few seals.
Guided walking tours in Norwich, Cromer and the Broads National Park - all year-round
fun family day out Dog friendly! We have two centres in Norfolk!
Relax in beautifully restored carriages as you steam gently t of the county’s most stunning scenery with food served to yo from Comedy Dining, Fish & Chip Suppers, Cream Tea, Gin T
Rails & Ales, June 7 - 9
Vintage Transport Festival, July 6 - 7
Make Tracks to the Sixties, July 20 - 21
www.nnrailway.co.uk Dine in Style Enjoy unlimited travel all day!
A Festival on Rails, August 24 - September 1 Upcoming Events
A very simple pastime – you just need a line, a bucket with sea water in it and some bait. Top spots are Blakeney and Wells-next-the-Sea quays and Cromer, from the pier. You can also try the estuaries at Titchwell, Brancaster Staithe and Burnham Overy Staithe.
Cromer Promenade is a great place to do this. Get your traditional seaside fayre in of the many top quality establishments in the town (we recommend Mary Jane’s and No 1), walk along the seafront and find a seat from which to consume your takeaway while enjoying the fine view that includes the magnificent Victorian pier. Lots of vinegar and salt on your fish and chips – go on, you’re on holiday!
Yes, we’ve got fabulous natural landscapes to enjoy, but you need the ying to the yang so how about the wonderful mile of seaside amusements, arcades and rides at Great Yarmouth? Buy yourself an ice cream or fresh donuts and pootle along… or take a horse-drawn landau. When you get to the end, pop into the Pleasure Beach and take a white-knuckle ride on one of the last wooden rollercoasters.
All of the coast is covered by the national trail and if you’re not doing the full stretch choose a few miles and use the Coasthopper bus to get back to where you started. There are lovely views all the way around, but the best are possibly when you head up the cliffs at Sheringham and the Runtons.
You’ll find beach huts all around the coast, but on the beach at Wellsnext-the-Sea there’s a seemingly never-ending stretch of higgledypiggledy, multi-coloured beach huts. Enquire at nearby Pinewoods Holiday Park in advance and you might be able to hire one for the day. So the big question is, how many huts are there exactly? You’ll need a lot more than ten fingers and ten toes!
The Norfolk Coast Path is 84 miles long and goes from Hunstanton to Hopton-on-Sea.
Main Road, Titchwell PE31 8BB
t: 01485 210742 e: info@briarfieldshotelnorfolk.co.uk w: briarfieldshotelnorfolk.co.uk
The Green, Hunstanton PE36 6BQ
t: 01485 532688 e: info@thegoldenlionhunstanton.co.uk w: thegoldenlionhunstanton.co.uk
Old Hunstanton Rd, Hunstanton PE36 6HX
t: 01485 532896 e: info@thelodgehunstanton.co.uk w: thelodgehunstanton.co.uk
Come to north-east Norfolk’s unique Deep History Coast, cradle of British civilisation, and walk in the footsteps left by the UK’s first tourists nearly one million years ago. Yes, in Norfolk! There are interpretation points and an app where you can discover about the near-million year old human footprints found at Happisburgh and the world’s best-preserved mammoth skeleton found at West Runton. And that’s just the beginning!
When you’re at the seaside there’s nothing more magical than exploring the depths of a coastal rock pool. Get a glimpse into the depths for an intriguing snapshot of life under the waves – this is the easiest way to get up close to marine wildlife. You can rock pool (they’re also known as tide pools) at any time of the year but the best time is from late spring to early autumn when the weather is best and the water is still. The water tends to be warmest in September. The best places to rock pool in Norfolk are at West Runton, Cromer, Sheringham and Hunstanton.
There’s nowhere like Norfolk
Norfolk has lots of fabulous family-friendly visitor attractions, most of which have weather-proofed facilities. Here’s just a selection...
Set in 50 acres of Norfolk parkland, Banham Zoological Gardens, run by the Zoological Society of East Anglia, is a great place to get up close and personal with amazing wildlife. A conservation hub for endangered species of animals from around the world, Banham aims to spark a lifelong interest in protecting the rich diversity of our natural work through conservation and education. Join us to learn more about incredible animals including the Amur Tiger, Red Panda, Grevy’s Zebra, and Black-Footed Penguin and the world’s tallest animal, the giraffe.
> zsea.org/banham
Explore the thrilling park near Great Yarmouth using the unique network of walkways. Follow the bridges across the lake, climb the Jubilee Tree walk to get magnificent views of the park, and venture onto the Tiger Machan Viewing Platform. Walk through the tree tops with the Gibbons and over the Leopard Enclosures. Animals to be enthralled by are Sumatran Tigers, Red Pandas, Meerkats, Snow Leopards, Otters, Alligators and Crocodiles.
> thrigbyhall.com
Unleash your inner Tarzan by taking to the trees at Go Ape at High Lodge, Thetford Forest. Explore the forest canopy 40ft from the floor on wobbly crossings, giant swings and zip wires. While you’re here, tear up the trails on an all-terrain electric Segway, try your arm at archery, enjoy the adventure playgrounds and much more.
> goape.co.uk
Major investments over the past few years, not least indoor Dinomite and Dippy’s Theatre, make Roarr! the top adventure park in the region. Head out on to the Valley of the Dinosaurs, hit the heights on the Predator High Ropes or zip around Dippy’s Raceway after a frolic in Dippy’s Splash Zone. There’s food options and indoor and outdoor picnic areas.
> roarr.co.uk
Lovable donkey duo Wiggins and Wacko, real-life Black Beauty Maya and resident troublemakers, the Gangsters, are just some of the 50 rescued residents to discover at Redwings Aylsham, while Caldecott, a Visit England Quality Assured Visitor Attraction, is a must-see for all donkey and mule lovers!
> redwings.org.uk
Part conservation trust, part visitor attraction, Pensthorpe does an exceptional job of encouraging people to look after the environment and our wildlife… while everyone is also having a lot of fun! Explore the wild side of nature in this stunning 700 acre nature reserve located within the Wensum Valley, just 11 miles inland from the Norfolk coast. There’s epic indoor adventure at Hootz House and at Wildrootz eco-play area children with energy to burn can push themselves physically whilst boosting confidence and having fun scaling 30ft towers, swinging from zip wires, venturing into underground tunnels and flying down twisty slides.
> pensthorpe.com
If you’re looking for a unique experience to entertain the whole family from 0–90, look no further than a self-drive safari tour at multiaward winning Watatunga Wildlife Reserve. With the UK’s largest collection of endangered deer and antelope, this 170-acre gem is one of Norfolk’s best kept secrets.
> watatunga.co.uk
This fun park in Hemsby is an actionpacked day out for the entire family. Enjoy a day away from the beach and explore all the fun of the farm. Perfect for youngsters with lots of energy, Hirstys has acres of space to discover. Feeling peckish? Pop over to Hirst Farm Shop and Café, the family-run farm, offering fresh, locally sourced produce from the fields and network of local farmers, fishmongers and artisan suppliers.
> hirstysfamilyfunpark.co.uk
Come and meet the friendly farm animals and learn more about them from the experienced livestock staff, whilst getting to pet some of them. The animals, not the staff. The adventure playground is a must for all younger visitors, with trampolines, climbing frames, a great pedal tractor trail and our enormous undercover sand pit and straw barn, where children can jump and play in the straw bales.
The largest all invertebrate zoo in the UK, Bugz UK is absolutely unique… especially if you like creepy crawlies! The venue has hundreds of tropical insects, millipedes, spiders and tarantulas… and there are handling sessions every hour. There is also a huge jumping pillow and a covered sandpit.
> churchfarmstowbardolph.co.uk
> bugzuk.com
Run wild in this award-winning outdoor adventure park in the Broads National Park. Enjoy treehouses, wobbly wires, slippery slopes, storytelling, boat rides, marsh walks and meet the Crocklebogs, Twiggles and Boggles. There’s lots of special events to look out for too.
> bewilderwood.co.uk
This zoo in Cromer is Braziliant! Meet the 200 animals who call Amazona home, get up close and personal with Brazilian wild animals or visit the education yurt to learn more about the wildlife and ecology of South America. Under 12s will love Jumble Tumbles soft play adventure and youngsters will enjoy Rainforest Springs play area.
> amazonazoo.co.uk
With a stunning location on the north Norfolk coast and at the heart of a thriving 25,000-acre estate, 18th century Palladian Holkham Hall is an exceptional place to explore. Discover the ‘Holkham Stories Experience’, the walks and cycle trails, hit the high ropes course, take a boat on the lake, or a wander around the refurbished Walled Garden. The estate also hosts events throughout the year, including outdoor cinema and theatre.
> holkham.co.uk
Great Yarmouth’s Pleasure Beach offers huge fun for all the family, from white knuckle rides to traditional attractions, including dodgems, fun factory and freefall. Don’t miss the wooden rollercoaster, the last one in the UK that needs a brakeman because there are no brakes on the track. Eek!
> pleasure-beach.co.uk
Discover an amazing underwater world on Great Yarmouth’s Golden Mile including the Rockpool Explorer Experience and meet the Humboldt Penguins, blacktip reef sharks, Clownfish, and turtles. There’s a Sea Life at Hunstanton too.
> visitsealife.com
The largest indoor modelling attraction in the UK stretching over 10,000 square feet with some of the largest model railways in the world on permanent public display. Come and be immersed in these miniature worlds. The attraction is made up of many zones including model railways in various scales, slot car displays and a whole city made from over 130,000 Lego bricks! With model boat displays and a host of toys from across the decades there is something for the whole family.
> wroxhamminiatureworlds.co.uk
There’s great shopping and eating at this fabulous countryside venue, but there’s also lots of family fun. Explore the Junior Farm and Fun Park, romp around in the soft play area, and get lost in the Maize Maze. There’s heaps of cute animals to meet including sheep, pigs, rabbits, alpacas, guinea pigs and goats. And pony grooming too!
> wroxhambarns.co.uk
Transporting visitors 4,500 years back in time, a new entrance to one of a vast complex of prehistoric flint mines has opened at Grime’s Graves in Breckland.
There’s
English Heritage’s new entrance building and exhibition at the country’s oldest human-made underground space – complete with previously unseen flint tools discovered at the site, such as an axe, sickle and circular knife – will reveal the wonders of this ancient industrial hub, the Neolithic equivalent of Yorkshire’s cotton mills, or South Wales’ steelworks.
Standing above ground at Grime’s Graves – first named Grim’s Graves by the Anglo-Saxons (who believed it was the burial place of the god Woden/Grim) – you would be
forgiven for thinking you had landed on another planet, with its strange, grassy lunar landscape, but the undulating ground hints at the historical treasure below. Around 2500 BC, about the time many of the stones at Stonehenge were first raised, Neolithic miners used tools made from deer antlers to carve out a labyrinth of tunnels across 430 mine shafts, some up to 13 metres deep. This was in pursuit of the prized, high value and jet-black flint which was formed millions of years ago by the debris of sea creatures on what was then an ocean bed.
Described as the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of Neolithic life, flint was sought after for its versatility and durability, as well as perhaps spiritual value, and was used to fashion tools, weapons, and ceremonial objects. The flint at Grime’s Graves was of such good quality that it would have been used for fine, specialised tools, and a giant hunk of flint possibly from the area has even been found as far away as Avebury, Wiltshire. Now thanks to a new structure over one of the mineshafts, known as Pit 1, visitors are able to easily descend 9 metres (30 ft) below ground into one of the flint mines dug over 4,500 years ago.
Jennifer Wexler, English Heritage’s Properties Historian, said: ‘What makes Grime’s Graves such a special place is that there are still so many secrets to be unlocked. It was not until 1868-70, when one of the pits was excavated, that this was even identified as a Neolithic flint mine. To this day, most of the over 400 pits remain untouched and geophysical surveys suggest that the mines covered a much greater area, so we are getting a tantalising glimpse into place full of hidden mystery.
‘What I find remarkable is the deep understanding the miners had of their environment. The mines are a feat of great engineering skill, showing sophisticated geological knowledge of the earth. The site was in use at the same time that
Neolithic people were transforming their world on a massive scale and building impressive monuments across the British Isles, such as Stonehenge and Avebury. It’s brilliant that visitors will be able to see a few of the remarkable objects we have recently excavated in our new exhibition and then descend deep underground to have this totally otherworldly experience.’
Miners were believed to have been lured to Grime’s Graves from far afield for its precious flint, and whole communities, including women, children, and even pet dogs, were involved in the mining process. Now, a new exhibition, will reveal the engineering prowess and geological understanding of Neolithic people, looking at examples of the tools
they fashioned from the flint, and showing how they lived, and what they believed. Those who want to venture into a mineshaft will find a more accessible descent into Pit 1. Below ground, a new film projected onto the pit’s walls tells the story of the men, women, and even children who risked daily danger in pursuit of their prize. If you look closely, you can still see the marks scoured into the walls as the flint was hacked out to be taken above ground and transported far and wide. Set amid the distinctive Breckland heath landscape, Grime’s Graves is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a habitat for rare plants and fauna and so a new family trail will encourage exploration of the unique landscape, geology, wildlife and plant life.
Acle is a market town on the River Bure, and is on the rail line between Great Yarmouth and Norwich. Its name comes from ‘Oaks lea’, meaning a clearing in an oak forest. In Tudor times, hundreds of oaks were felled here for timber to construct the warships of Elizabeth I.
The town of Potter Heigham is an excellent place for boat hire. A treat is to watch sailors attempt to travel under a tiny medieval bridge, renowned for being the most difficult to navigate in the area.
Reedham is a pretty village that sits on the bank of the River Yare with two crossings of the water – a swing bridge for the rail line between Norwich and Great Yarmouth and a chain ferry for cars and pedestrians.
The village of Ranworth is an excellent place to visit, where those feeling energetic can climb the winding, spiral stone staircase of the magnificent St Helen’s Church, known as the ‘Cathedral of the Broads’. Once at the top your efforts will be rewarded with spectacular views over this special landscape. The church has one of the finest examples of a medieval rood screen in the country and an exquisite 15th century illuminated songbook.
Wroxham is the term we use to refer to the connected villages of Wroxham and Hoveton, one either side of the River Bure. This is the undoubted capital of the Broads, sporting an abundance of places to eat, a terminus of the Bure Valley Railway, ‘The World’s Largest Village Store’ in Roy’s, and lots of places to hire day boats or cruisers. Close by are Wroxham Barns and BeWILDerwood family attractions.
At Stalham you can visit the Museum of the Broads and marvel at Hunsett Mill. The picturesque village of Horning is situated on the bank of the River Bure. Stop off at Coltishall to sample some local ales and food at a riverside pub, and explore the village with its old buildings and church.
There’s nowhere like Norfolk
Focused around the market place, a conservation area, Reepham has a lovely Flemish influence. On the edge of the town is the former Reepham Station, which has cycle hire, a team room and small museum, and is the start of the Marriott’s Way, a 21-mile old trackbed which is now used by walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
Aylsham, in the upper reaches of the River Bure, is a charming market town close to Jacobean Blickling Hall and has the northern terminus of the Bure Valley Railway that runs to Wroxham with stops at Brampton, Buxton and Coltishall.
Blickling village near Aylsham is overshadowed by the National Trust’s Blickling Hall where a walk around the gardens and estate will make your day. Look out for the mausoleum pyramid.
Heydon is a charming village that’s at the end of a cul-de-sac! But it’s worth a visit for the picturesque houses and cottages, the lovely pub, the Earle Arms, and to see where 1970’s The Go Between and 2005’s A Cock And Bull Story were filmed.
Coltishall is a captivating Broads village by the River Bure, with riverside pubs, a former RAF base where Sir Douglas Bader was a squadron commander and a station on the Bure Valley Railway.
The delightful village of Woodbastwick is well worth a visit to soak up the peace and tranquillity away from the busier towns. Having twice won the Best Kept Village Award, it is a beautiful place with a stunning medieval flint church finished with Norfolk thatching. It is also home to Woodforde’s Brewery and the brewery tap, The Fur & Feathers.
To misquote Samuel Johnson, when a man is tired of Norfolk, he is tired of life… ‘for there is in Norfolk all that life can afford’. In fact, rather than gallivanting around the world, why not come to Norfolk to see our equivalent of the great sights. We’re less than two hours from London…
Beautifully preserved ancient city with Roman ruins, glorious religious buildings, built on hills… Rome and Norwich have so many things in common. The Norman cathedral in Norwich (one of Norfolk’s 7 Wonders) has more than 400 years on St Peter’s Basilica, although the River Wensum isn’t quite as majestic as the Tiber and there’s no proof (yet) that our Fine City was founded by a couple of wolfsuckled infants. For the Roman ruins, just head out to Caistor St Edmund where you can see the remains of a Roman town Venta Icenorum on the banks of the River Tas.
Just as the Venetians made their lagoons and canals, so Norfolk peat diggers helped create the Broads. Feel free to start singing ‘O sole mio’ as you take your day boat or cruiser out on the 125 miles of navigable lock-free waterways (Venice has just 30 miles of canals). We don’t have gondolas but if you go to the Museum of the Broads you’ll see our equivalent… the gun punt.
Amazing to think that these were built more than 2,000 years before Christ! Both were constructed in circles, although Seahenge (revealed in the sands of Holmenext-the-Sea in 1998) was made of tree trunks, and both probably had religious purposes. Unlike its stone equivalent, Seahenge, one of Norfolk’s 7 Wonders, can now be seen in a museum, at King’s Lynn.
Both were members of the Hanseatic League, a connection that King’s Lynn celebrates to this day. Both prospered and depended on maritime links for trade and business, traces of which can still be found in their cobbled lanes, quays and merchants’ homes. And both made a lot of their wealth on the back (quite literally) of sheep wool.
Both stately homes where the Royals have enjoyed their Christmases, Sandringham is a slightly more humble version of the Winter Palace but no less regal for that! In fact, sticking with the Russian theme, Sandringham is more a Royal dacha, a country house. Take a tour and you’ll nonetheless see sumptuous furnishings, priceless artwork, fine porcelain and more.
If you want to see the beautiful violet of lavender you don’t have to drive all the way down the Route De Soleil down to the south of France… you just have to head over to West Norfolk where the Lavender Farm has been in business since 1932, operating 100 acres! It was the Romans who brought lavender to Norfolk… along with rabbits.
Giza is the oldest of the Ancient Wonders of the World and the only one to be largely intact but if you want to see a pyramid closer to home how about the wonderful Mausoleum of Blickling Hall & Estate. Built in 1794 by Joseph Bonomi, the Grade II building is based on the tomb of Caius Cestius in Rome and was constructed for John Hobart, the 2nd Earl of Buckinghamshire (1728-93). It also contains the tombs of the Earl’s first wife Mary Anne and second wife Caroline.
Provence is warm, sunny and dry which makes for great wine – and so is south Norfolk! In fact, let’s not forget we’re the combined sunniest/ driest part of the country so in the last few years a number of top-notch vineyards have popped up around the Yare and Waveney Valleys. A family affair, Ben and Hannah Witchell have been making wine at Flint Vineyard since 2016 and have won two Decanter World Wine Awards silver medals and been included in The Times Top 50 White Wines. Situated in the picturesque village of Bergh Apton, 9 miles south of Norwich, Chet Valley Vineyard is another family business, run by winemaker John Hemmant, with a background in farming and chemistry, and his wife Bridget. They’ve been producing awardwinning English sparkling wines since 2010. Both Flint and Chet Valley have wine tastings and tours. Look out also for Winbirri Vineyard and Humbleyard Vineyard.
Whereas northern Spain has its shrine of the apostle St James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia with its pilgrimage route, Norfolk has Our Lady of Walsingham, the title derived from a vision of Mary, mother of Jesus, that appeared before devout noblewoman Richeldis de Faverches in 1061. Lady Richeldis had a Holy House built in Walsingham which became a shrine and place of pilgrimage, receiving visits from monarchs including Edward I and II and Henry’s III, IV, VII and VIII.
Great Yarmouth’s Golden Mile is just like the Las Vegas Strip. If you want to gamble there’s gaming machines and Bingo. Bright lights… tick. Celebrity shows… tick. Fun and amusements… tick. And while Vegas has its own Eiffel Tower, so does Great Yarmouth… the Atlantis Tower, up which you can have a coffee and savour fantastic views across the town and out to the Broads.
Miles and miles of flat, unspoilt sandy beach in the combined sunniest/driest county in the UK… trust us, it doesn’t take much of a leap of the imagination to be walking along Wells and Holkham beaches at low tide in the sun and thinking ‘You know, this JUST LIKE being on a beach in the Caribbean’. We’ve done it hundreds of times. Bet you don’t get beach huts in the Caribbean though… and they didn’t film the end of Shakespeare In Love in the Caribbean either!
The Dorset coast is England’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site but Norfolk’s is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is roughly similar. While things like a Pliosaur have been found in Dorset (it was a swimming reptile, 52 feet long, and could have had a T-Rex for breakfast), on the Norfolk coast a mammoth has been discovered, Neolithic flint axes and the oldestknown human footprints outside the Rift Valley in Africa. Yes, Norfolk had the country’s first tourists! Norfolk even has its own Dino Adventure theme park!
And if you really want to get away from it all… Yes, Norfolk has its own uninhabited desert island, looked after by Natural England. Depending on tides you can wade through the mud creeks, linger in the swimming holes, or take a ferry from Burnham Overy Staithe. Then when you crest the marram-tufted Gun Hill dunes, you will find a beach of pure white sand. Don’t just imagine it, go and see it for yourself!
Sure there’s bowling alleys, laser games, rolling skating, cinemas and the like in Norwich, but then every place has got those, right? So, for our top 10, we’ve sought out things that are unique to Norwich...
The ‘box on the hill’ has stood there for coming up for a thousand years when the Normans built it to impress upon the natives who was now in charge. You wouldn’t argue with them. Nowadays, it’s a little like our version of The Smithsonian – galleries of arts and the natural world, a look at Roman Norfolk, and lots more besides. There are regular special attractions and events for youngsters during the holidays. The castle is reopening this Summer as the ‘Royal Palace Reborn’.
A cornucopia of city history, from when Norwich was England’s Second City through to its rich industrial heritage. Learn about shopping and trading, take a look at the recreated early 20th century chemists shop and explore The Undercroft!
One of the country’s best provincial theatres has shows and workshops for young ’uns, particularly in the holidays.
A community outreach organisation just off the city centre they’re all about… yes, you guessed – puppets and puppet performance. Creating magical theatrical performances are just one of the things they do. Oh, and hands-on skills sessions too.
Built after the first world war, this big recreation space off the city centre – all 80 acres of it – is where Norwich congregates 365 days of the year. There’s a pitch and putt, model boating pond, tennis courts, crazy gold, skate park and games area. There’s also just loads of space to run around and burn off energy. And you can get refreshments at the café too.
For a second there you thought Millennium Falcon, didn’t you? Admit it. Nope, nothing to do with Star Wars, this is actually a unique space in the heart of Norwich, opposite St Peter Mancroft Church, by the market. Principally the city’s library, it also hosts lots of festivals and events, many for youngsters on the weekends and holidays. Events are also held outside on Millennium Plain, and is often the launch venue for the annual Norfolk and Norwich Festival, another great reason to bring the anklebiters to Norwich.
For great views of the city skyline, head up to Mousehold Heath. This is the vantage point that Robert Kett’s rebels took before causing mayhem in the city in 1549. It didn’t end well. There’s plenty of space to run around, a recreation park and pitch and putt.
Take a cycle or walk around this peaceful Broad and enjoy refreshments in the Flint Barn Café. As well as 280 acres of lovely countryside and water, there’s also Whitlingham Adventure where youngsters can take their first steps to sailing.
Combine a trip along the River Wensum with a trip into the Cathedral and its Precinct and you’ll have an adventurous few hours. Look out for Pull’s Ferry, where stone from Caen was brought ashore by the Normans to build their 11th century paean to God. Cow Tower is an interesting feature on the river – a medieval blockhouse to repel attackers. There are lots of kid-friendly restaurants in the Riverside entertainment area, or you could find an independent café in the medieval, cobbled streets in Tombland.
There’s nowhere like Norfolk
This Norman Foster-designed hangar-like building (used in some Marvel films as their upstate New York HQ) at the University of East Anglia has free admission to the permanent collection which includes work by Modigliani, Picasso and Bacon. There are regular events for families and youngsters. Outside explore the Sculpture Park, which includes works by Henry Moore, and take a walk around the Broad. Nearly Earlham Park has a café and an opportunity to paddle barefoot in the River Yare.
It’s said that for an ‘outcomer’ to be accepted in Norfolk, they must have lived here for 25 years. But you can accelerate that by gaining the Norfolk equivalent of the London Cabbie’s Knowledge – just learn all these Norfolk facts and you’ll be one of us within three swishes of a dickey’s tail. If you don’t know that a dickey is a donkey in Norfolk, then you’re not there yet…
The Anglo-Saxon land grab of England began immediately after the Romans left. While the Saxons from Holland and Germany went mainly south (the sex suffix to country names derives from their early kingdoms, a contraction of seachs, the old English word for Saxon) the Angles from Denmark came to the east. They didn’t trouble the north of England because the North Sea was too treacherous to cross until the Straits of Dover. And because who’d want to live in Skegness, a pale imitation of Great Yarmouth, the east coast’s premier resort.
Norfolk people were the ‘north folk’ of East Anglia, that’ll be us, and Suffolk people were the ‘south folk’, the Tractor Boys down the road. Do you see what the Angles did there? Of course, the name England comes from the Angles, so we can claim to be where England started. Oh, and the only enmity between Norfolk and Suffolk should be on a football field, the Old Firm Derby when Norwich City take on Ipswich Town.
It’s not just our humour that’s dry, did you know that Norfolk is the driest county in the UK, and one of the sunniest? This makes it a perfect place to visit, any time of the year!
The prosperity of Norfolk meant that more than 1,000 medieval churches were built across the county, 659 of which still survive – the highest concentration in the world. Norfolk has 125 round tower churches – more than any other county in Britain. Given that most of the county is fenland or chalk, the stone for this churchbuilding spree was unavailable locally; but such was the wealth of medieval Norwich that they were able to import honey-coloured Caen limestone from Normandy.
There’s nowhere like Norfolk
The county was hit hard by the Black Death and subsequent episodes of plague – a third of the population of Norwich died in an outbreak in 1579. Norfolk is one of very few counties where the population is lower today than it was in the early 14th century.
Norfolk could quite easily be an island. The River Waveney leaves land on the south east of Norfolk, below Great Yarmouth, and the River Little Ouse leads to the Ouse which flows into The Wash near King’s Lynn. Their sources are just a few miles apart behind Thetford! So, if we built a dyke for those few miles Norfolk would be an island. Then we could claim independence! Maybe issue passports. Our own coins. But, of course, we wouldn’t become a Republic… His Majesty King Charles III lives here, for goodness sake!
The first hand axe to be recognised as a hand axe was found by a Norfolk man named John Frere (1740-1807). At the time no one really believed him when he said that the rock was a tool made by early man. In those days, hand axes were known as ‘thunderbolts’ because people couldn’t explain them. They were actually an early version of a Swiss Army knife – one could be used to club a mammoth, skin a mammoth, bone a mammoth… you get the point. As did the mammoths.
…but Norfolk does have over 6,000 miles of roads. If you have difficulty navigating north Norfolk by the road signs it might be because they were turned around during World War II to confuse Nazi spies and haven’t been changed back. But that might just be apocryphal!
The county with the highest percentage of known passengers on The Mayflower in 1620 was Norfolk. The Pilgrim Fathers escaped religious persecution and wanted to create a Commonwealth in the New World, rather than a colony, which is why they tend to be feted by Americans, rather than the people of Jamestown, who were there 13 years earlier.
What would you do with floaters, sinkers and swimmers? Eat them – they’re all types of Norfolk Dumplin’.
Two Qs! Quarles, near Wellsnext-the-Sea, and Quidenham, 10 miles north west of Thetford are the only two Norfolk villages beginning with a Q.
Two Ys! Yaxham and Yelverton are the only two Norfolk villages beginning with Y.
We blame Noel Coward. It was the famous playwright who penned the line ‘Very flat, Norfolk’ in Private Lives and the reputation stuck. Sure, Norfolk isn’t Snowdon and you won’t need crampons and ropes to enjoy its gently rolling countryside and the magnificent wide open skies, but there are still ways to get high in Norfolk...
Stand at Roman Camp, otherwise known as Beacon Hill, on the Cromer Ridge and you’ll be at the highest point in not just Norfolk but the whole of East Anglia! Cromer Ridge is a terminal moraine, created at the end of the last Ice Age when a glacier, basically, just gave up and left behind everything it had picked up. Nearby Telegraph Hill at Kelling Heath has a spectacular panorama of the coast. Also nearby is the Humphry Repton-designed Sheringham Park. There’s a good view from the gazebo but it’s even better from the viewing tower where you can look all the way along the coast westwards to Blakeney Point, where the seals live. Also on the Cromer Ridge is Beeston Bump at West Runton, a circular hill called a kame, which are steepsided mounds of sand and gravel deposited by the melting ice sheet. Facing to sea, look left and you’ll see Sheringham and right, you’ll see Cromer.
Take a tower tour at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St John in Norwich and enjoy the beautiful countryside around the city. Bring your binoculars and on a bright day you might see the red and white stripes of Happisburgh lighthouse and also the wind turbine farm off Great Yarmouth. Also in the city take a battlements tour of Norwich Castle and enjoy the views of the market place. Up here, you’re the king of the castle and everyone else is a dirty old rascal. Or, as this is a Norman castle, you might want to reprise the French soldier from Monty Python’s The Life of Brian, ‘Go and boil your bottoms, you sons of a silly person! I blow my nose at you!’
Take a spin on the Big Wheel on Great Yarmouth’s Golden Mile of seafront and observe the seals on Scroby Sands and the Broads cruisers on Breydon Water. Another way to get high in Great Yarmouth is to take a ride on the Pleasure Beach rollercoaster. Wheeeeee! Or visit Thetford Forest for Go Ape, a fab series of aerial adventures in the treetops.
The Broads National Park are probably the flattest part of Norfolk, but you can get high here too… at the top of the church tower of St Helen’s at Ranworth, otherwise known as The Cathedral of the Broads. To reach the top you have to climb 89 steps, go up a pair of ladders and navigate a trap door but, trust us, the view is worth it.
