There’s Nowhere Like Norfolk Winter 2023/2024 by Visit East of England

There’s nowhere like

Norfolk

The e-magazine from Visit Norfolk Winter 2023/24

o t e c a l p e ... th brate winter ce le Brilliant things to do… outdoors… in Norwich… for well-being | Plan your Norfolk holiday | Etiquette on the sand dunes | Film locations | Visit Norfolk FAQs

YO UR N O R FO L K A DV EN T UR E S B EGIN WI T H

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I D E A L LY L O C A T E D ATO P O N E O F T H E H I G H E ST POINTS IN WEST NORFOLK

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r e t n i W y o j n E k l o f r in No Inside Brilliant things to do… Outdoors

Brilliant things to do… in Norwich

Brilliant things to do… for Well-being

With fewer visitors than the rest of the year, Winter is the perfect time to come to Norfolk and explore without the crowds.. And whether you’re here as a family, as a couple or group, or you’ve brought your four-legged friend along, you’ll get so many ideas about things to do, places to see and where to stay in this latest issue of There’s Nowhere Like Norfolk e-magazine. We’ve got 15 brilliant things to do outdoors in Norfolk, some great things to do in our county capital Norwich and some fab ideas for helping your well-being in Norfolk.

Plan your 2024 Norfolk holiday

Our Friendly Invasion comes to the screen

Lights! Camera! Action! Norfolk film locations

Know yor Norfolk facts!

We’ve also got lots of ideas for you to start planning your 2024 holiday here in Norfolk plus lots of other inspiration.

Happy reading and keep yew a troshin’!

Norfolk New Year Resolutions

Dunes etiquette

Visit Norfolk FAQs

And for those long Winter nights, we’ve got a handy compilation of 20 Norfolk facts for you to learn and disseminate to your startled family.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

t n a i l l i Br … o d o t things

s r oo d t u O Magical countryside, tinged with sparkling hoar frost, beautiful empty coast, nature reserves, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a National Park, all under our huge, never-ending skies. Winter is a wonderful time to explore Norfolk, when you feel as if you’ve almost got the county to yourself.

g Ther e’s no such thin as bad weather, only bad clothing! 4

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

It ’s a gr eat time to… 1 WALK ALONG THE COAST Wrap up warm and brave the great outdoors for a bracing walk. Head to the Norfolk coast and it’s likely it’ll just be you, the shoreline, the sea and sky – and perhaps your partner, the kids and a dog or two! Maybe a seal or two. We recommend the north beach at Great Yarmouth, Winterton-on-Sea, Happisburgh, Wells-next-the-Sea and Brancaster.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

3 SWIM! Brace yourself… there are Boxing Day swims along the coast, notably at Cromer and Hunstanton.

2 BOAT TRIP TO SEE THE SEALS Take a Beans Boats trip from Morston Quay to see the seals at Blakeney Point. When the Greys are pupping in the New Year you’ll marvel at the largest seal colony in the country. Honestly, you’ll simply be cooing at their cuteness!

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

5 DEEP HISTORY Discover the Deep History Coast between West Runton and Happisburgh. At the former a 600,000-year-old mammoth skeleton was found, the oldest and best preserved in the world. At the latter, 850,000-year-old human footprints were found, the oldest evidence of mankind found outside the Great Rift Valley in Africa.

4 THETFORD FOREST

6 BROADS TRIP

Take a bike out into Thetford Forest – it’s a great time for a gentle pedal or a more lung-busting adrenaline thrash through the woods. Or you could just pull on your hiking boots and take a walk in the woods.

Take a trip out on the Broads and get a heron’s view of the world. The birdlife is great and with the vegetation died back, you’ll get a better view than during the summer. (The bigger day boats have heating, galleys and toilets).

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

7 SPEND A DAY IN OUR FINE CITY! …just bimbling around! Norwich is a very walkable city. Explore the cobbled streets around Elm Hill, walk along riverside to Pull’s Ferry and through the Cathedral precinct and defo try the chips on Norwich Market, liberally doused with vinegar and salt.

8 SEE THE UNIVERSITY SCULPTURE TRAIL A little outside the city take a walk around the Broad at the University of East Anglia and enjoy the Sainsbury Centre’s sculpture trail. Another good Broad walk near the city is Whitlingham.

9 NATIONAL TRUST Take a walk in the grounds of one of our many National Trust properties, such as Sheringham Park, Blickling, Felbrigg and Oxburgh.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

10 DARK SKIES Norfolk is famous for its big blues skies, but it’s at night when it gets interesting. With little light pollution on the coast, away from Great Yarmouth and the other resorts, you can enjoy dark and wide skies – perfect for stargazing. Wait for a cloudless night, wrap up warm, and get set for a magical natural experience. Enjoy Norfolk’s Dark Sky Discovery Sites at Wiveton Downs and Kelling Heath in north Norfolk and Great Ellingham in the Brecks, or head for the deep countryside of the Broads.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

11 FENS BIRDS Head out into the Fens to feed the swans on their annual migration from the Arctic! At WWT Welney on the Ouse Washes there’s activity every afternoon – the sight of hundreds of white swans punctuating the inky black of twilight is something you won’t forget.

WWT Welney

12 MIGRATING GEESE Get up early to see the migratory birds on The Wash at Snettisham. Watch the geese leave their overnight roost as the light cracks and they fly in skeins overhead inland for breakfast. AMAZING! There’s more than 100,000 of them from their breeding grounds in the Arctic. Above the water you’ll also see waders twist and turn in aerial `ballet.

13 OUTDOOR ATTRACTIONS

Visit one of our outdoor attractions and experience nature at Pensthorpe, BeWILDerwood, Fairhaven or Gooderstone Water Gardens. Or book up on a wild deer safari at Holkham Hall – hundreds roam the estate and woods and are an amazing sight! Or take a buggy tour at Watatunga Wildlife Reserve – a unique experience.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

14 GO PADDLE BOARDING OR SURFING! Okay, Norfolk’s not Hawaii, but we still have ample waves to try surfing. You can learn to surf at Cromer or head out on your own at West Runton, or down the east coast at Winterton-on-Sea or Gorleston-onSea. The coast here is also perfect for windsurfing.

15 …AND RELAX After all the winter fresh air, find a welcoming pub with a roaring fire for a well-earned pint and a hearty meal, or a friendly café for a warming mug of hot chocolate and piece of cake!

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Norfolk Lights Express Nov 10 - Jan 1 Enjoy an immersive, wintertime experience that is fun for the whole family! See colourful dioramas along our lineside and discover the countryside in a whole new light.

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There’s nowhere like Norfolk

t n a i l l i Br … o d o t things in

h c i w Nor

Norwich has more 1500 historic buildings within the city walls, with 33 medieval churches, more than any other city in northern Europe, and Elm Hill is a complete historical cobbled street with stunning examples of Tudor buildings and wealthy merchants’ houses. It's said there used to be a pub for every day and a church for every Sunday. Sounds like there’d be a lot of repenting. 14

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

1 VISIT OUR NORMAN CATHEDRAL Don’t miss our Norman cathedral, one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe. Well, you can’t miss it – it boasts the second tallest spire in the country, as well as the largest cloisters in England. Admire the magnificent Sir Thomas Erpingham statue at the Norwich cathedral west gate. Firstly, because it was Erpingham who lead the archers at Agincourt in 1415. Secondly because the archers’ success gave us a naughty two-fingered salute! Look out for statues of world war one nurse Edith Cavell and Horatio Nelson, and take a tour of the magnificent cathedral and cloisters, the only twostorey cloisters in the country. The cathedral was actually built as an act of penance… yes, really!

2 APPRECIATE THE VIEW! Appreciate the view of Norwich, our Fine City, from Mousehold Heath. This lovely park high above the city has great views looking down on the cathedral, castle and city centre (wonderful at sunset). You could even imagine what it looked like in 1549 when Robert Kett camped his troops up here prior to attacking Norwich. It didn’t end well… unlike your visit to our Fine City!

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

3 DO A TOUR OF THE CASTLE

5 VISIT THE CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL

Take a tour of the Norman Norwich Castle, and find out what a Snapdragon is. With over 1 million exhibits, the Castle is our version of The Smithsonian, an eclectic mix of fine art, archaeology (look out for the mummified cat), natural history (including tigers and a giant polar bear) and much more (death masks of convicted killers anyone?).

The Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist is built on the highest point in the city and the views from its tower are probably the best. On a clear day you can see Happisburgh lighthouse on the coast! Behind the Cathedral are the Plantation Gardens, Norwich’s very own Secret Garden, built in a former quarry.

The ‘British Masters’ gallery showcases the work of the two leading figures of the Norwich School, John Crome and John Sell Cotman, displaying their greatest masterpieces side by side. The façade of the castle was actually reconstructed by the Victorians but sssh, don’t tell anyone! They’ll never guess!

4 SHOP IN JARROLD DEPARTMENT STORE Take a look around the familyrun Jarrold, Norwich’s wonderful independent department store, the Harrods of the East, with an awardwinning book department that has over 40,000 titles. (It was Jarrold who published 30 million bestseller Black Beauty by Anna Sewell).

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There’s nowhere like Norfolk

St Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich

6 EAT CHIPS ON THE MARKET Have chips on Norwich market, which is open 6 days a week and is Europe’s largest covered market. We love the rainbow-coloured roofs. Okay, there’s more to it than just the chips (fried in beef fat – not for veggies!). Buy them, liberally douse with vinegar, sprinkle over salt, then go and take a walk.

7 VISIT THE MUSEUM OF NORWICH Learn about Norwich’s history at The Museum of Norwich at The Bridewell, which sits in the lovely Lanes (shopaholics will love the independent shopping). There’s a first edition of The Revelations of Divine Love, the first book published in English written by a woman, Julian of Norwich, and considered one of the great spiritual classics.

8 TAKE IN THE VISTA From the market, see the 15th century Guildhall, hangar-like, glassfronted Forum (home to the city’s library), St Peter Mancroft Church (the largest church in Norwich which provoked John Wesley, founder of the Methodists, to say, ‘I scarcely ever remember to have seen a more beautiful parish church’), the Norman Castle and City Hall (built in the 1930s and based on the city hall in Stockholm, Sweden). Any direction will provide great sights… and always keep your head up.

9 GO TO THE MADDERMARKET See a performance at the Maddermarket Theatre, the first permanent recreation of an Elizabethan theatre. You thought the new Globe on the embankment in London got there first, didn’t you? Not at all – the Maddermarket was opened in 1921 and it’s a world class Shakespearean-style playhouse.

10 SEE NORWICH CITY PLAY! Go to a football game at Carrow Road to see the mighty Canaries and join in a rendition of the oldest known football song, On The Ball City, which goes: Kick it off, throw it in, have a little scrimmage, Keep it low, a splendid rush, bravo, win or die; On the ball, City, never mind the danger, Steady on, now’s your chance, Hurrah! We’ve scored a goal. City!, City!, City! In October 1938 King George VI became the first British monarch to watch a football league match when he visited Carrow Road (they used to play at The Nest – yes, really!). Why are they called the Canaries? Because an early club chairman, a keen breeder of the birds, changed their strip to yellow and green. To get the Norfolk dialect off pat, just recite this line, ‘Um guha roide moy boike dahna Carra Ruhd’…

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There’s nowhere like Norfolk

Nor wich is gr eat place e on foot… to ex plor Pull’s Ferry

11 HEAD TO THE CATHEDRAL QUARTER Head along Gentleman’s Walk, through the Royal Arcade, along London Street and into Tombland and the Cathedral Quarter. A drink at the Adam and Eve isn’t a bad idea either and while you’re down that way see Pull’s Ferry, a 17th century flint house on the river Wensum, named after the last ferryman to work this stretch of the river.

12 …AND THEN AFTERNOON TEA Have tea or stay at The Maids Head Hotel in Norwich, reputed to be the oldest hotel in the UK. It’s also where Elizabeth I (her mother Anne Boleyn grew up at Blickling) is said to have stayed when she was in the city, possibly with her great friend Matthew Parker, the original Nosey Parker. Yes, Nosey Parker was a Norfolk guy!

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

t n a i l l i r B … o d o t things for

g n i e b l l e W

You live a busy life with a hectic schedule. You’re tired all the time and stressed. If you tick those two boxes, then you need to spend time in Norfolk.

Come and recharge your batteries, find some balance and calm, where there are no distractions, and rediscover a state of being comfortable, healthy and happy in stunning surroundings. Anyone can do it and it doesn’t have to cost anything. Better still, do it with friends or family. Here’s our top tips for places to go and things to do for well-being and mindfulness when you visit Norfolk. This is the place to be aware of living in the present moment.

Castle Acre

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

1 GO WALKING Put on your walking boots – Norfolk has hundreds of miles of short and long distance trails, many of them circular. Try the Peddars Way National Trail, which follows the old Roman route, taking in Castle Acre with its Cluniac Priory and eleventh century castle, and finishes at the coast in the west of the county. Pick a stretch of the Norfolk Coast Path to walk. It’s popular to get the coastal hopper bus to return to where you started. Alternatively, walk through the tranquil and gently rolling countryside of south Norfolk on the Boudicca Way, which takes in the old Roman town of Venta Icenorum at Caistor St Edmund outside Norwich. Weavers’ Way, between Great Yarmouth and North Walsham, takes you through stunning Broadland scenery. If you’re feeling a little more energetic, you could even try a little jog.

Redwings

Horse Sanctuary

mily A fun fa day out

Dog friendly!

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9th - 31st December

From the creator of last year’s smash-hit puppet pantomime Cinderella comes a magical puppet pantomime for ages 4 to 104!

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There’s nowhere like Norfolk

2 GET AMONG TREES Be at one with nature in Thetford Forest. Enjoy High Lodge and its facilities, then take a walk on the quiet routes, or the Pingo Trail, and commune with nature. Listen to the birds in the trees. Be very still and you might be lucky enough to come across wild deer. Or hire a bike and pedal gently through the huge woodland on waymarked trails.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

3 BE IN A CULTIVATED GREEN SPACE There are wonderful gardens to enjoy across Norfolk – things of beauty and great places for mindfulness meditation. East Ruston Old Vicarage has one of the most celebrated privatelyowned gardens in Norfolk. Houghton Hall’s five acre walled garden with its contemporary sculptures is a thing of beauty. If you want time for quiet meditation whilst picking up some growing tips, then head to Felbrigg’s Walled Garden... or the walled garden at Holkham Hall, which has recently been refurbished. And a third, Blickling Hall and Estate offers care-free walks in landscaped gardens and woodland. Look out for Norfolk’s only pyramid! Houghton Hall garden Blickling Hall and Estate

St Peter And St Paul Church, East Harling

4 DISCOVER CALMNESS IN A CHURCH

You don’t have to be religious to enjoy the calming solemnity of Norfolk’s churches. They provide a wonderful opportunity to sit quietly in peaceful surroundings. Norfolk has a wealth of medieval wool churches, built by pious landowners made rich by the wool trade who wanted to show their devotion… and make sure they went ‘upstairs’ when the time came.

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There’s nowhere like Norfolk

5 BE NEAR WATER Relax by the water. We all know the meditative benefits of being by water, so what could be better than being in the Norfolk Broads – 125 miles of navigable, lock-free waterways. Hire a boat and float gently along… Or sit by the water at somewhere like Fairhaven Water and Woodland Garden. Or bring your cycle for a slow pedal by the water. Or have a swim. With over 90 miles of coastline there are lots of opportunities to take a relaxing swim when you visit Norfolk. You have to get the timing right, but for shallow, tidal pools head to Holkham as the water is going out. These quickly become inundated when the sea comes back in, but for a couple of hours you’ll have swimming to savour. You could also try wild swimming in the cool, clear waters of a secret stretch hidden in the countryside. Try Santon on the Little Ouse at Thetford, Lamas near Buxton on the River Bure, or Outney Common on the Norfolk-Suffolk border close to Bungay.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

Hunstanton Cromer

6 ABSORB THE SUNSETS What better way to finding peace then sitting by the sea and watching the sun sink down to the horizon? Hunstanton is the only west-facing seaside resort on the east coast so they’re particularly spectacular there.

7 SAVOUR THE VIEWS If you’d like to see what man and nature can achieve together, then head to Sheringham Park, 1000 acres of natural beauty with landscaping by Humphry Repton. From the gazebo and look-out you can contemplate the stunning views along the coast.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

r u o y P lan 24 Norfolk 20 y a d i l ho

What with our fabulous coast and countryside, wonderful food and drink, brilliant visitor attractions, Downton Abbeys, castles, festivals, events, and accommodation (from quaint cottages for two to stunning barn conversions for large groups), now’s the best time to plan your 2024 holiday to make sure you get the accommodation of your dreams and to give yourself something to look forward to! Here’s some of the reasons to visit Norfolk in 2024…

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

This is the best time to enjoy Norfolk’s Winter Wildlife Safari, involving huge bird migrations at RSPB Snettisham and NWT Welney, seal pupping at Blakeney Point, which you can visit by boat, and deer at Holkham.

Head out on a super snowdrop walk and enjoy the Norfolk countryside as it begins to wake from Winter. There are walks across the county including at Oxburgh Hall, Bressingham Gardens, Walsingham Abbey, Sheringham Park and Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden.

Nothing puts a smile on the face like the sight of delightful daffodils and Norfolk is carpeted with them. Some of the highlights are Blickling Hall, Oxburgh Hall, Pensthorpe Natural Park, the Honing Daffodil Mile between the villages of Honing and Crostwright, Felbrigg Hall and Norwich riverside is great too.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

MAY

JUNE

You know that warmer weather is coming when the stunt parties of swifts start swooping through village streets, hurtling around buildings, and screaming, ‘We’re back! Summer’s coming!’ Events include Houghton International Horse Trials and the Cromer and Sheringham Crab and Lobster Festival.

The longest days let you stay on the beach all day and eat al fresco in the evening. There’s also the two-day Royal Norfolk Show to look forward to, one of the largest county shows in the country. Look out for fields of poppies while you ride the North Norfolk Steam Railway from Sheringham, and listen out for booming bitterns in the Broads, 125 miles of navigable waterways (that’s more than Amsterdam and Venice!).

APRIL Come and feed the lambs at Wroxham Barns, enjoy stunning flowers at Pensthorpe Natural Park and Fairhaven Gardens, and look out for Cromer crabs and asparagus – both back in season. It’s Easter, so all our family-friendly visitor attractions are open again and don’t worry about April showers – most of them have weather-proofed facilities now.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

Traditionally it’s the warmest month of the year and don’t forget that Norfolk is the combined sunniestdriest place in the country. Take a boat out on the Broads, and discover St Benet’s Abbey, now over a thousand years old, or go to the southern Broads where it’s quieter and see if you can spot an otter or two! Culture vultures should look out for the King’s Lynn Festival and the poppier Festival Too and the literary and music-oriented Holt Festival.

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside, and now’s the time to do it! Norfolk has 90 miles of stunning seashore (93 when the tide’s out) and there’s so much to see and do. We’ve the best east coast resort at Great Yarmouth, with its Golden Mile of fun, and Cromer and Hunstanton are great for families too with lots of attractions and shows including the Cromer Pier Show – the last end of pier show in the world! There are secret beaches where you can be (almost) alone, dog-friendly beaches, nature reserves to spot wildlife and our tidal salt marshes offer some of the best seafood you’re likely to find.

The school hols are over and it’s a little quieter – but the weather’s still great! This is the perfect time to get out on your bikes or pull on your walking boots and explore Norfolk. Whether it’s the completed Coastal Path, the old Roman Peddar’s Way or gentle perambulations by Broads and rivers, Norfolk is criss-crossed with hundreds of miles of short and long distance walks and cycle paths. Don’t miss the Out There Festival in Great Yarmouth, the 1940s Weekend at Sheringham and Holt or the North Norfolk Food Festival at Holkham.

Above: Classic Ibiza Concert Blickling Estate (August) Below: Great Yarmouth beach

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Autumn’s here, there’s the crunch of leaves underfoot, a nip in the air and the woods and forests are a beautiful orange hew. This is the time to explore the Brecks, see rutting deer and wild horses, explore unique heathland and Thetford Forest, discover Grime’s Graves, Oxborough Hall and what Pingos are! And it’s not too late to visit Sandringham, the Royal Family’s private home, before it closes to prepare for The King coming home for Christmas.

Christmas shows are opening and there’s no greater than the Thursford Spectacular, the largest festive event outside the West End. And all set in a tiny village in north Norfolk. Who’da thunk!

There are pantos across the county (oh yes there are!) but why not take a trip to the seaside for the Cromer Pavilion Pier Christmas Show (it’s the last end-of-pier theatre) or the Christmas Water Spectacular at the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome, the last whole circus building in the UK and it still has its sunken water pool. Did we say it was spectacular?

Thursford Spectacular

Cromer Pavilion Pier Christmas Show

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There’s nowhere like Norfolk

y l d n e i r F r Ou sion Inva comes to the scr een

MASTERS OF THE

AIR

In New Year 2024, Apple TV+ will stream their new $275m Masters of the Air drama, based on Donald L Miller’s book about The Friendly Invasion of US servicemen into the region during the Second World War and focused on Thorpe Abbotts in south Norfolk, home of The Bloody 100th Bomb Group.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

Like sister series Band of Brothers and The Pacific, it has been made by Tom Hanks’ Playtone and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin, and stars BAFTA and Golden Globe Best Actor and Oscar-nominated Elvis actor Austin Butler, Barry Keoghan from Dunkirk, The Banshees of Inisherin, The Batman and the Gladiator sequel, Callum Turner from the Fantastic Beasts franchise, Jude Law’s son Raff in his first major role, and the new Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa.

Cary Fukunaga, director of Daniel Craig’s James Bond swansong No Time To Die directs the first three episodes.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

there was the introduction to our rationed region of peanut butter, donuts, chewing gum, popcorn and Coca Cola – all great news for dentists! Oh, and there were nylons, swing and the jitterbug too – although baseball didn’t catch on with the locals.

THE FRIENDLY INVASION At the height of the Second World War, Norfolk was the setting for a ‘Friendly Invasion’ which transformed the rural landscape and left a lasting legacy. The invaders were thousands of young Americans, part of the United States Army Air Force’s vast contribution to the Allies’ strategic bombing offensive being waged against Nazi-occupied Europe – the longest battle of the war. By 1944, Norfolk echoed to the roar of B24 Liberators and B17 Flying Fortresses as huge aerial armadas took to the skies from a countryside so freckled with bomber bases that it became known as ‘Little America’. It is no exaggeration to say that the arrival of 50,000 US servicemen in Norfolk in 1942 had the biggest cultural and landscape impact of any event since the Norman Conquest.

THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IMPACT Hundreds of miles of concrete runway were laid in a matter of months (it took 250,000 tonnes of concrete to build one runway), and

The Americans also brought with them segregation. It is shocking to us today, but Diss was a town that only black servicemen were allowed, and in Harleston there were alternate days for black and white. Did the fact that black servicemen were served by white people here, and were given equality by East Anglians, help ferment the American civil rights movement? Of course, this was very much a Friendly Invasion! Not only did we give the Americans a warm welcome, there was also the matter of around 40,000 women who went to the United States at the end of war! In fact, two cruise liners had to be requisitioned to sail them.

THE AMERICAN AIR FORCE IN ACTION February 20, 1942 was the day that the first US general, Brigadier General Ira C Eaker, arrived in the UK to form and organise the bomber command of the prospective Eighth Air Force – the guys who would be based here in what was before a very sleepy Norfolk. If the county was monochrome when they arrived, it was soon turned technicolour – just like The Wizard of Oz, released in 1939, the first year of the war!

The American Air Force’s first mission was on July 4, 1942. They were determined to go on that date for symbolic and propaganda reasons. What a message it would send – wanting to help Europe regain its independence from Nazism on their own Independence Day. Trouble is, their planes hadn’t turned up – so they had to use RAF bombers instead! The 2nd and 3rd Divisions of the ‘Mighty Eighth’ Air Force occupied no fewer than 17 bases throughout the county: Attlebridge, Bodney, Deopham Green, East Wretham, Hardwick, Hethel, Horsham St Faith, North Pickenham, Old Buckenham, Rackheath, Seething, Shipdham, Snetterton Heath, Thorpe Abbotts, Tibenham, Watton and Wendling. Their contribution to the war effort was immense, and so was their sacrifice. Around 6,300 men from the exclusively Norfolk-based 2nd Division lost their lives in the relentless bombing campaign. In total, 350,000 US servicemen transitioned through East Anglia during the war’s longest battle – 26,000 of them losing their lives. But no less telling than their combat endeavours was the impact that they made on their hosts. The vitality and generosity displayed by legions of young Yanks helped forge a special relationship with the people of Norfolk that endured as one of the shining legacies of that most terrible of conflicts.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

FAMOUS LINKS As peace returned, the ghostly bases were the scenes of countless commemorations and reunions and among the many who returned to pay homage to the men who never came back was the man known as ‘the tall drawl’, Hollywood legend Jimmy Stewart, who flew out of Old Buckenham and Tibenham before serving as a staff officer at Ketteringham Hall. Stewart was one of the few base commanders who actually led his men into combat, stating that he wouldn’t ask the servicemen to do anything he wasn’t prepared to do himself. And bear in mind the Americans flew daring daytime missions.

The first film he made on his return to America was ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’, featuring a decorated American flyer wearing the uniform of the Mighty Eighth! Hollywood actors Clark Gable and Walter Matthau also served here. One of the most poignant stories of the time was that of the man who should have become President of the United States, Joe Kennedy jnr. Flying out of Fersfield in Norfolk on a secret bombing mission, he was tragically killed in action over Blythburgh Church when the plane he was flying exploded mid-air.

Another plane on the mission was flown by Colonel Roosevelt, the son of the US President at the time. Today, 80 years after the war’s end, the trans-Atlantic ties remain strong and a grand alliance born of a common cause and shared sacrifice is kept alive by volunteerrun, control tower museums such as Old Buckenham, Seething and Thorpe Abbotts and through the unique ‘living memorial’ that is the peerless American Library housed in Norwich’s grand central Forum.

The Americans also brought their own pets, including a grizzly bear and a monkey!

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

Lights! Camera! ! n o i t c A

Here are some of the top film and TV locations in Norfolk… GORLESTON-ON-SEA In May 2018 more than 6000 people gathered on the fine sands of Gorlestonon-Sea’s beach to be extras in Danny Boyle’s Yesterday. Boyle, who won a Best Director Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009, was filming a rooftop performance at the Pier Hotel by the film’s leading character Jack, played by Himesh Patel. The film, written by Richard Curtis, also featured Lily James and Ed Sheeran. ‘It’s one of the great secrets of England, Gorleston beach,’ said Danny. ‘It’s beautiful.’

THETFORD Most of the external scenes from Dad’s Army, the original, classic BBC comedy, not the awful recent film remake, were filmed in and around Thetford. Thetford Guildhall was used as Walmington-on-Sea Town Hall and the series frequently used Nether Row, Newtown and Old Bury Road. During the making of the episodes, the cast and crew used to stay at the The Bell Hotel. Nearby Stanford Battle Area (STANTA) was used extensively for the action sequences.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk NORWICH Norman Foster’s futuristic Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia played the Upstate New York HQ of Marvel’s Avengers in Age of Ultron (2015) starring Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans, AntMan (2015) with Paul Rudd and Spiderman: Homecoming (2017) with Tom Holland. The city didn’t have to come to a standstill for 45 Years (2015), starring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay: the filming was done secretly so those ‘extras’ outside Jarrolds’ Department Store are genuine shoppers! Other city locations were London Street, St Benedict’s, the Royal Arcade and the Assembly Rooms.

Elm Hill was an important location in the fantasy adventure Stardust (2007), starring Clare Danes, Robert de Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Sienna Miller. With the addition of a thatched awning, The Briton’s Arms was transformed into ‘The Slaughtered Prince’. The interior of Norwich’s Norman cathedral was turned into a medieval castle in the fairytale adventure Jack the Giant Slayer (2013). Directed by Bryan Singer, it starred Ewan McGregor, Ian McShane and Bill Nighy. The cathedral has also appeared in My Talks With Dean Spanley (2008) with Peter O’Toole and Sam Neill, The Go-Between (The Maid’s Head Hotel, Cathedral,

Tombland and Thorpe Station) and Tulip Fever (2016), a period drama set in 17th century Amsterdam during The Tulip Wars and starring Judi Dench, Christoph Waltz and Cara Delevingne. Norwich Market Place and Mousehold Heath featured in Stephen Merchant’s Fighting With My Family (2019) and the city was also a location for comedy drama Good Luck To You, Leo Grande starring Academy Awardwinning actress Emma Thompson and Peaky Blinders actor Daryl McCormack and based on a screenplay by Katy Brand.

As Alan Partridge lives in Norwich, it’s only right his major film breakthrough in Alpha Papa (2015) was actually filmed in the city, on the Dereham Road (singing along to Roachford) and St Peter’s Street, outside City Hall. And after a campaign supported by, literally, tens of people, the call to premiere the film at ‘Anglia Square not Leicester Square’ was won! Anglia Square being in Norwich and having a cinema. You see what they did there? What do you mean Alan Partridge’s not real?

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

HOLKHAM Holkham is arguably Norfolk’s most significant film location. The 18th century Palladian house and its nearby beach are well used to visiting Hollywood stars, including Keira Knightley, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman and Peter O’Toole. Holkham beach was used to stunning effect in the closing shots of Shakespeare in Love (1999) with Gwyneth Paltrow’s character apparently washed up on the shores of Virginia. The multi award-winning film is wonderful, but absolutely eclipsed, of course, by the best stretch of sand in Britain. The film won 7 Oscars, including Best Actress (Paltrow), Best Supporting Actress (Judie Dench), Best Picture and Best Screenplay but we reckon it should have won an eighth… for best beach? That’s a category, right? The Palladian Hall had its own moment in the spotlight for the historical drama The Duchess (2008) with Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes. Holkham’s sumptuous staterooms, including the unique Marble Hall and the Statue Gallery, featured as the interior of Buckingham Palace in the BBC docudrama Victoria & Albert (2018) as well as Joanna Hogg’s feature film The Souvenir (2017). Various staterooms and the park featured in the Channel 4 docudrama Victoria’s Men (2008). Annihilation (2018), based on an Alex Garland best-seller, starred Natalie Portman as a biologist who signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where, apparently, the laws of nature don’t apply. How’s this for coincidence, Garland also wrote The Beach, and one of the key songs in that was Pure Shores by All Saints, the video for which was shot on… Holkham Beach!

There’s nowhere like Norfolk WALPOLE ST ANDREW

HUNSTANTON

CROMER

Streets of this small village near King’s Lynn were turned into a second world war Dunkirk for the film Atonement (2007) – it was here Robbie (James McAvoy) discovers the bodies of the murdered schoolgirls (from the Sandra Reynolds Model Agency in Norwich and, don’t worry, very much still alive).

Hunstanton beach features in scenes from the film Spencer, featuring Kristen Stewart as the late Princess of Wales and Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins. The church of St Peter and St Paul in the Breckland village of Shropham, near Attleborough, was used as a double for Sandringham church in another scene from the film.

Steve Coogan’s Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2015), after a lowspeed car ‘chase’ from Norwich to Sheringham, comes to a thrilling conclusion in a shootout on Cromer Pier. And the Pier also featured in a BBC Christmas continuity ad – looks lovely, doesn’t it?

SANDRINGHAM It’s unlikely that the Royal Family’s private home would be used as a film or TV location, but the BBC’s All The Kings Men (1999), with David Jason and Dame Maggie Smith, was different – it tells the a of a group of world war one volunteers from the Sandringham estate, led by estate manager Captain Frank Beck, who joined the Norfolk Regiment and inexplicably disappeared in Gallipoli in 1915. You can learn more about the story at the Sandringham Museum. The TV drama was also shot at Blickling, Cromer, West Newton, Sheringham, Burnham Deepdale and Holkham.

KING’S LYNN In Autumn 2019 King’s Lynn featured in Armando Iannucci’s Dickens’ adaptation The Personal Life of David Copperfield, with a starry cast including Tilda Swinton, Dev Patal, Hugh Laurie, Game of Thrones’ Gwendoline Christie, Peter Capaldi and Paddington himself… Ben Whishaw. Other scenes for the film were shot on the beach at Weybourne. What the Dickens! Both Martin Chuzzlewit and David Copperfield, with Bob Hoskins and Nicholas Lyndhurst, have been filmed here for TV as well.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

r o y w Kno Norfolk facts!

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…

BEGINNINGS

WE ARE THE NORTH FOLK

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 Farm Derby. If only Ipswich Town (note, not a city, like Norwich) were in the same division as The Canaries! What do you mean, they are?

MANY WENT TO AMERICA ON THE MAYFLOWER

HAND AXES WERE IDENTIFIED HERE

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.

The first hand axe ever 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 the things we call hand axes were known as ‘thunderbolts’ because people couldn’t explain them. The axes 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.

The villages of Little Snoring and Great Snoring had a newsagent called Mr Gotobed (but no sleeping policemen to decelerate traffic).

What would you do with floaters, sinkers and swimmers? Eat them – they’re all types of Norfolk Dumplin’.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

THERE IS NO MOTORWAY Norfolk is one of the few counties that doesn’t contain any stretches of motorway but it does have over 6000 miles of roads. If you have difficulty navigating north Norfolk by the road signs it might be because they were all turned around during World War II to confuse Nazi spies and haven’t been changed back. But that might just be apocryphal.

AMSTERDAM IS QUICKER TO GET TO THAN LONDON! Before the railways were built it was quicker to get from Norwich to Amsterdam by sea than to London by road. (In fact, today, the flight from Amsterdam to Norwich is half the time of the train journey from London to Norwich).

OVER 125 MILES OF NAVIGABLE WATERWAYS The Broads has over 125 miles of lock-free navigable waterways. To put that into perspective there are just 30 miles of canals in Venice and 60 miles in Amsterdam. We have former Norwich High School for Girls student Dr Joyce Lambert to thank for finding out that the Norfolk Broads were actually man-made. Her research concluded that the edges of the lakes were vertical, man-made, rather than bowed like a natural lake.

The Thames used to run through Norfolk – it was fed by an extinct river called the Bytham from the Midlands, and that was even larger!

THETFORD FOREST IS NEWER THAN THE NEW FOREST Thetford Forest was only established in 1922, making it considerably younger than the New Forest in Hampshire, which was acknowledged as a Royal Forest by William the Conqueror around 1079.

NO INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION HERE! The Industrial Revolution passed Norwich by, because of its lack of fast-running water. That’s why it retains so much original history and heritage and is the best-preserved medieval city in northern Europe.

The largest and bestpreserved mammoth skeleton ever found was in West Runton, and the only bones missing had been eaten by hyena!

AN ISLAND (ALMOST!) 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!

Norfolk is the driest county in the UK – and one of the sunniest – which makes it a perfect place to come to at any time of the year.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

r a e Y ew s N n k o l i t o f u l r o o N Res Here’s 12 suggestions about things you might want to resolve to do when you visit Norfolk in 2024. They’re reason enough to plan a trip…

1 SEE THE SEALS

4 THE DEEP HISTORY COAST

7 GO TO GREAT YARMOUTH

Visit the country’s largest seal colony at Blakeney Point. You can walk along the 4-mile shingle spit from Cley-next-the-Sea or take a relaxing boat ride from Morston Quay with the Bean brothers.

Walk in the footsteps of the first known humans to come to the UK, at Happisburgh. The first tourists to this country came to visit Norfolk! This is the Deep History Coast, where the world’s largest and best-preserved mammoth skeleton was found.

Enjoy the Golden Mile at Great Yarmouth, where you can ride a snail, go on a wooden rollercoaster, roll up your trousers legs and have a paddle and don’t leave without eating some freshly-made donuts… bet you’ll lick your lips!

5 A BOAT ON THE BROADS

8 WALK AROUND NORWICH

Hire a boat in the unique Norfolk Broads, 125 miles of navigable waterways – that’s more than Amsterdam or Venice has! And most of them are man-made. Who knew?! Yes, they’re actually the result of medieval peat diggings. They’re also the UK’s newest National Park, and the only National Park with a city in it.

Spend a day being a flaneur in Norwich, a brilliantly walkable city. Highlights include riverside, the Cathedral precinct, Europe’s largest permanent covered market and medieval Tombland and Elm Hill.

2 VISIT BRECKLAND Breckland has the best overall climate in the country… yes, really! Why not hit the heights on the aerial ropes at Go Ape! Before taking a relaxing walk in the country’s largest lowland pine forest.

3 GO BIRDWATCHING Enjoy some of the country’s best birdwatching in the country at brilliant Premier League wildlife reserves such as Cley-next-the-Sea, Snettisham and Titchwell.

6 CROMER PIER SHOW Book tickets for the Cromer Pavilion Summer Show. It’s the last end-ofpier show in the country! And while you’re in town, you simply must have the eponymous crab – it’s delish.

9 SNAP A SUNSET Snap the sunset at Hunstanton, known to us as Sunny Hunny. Why? Because they’re spectacular. And the reason why is it’s the only east coast resort that actually faces west! Stand on the stripey cliffs or on the beach below and marvel at the sumptuous colours.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk 10 ROYAL HOUSES… Walk in the footsteps of our Royal family at Sandringham where you can enjoy the house and gardens, and there’s a great museum too.

11 …AND STATELY HOMES Visit one of our ‘Downton Abbeys’, including the wonderfully Palladian Holkham Hall, Blickling Hall where you might want to hunt out the unique pyramid mausoleum, and Houghton Hall, where you can enjoy the miniature battlefields as well as contemporary art. Oh, and at Oxburgh Hall, you can hide in the Priest Hole.

12 COUNT BEACH HUTS Count the beach huts at Wells-nextthe-Sea. Put it this way, you’re going to need more than your ten toes and ten fingers. While you’re here, try and game of hide and seek in the pine forest behind the beach.

Sandringham

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

es n u D quette eti

Protect them. enjoy them.

Norfolk has some of the best examples of coastal sand dunes in the world, stretching from Great Yarmouth all the way around to The Wash. The dunes are a home to a wide range of plants and wildlife, but they also play a vital role in protecting the coast from erosion caused by wind, waves and tidal surges. But their popularity with beachgoers means they can get damaged too. At first glance, the dunes might appear to be a monoculture of Marram grass (marram is Old Norse for sea marr and salk or stem halmr) with little value for biodiversity but think again!

THE FOUR STAGES OF SAND DUNE DEVELOPMENT There are four main stages of sand dunes, with each providing a unique habitat that supports many species. A young (embryo) dune is created when sand blown across the beach hits an obstacle and starts to build up and become colonised by Sand couch and Lyme grass. As they gather more sand and sentiment they grow above the high water mark, at which point they are called Yellow Dune, and this is when Marram grass can colonise and stabilise the dunes. Over time the dune begins to act as an immobile windbreak which prevents more sand building up and so less suited to Marram. These are known as Grey Dunes and as nutrients build up the Marram grass

begins to die out and species such as Red fescue grass take over. The alkaline dunes of north Norfolk attract other species such as sand sedge and creeping willow. Dune Slacks are the last stage, when wind channels contours through the sand and below the water table. This creates a habitat ideal for species such as willow trees, orchids, sedge, rushes and marsh pennywort. The Dune Slacks of north Norfolk provide breeding grounds for the nationally-protected natter-jack toad, while on the eastern coast of Norfolk you’ll find nesting sites for globally endangered seabirds.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

NORFOLK’S BEST DUNES NORTH NORFOLK HOLKHAM HOLMES DUNES NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE OLD HUNSTANTON BRANCASTER BURNHAM OVERY STAITHE EAST NORFOLK WINTERTON-ON-SEA HORSEY GAP GREAT YARMOUTH NORTH CAISTER HEMSBY SCRATBY

DOs Follow the information given on signposts and use designated areas and routes. Keep your dog on lead whilst walking through the dunes – it should be indicated where it’s fine to let them roam free! Talk to the friendly wardens – they’re there to help. Make the most of viewing platforms – enjoy watching wildlife from a distance which doesn’t scare them. Take part in events organised on site by dune managers – we’d love it if you could help us to protect our dunes! Please help dune formation by removing any litter you see, especially on the strandline.

DON’Ts Please don’t ignore sign posts and use roped off, sensitive areas. Please don’t let your dog off its lead to run through the dunes – please wait until you reach the areas where dogs can be off lead with no risks to them or wildlife. Please don’t get within 10 metres of the seals – they are weary of people and although they may seem cute and docile, they have large teeth and will bite if they feel threatened. Please don’t approach nesting birds or their nests. Birds are terrified of us and our dogs. Please keep clear if you see any signs of nesting birds. Please don’t light barbecues in the dunes. Dune fires cost our local fire services a lot of time and money every summer, and it impacts invisible biodiversity in our dunes.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

k l o f r o Visit N * s FAQ …*that’s Frequently Asked Questions

We get lots of queries (info@visitnorfolk.co.uk) from around the country – and indeed from abroad – ranging from ‘What’s the number of the Norwich-Great Yarmouth bus?’ (X1 or X11) to ‘What’s the best way to see the seals in Norfolk?’ (by boat from Morston Quay with Bean Brothers). Here’s the top questions we get asked…

IS NORFOLK REALLY FLAT? No! We blame Noel Coward who wrote it is in his play Private Lives. In fact, Norfolk has gently undulating countryside, with soaring cliffs at Sheringham where the Cromer Ridge rises to the highest point in the East of England with a sea view. Interestingly, we produce the best barley in the country because it’s grown in salty sea frets and… at height!

IS NORWICH THE ONLY CITY IN NORFOLK? It is but when it’s as good as the City of Stories you don’t need anymore. The best-preserved medieval city in the country, Norwich has a fabulous Norman Cathedral and Castle as well as cobbled streets, riverside walks, and Europe’s largest permanent covered market with its flint Guildhall.

CAN YOU TAKE DOGS ON NORFOLK BEACHES?

Of course! We’ve got 90 miles of coast, much of which is beautiful, unspoilt beach and dogs are very welcome on most of them. Just check where you can take and can’t take them before you hit the sand. For instance, in Great Yarmouth the main beach is restricted for families, but from the Britannia Pier north it’s doggie delight. Likewise popular beaches at Wells-next-the-Sea, Gorlestonon-Sea and Cromer. At Holkham, dogs must be on leads as you go through the boardwalks and pine forest because of nesting birds.

There’s nowhere like Norfolk

HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE HAPPISBURGH? It’s not Happys-berg, put it that way. Norfolk has lots of village and town names that can throw a visitor, such as Costessey and Wymondham. Take a look at our blog here and all will be explained. Oh, and it’s Haze-bru.

WHERE’S THE BEST PLACE IN NORFOLK? That’s like asking a parent who their favourite child is! We’ve got the best seaside resort on the east coast (Great Yarmouth), we’ve got the only man-made National Park (the Broads), medieval and modern City of Stories (Norwich), a unique landscape that’s got the best climate in the country (Breckland), an area of Royal history from King John to losing the Crown jewels to the Windsor’s rural retreat at Sandringham (King’s Lynn and West Norfolk), we’ve got an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (North Norfolk) and we have an area of delightful, chocolate box market towns and villages (South Norfolk). Take your pick… you’ll be very welcome.

IS IT TRUE THAT THE VILLAGE OF LITTLE SNORING USED TO HAVE A NEWSAGENT CALLED MR GOTOBED? It sounds like something from BBC Radio 4’s Unbelievable Truth, but yes, it is true. What are the chances of that? It’s a sleepy village where drivers are asked to maintain the speed limit but there are no calls yet for Sleeping Policemen.

IS IT EASY TO GET TO NORFOLK? Since the last section of the A11 at Elveden was fully dualled a decade ago, you’ve got two- and three-lane carriageways from anywhere in the country all the way to Norwich. After that, reset your mind and learn to relax on our lovely country B-roads and lanes. Wouldn’t you rather have Quiet Lanes where you can cycle gently as a family and take in fabulous vistas? Plus we have excellent rail links into Norwich Thorpe station and from there to the coast, good coach connections and an international airport with four daily flights to Schiphol, Amsterdam.

WHY IS YARMOUTH CALLED GREAT? Obvious… it’s the greatest seaside resort on the East Coast! Or is it to distinguish it from Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight? Actually, the town was named Magna (Great) in 1272 to distinguish it from Little Yarmouth across the River Yare, a community now known as Southtown. Interestingly, if you go back to Roman times when they had a huge fort at Burgh Castle (the biggest remaining Roman building in the country), Great Yarmouth didn’t exist… it was only over the next few centuries that longshore drift created a sandbank over the Breydon Water Estuary that became our fabulous seaside town.

IS IT TRUE THE BROADS ARE MAN-MADE? Yes! The big lakes are actually inundated medieval peat diggings from the days when all the trees were felled to create pastureland to rear sheep for the lucrative wool trade. Unfortunately that meant no firewood to keep warm in the Winter. The answer? Dig up peat as turves (bricks), dry them and… hey presto! By the by, did you know the word field comes from the 51 felling of trees.

o t k c a b e m Co ! n oo s k l o f r No

There’s nowhere like Norfolk is published by VisitNorfolk