Cycle touring for 10 days around Suffolk & Norfolk... Ideas

[Mad_Hatter]

Hi,

My lady and I are taking 10 days off to cycle from Cambridge ( our home ), to go to Suffolk & Norfolk or around that region. We was going to go to Scotland, but not at £300 return on the train. So staying closer to home. We are going to take the tent, hopefully find some quiet out the way campsites. We have Surly Troll MTB style tourers, so would be happy on road and also trails. Aldeburgh, Southwold look good. I remember reading something about an old railway track in Norfolk and a campsite, but have forgotten the name.

Any ideas would be great for places to visit, go and camp. Also cafe's:-)

Tim & Simone

[Vorpal]

There are some suggestions viewtopic.php?f=16&t=79299

I think that if you add the Broads and the coast to the information in the above link, you've got a tour

[Dudley Manlove]

This comes up quite a bit, so I'd search the forums on it. The obvious thing is to head round the coast and loop back. If you're on Trolls, you could use the Peddlars way to loop back inland (or out) from the Norfolk coast. There's some fun - but sandy - routes thru the Brecks/Thetford forest too. In Suffolk, Orford Ness is a highlight, both for a trip out to the spit and the seafood cafe. Several points along the north Norfolk coast are really worth a visit too (Hunstanton Cliffs, Burnham Deepdale cafe, Cromer, etc etc). But it's been done loads, I'd have a rummage with the search facilities.

[Mad_Hatter]

There are some suggestions viewtopic.php?f=16&t=79299

I think that if you add the Broads and the coast to the information in the above link, you've got a tour

I have checked that topic, but it is mainly about Bury St Edmonds area. I would like to get closer to the coast and possibly the broads.

[daisydaisy]

marriots way is an old railway track that goes from norwich to aylsham via reepham and caws ton, we cycle the route a lot and there are some campsites on and close by the track. also if you are looking around the coast, there is a great campsite at breck farm at weybourn/kelling heath. its near the coast and there is lovely cycling on the heath and the surrounding roads. we are touring around norfolk next summer with the kids.

[Mad_Hatter]

marriots way is an old railway track that goes from norwich to aylsham via reepham and caws ton, we cycle the route a lot and there are some campsites on and close by the track. also if you are looking around the coast, there is a great campsite at breck farm at weybourn/kelling heath. its near the coast and there is lovely cycling on the heath and the surrounding roads. we are touring around norfolk next summer with the kids.

Thanks Daisy,

That is the place I was thinking of. I will check out the campsite you mentioned, sounds lovely.

Thank you

[bikepacker]

Lost count of the times I have cycled around Norfolk and Suffolk usually on my way to or back from Mildenhall Rally. I have never bothered checking up on campsites as at any time you will not be more than about 8 miles from a campsite. When you have done enough for the day ask a local where the nearest one is.
Here are some I like:
Carlton Park at Saxmundham, run by a charity.
C&CC site at Kessingland, you can lie in bed and hear the lions roaring in the zoo next door.
In fact all the club sites in the area are of their normal high standard and have bikepacker rates.
Outney Manor at Bungay, receptionist will offer chairs for cycle campers.
Manor Farm near Cromer, a long trip from reception to the camping field which is then a short walk into Cromer.
Kings Lynn Caravan and Camping at North Runcton near Kings Lynn, nice quiet site.
Reedham Ferry campsite, quiet site by river, nice lane up to village pub if you fancy an evening stroll.
Causeway Cottage at Potter Heigham, just west of bridge, site run by an Australian guy who will negotiate on price.

At sometime or other I have stayed at all of these and have found them to be good.

[Mad_Hatter]

Thanks for the advice, so far we have took a bit of everything in board. This is our idea of a area so far.

Cambridge - Sudbury

Sudbury - Woodbridge

Woodbridge - Dunwich ( exploring the inlets, so no direct route )

Dunwich - Reedham

Reedham - Norwich

Norwich - Aylsham ( Marriotts Way )

Aylsham - Kelling Heath ( Weybourne )

Then???

We have thought about then going towards Hunstanton, but last year we notice the buses fly along there and might not be very good for cycling two a breast. We eventually want to make our way back to Cambridge.

Any ideas of from then on? Or comments on the places we have mentioned. I will try and find GPS routes for my Garmin ( still learning with the device ).

Any good websites for measuring the routes? Not so much A to B, more like A a few little roads of here and there, little explore, take some photos then B!

Thanks

[Big T]

The coast road can be busy but Norfolk has great network of quiet lanes just a little inland, which are a delight to cycle on. We have a static caravan near Hunstanton so cycle a lot in the lanes to the east and south east of there. I'd recommend buying the GoldenEye map of Norfolk, which has all the quiet routes marked on it. From Kings Lynn you can cut south through the Fens via Downham Market and Ely to Cambridge on minor roads.

[ipswichcycler]

You could take the foot ferry from Felixstowe ferry to bawdsey quay. Recommend breck farm near holt in Norfolk as you can have camp fires.

[JJF]

Another foot (and cycle) ferry worth considering is between Southwold and Walberswick. It's quite unusual because it's rowed (not motorised) and the rower is a woman. It may well be seasonal.

[ipswichcycler]

For a good website for route planning google: 'maps the hug'. Os map 1:50 and 1:25 and you can click a route and export as gpx to put ion your garmin.

[mrjemm]

You could take the foot ferry from Felixstowe ferry to bawdsey quay.

That would be off the Sudbury to Woody route though. But it is quite nice down that way North of the Deben. Ferry Cafe still going? I used to enjoy a good greasy down there... And the quayside caravan in Woody.

I would say that the main Hadleigh to Ipswich road (A1071?) should really be avoided; lots of nutty driving there, but many alternatives- think I'd go a bit north and avoid Ippy, cutting through at Claydon or Needham Mkt.

Apparently near Reedham Ferry (& campsite), otters can be spotted- a colleague would camp there and get up early to watch them.

Am I right in thinking that the landlord allows camping at the Geldeston Locks? Some good music there IIRC.

[mullinsm]

The coast road from Weybourne (A149) can get busy, especially at weekends and although I cycle along it quite often, I certainly wouldn't recommend trying two abreast along it. However, you can get anywhere in Norfolk via smaller, almost deserted, country lanes and the whole of North Norfolk is a touring cyclist's dream.

From Weybourne you may want to stay near the coast via the lanes to Wells area as the turn inland to Holt means climbing the only real hill in Norfolk. You could check out Blakeney and Wells or there are plenty of nice villages just inland like Binham and Walsingham. Holkham Hall is well worth a look and you can cycle through the grounds and come out at the northern end and join the road from Burnham Market through Creek to Fakenham. From there you could head via Massingham to Castle Acre and then Swaffham. Or, depending on time, explore the area between Fakenham and the coast north of Kings Lynn (Docking, Sandringham etc.). Either way, I would head back to Cambridge via Swaffham, using the minor roads from there to Downham Market (via Beechamwell and Barton Bendish) and then via Nordelph across the Fens to Chatteris, then via St. Ives to Cambridge. You can do the whole trip avoiding main roads with the exception of about 50 yards of the A10 near Downham and a stretch of the A1122 between Downham and Nordelph, which isn't too bad anyhow. Just pray for a tailwind across the Fens!

[Mad_Hatter]

I'd recommend buying the GoldenEye map of Norfolk, which has all the quiet routes marked on it. From Kings Lynn you can cut south through the Fens via Downham Market and Ely to Cambridge on minor roads.

Thanks Big T, we have just ordered one of the maps.