4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
tonylee
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4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by tonylee »

Hi any recommendations for this area. I’m coming from Upminster so As time is limited I thought starting some like Norwich. I have my tent and easy pace as I don’t get much time on my bike. Tia Tony
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NUKe
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by NUKe »

What do you want recommendations for places to see thing to do or routes. The north coast is nice but the roads are narrow and can be busy in holiday season. Sandringham and holkeham hall are good if you want upperclass history. Sea food is good, Cromer crabs arre a must if you like shell fish. Nice smokery at stiff key with a deli. The broads are nice. South and east of Norwich are quieter but still very scenic, with the Readham chain ferry worth a visit.
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Vorpal
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by Vorpal »

As above, the coast is nice, when it's quiet, but busy weekends and in the summer holidays. In the summer holidays, on the A and coastal roads, there are a few too many folks with caravans that they aren't used to.

Otherwise the broads are great, and if you stick to the back lanes, there's very little not to like. More specific stuff might dpened what you are interested in? Visiting ruins? National Trust sites? pubs? tea rooms? How many miles per day? People define easy pace differently!
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simonhill
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by simonhill »

Kings Lynn might be a good starting point. You can get a train there.

Either head N to the coast, but as Nuke says that road can be busy. Or you can head East, Sandringham way and keep heading East till you get to Norwich and or the Broads. I like the Broads and it's worth a days cycling.

Then pick a station for return.

Maybe a mix of N coast from Hunstanton to about Stiffkey (good campsite), then head inland.

I've cycle toured there a few times, including the Peddars Way and also walked the N Norfolk Coastal Path, but it is a bit ifficult to give much detail without knowing your daily distance and interests.

All I do is get the OS maps and work out a route. You should be able to borrow from your local library. I think you will need the NE and NW Norfolk and Norwich and The Broads. Essex libraries are free to order and borrow.
mercalia
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by mercalia »

visiting The Broads is a must as thats whats different about the area? SO get a detailed map and have a wander around them. North Coast & Blakeney. point is much over rated. The coast road from there to Sheringham/Cromer not pleasant as others have said.
steady eddy
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by steady eddy »

The coast road round North Norfolk down to Great Yarmouth can be busy in the summer but inland around the Broads - if you stick to the yellow roads on the os maps you will find life pretty quiet. Reepham is worth a visit.Not to be confused with Reedham with its chain ferry across the river Yare - £1 each way with a bike. Lots of good cycling south of Norwich and if you head down in to Suffolk , along the Waveny valley the scenery is excellent and the roads almost deserted. Beccles and Bungay are worth visiting as is Eye. I know they are in Suffolk, but those north Suffolk villages and the countryside are just made for cycling round.
paddler
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by paddler »

Agree about Reedham and the Chain ferry, and the Broads generally. I don't mind the coast road at all, although as mentioned it will be busy in the summer, and iffy if the wind is against you. Blickling Hall (National Trust) near Aylsham is worth a visit if you like that sort of thing - and if starting in Norwich you could use Marriotts Way to get most of the way off road. It's a good track with just a few muddy sections at the moment, but fine in the summer. And there's a good campsite a few miles away at Hanworth.

Felbrigg Hall near Cromer is another good National Trust property with good walks in the grounds.

Plenty of quiet lanes to use otherwise, and Wroxham and Hoveton is one of the starting points for boaters so plenty to see there, again very busy in summer.

Aylsham has a narrow gauge railway to Wroxham (Bure Valley Railway), that too has a track next to it which is good for bikes. It's about nine miles long.

Both Wells and Blakeney on the coast are well worth a visit, but again can be frustratingly busy in the holidays.

The North Norfolk Railway (The Poppy Line?) runs from Sheringham to Holt, full size railway with steam engines when they are running (sometimes it will be diesel), but pretty good.

If you've seen 'Normal for Norfolk' on tv you will know about Wiveton Hall, so the café they have would be worth a stop for a meal.

I would personally avoid Gt Yarmouth, and probably Lowestoft as well as both have seen better days, but again it depends what you like.

On the north coast Cley is quite nice with a smokehouse and some good walks nearby at a nature reserve. And Sandringham is worth a visit if you get that far.

If you didn't want to cycle all the time, The Canoe Man has a hire service where you could paddle from Aylsham to Wroxham, staying in a full size tepee along the way. There is hire by the hour at most Broads towns as well.

Breck Farm Campsite at Bodham is liked around here because it is one of the very few that allows fires, it is basic though. I think there is another near Acle, which may be called The Old Vicarage.

A bit of Googling will throw in some more ideas.
rjb
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by rjb »

A visit to Ranworth church is worth it for the spectacular views over the Broads, and the teashop. Don't try climbing the tower with cycling shoes on, the steps are uneven and you can't get a grip with spds. I speak from experience. Remove shoes and climb it in your socks :wink:

https://www.broadsideparishes.org.uk/vi ... _tower.htm
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mjr
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by mjr »

steady eddy wrote:The coast road round North Norfolk down to Great Yarmouth can be busy in the summer but inland around the Broads - if you stick to the yellow roads on the os maps you will find life pretty quiet.

Actually, around the coast, National 1 and Regional 30 are a pretty good choice, avoiding the busy coast road but still with great views when it's up on the ridge.
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paddler
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by paddler »

rjb wrote:A visit to Ranworth church is worth it for the spectacular views over the Broads, and the teashop. Don't try climbing the tower with cycling shoes on, the steps are uneven and you can't get a grip with spds. I speak from experience. Remove shoes and climb it in your socks :wink:

https://www.broadsideparishes.org.uk/vi ... _tower.htm


Forgot about that, yes well worth it! And I have been up Cromer church tower before but I'm not sure how often it is open. But if you like that sort of thing check it out!.

Good gazebos to climb in Sheringham Park and Holt country Park as well.
mercalia
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by mercalia »

You might like to get a copy of this book to prime your travels

It is a very old book dating to the 1930s so has a patna that befits the tales ( due to the age it is written in you wonder if they are really true, as in those days they believed in such things?)

I got my copy atleast 40 years ago , while I was in Norwich. Glad to see you can still get it .

Ghosts of the Broads.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghosts-Broads-Charles-Sampson/dp/0711702381

Some of the reviews on Amazon are unecessarily hard on it as if they expected the stories to be really true and damn the book due to disappointment :roll:

or look on Ebay for as little as £3
Huck
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by Huck »

Toured North Norfolk by Cycle and on foot and would highly recommend the area. Mix up a bit of coastal and inland riding and you should have a great time. The campsite at Stiffkey is good but overpriced for a 1person tent. The site at Baconsthorpe near Holt is excellent at £5 per night, you can even have a fire. Cley has a great smokehouse + a excellent deli so you can eat well when in this area.
paddler
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by paddler »

As well as canoes you can also hire day boats, some of which are electric I think. I mention this because if you were to get up to Potter Heigham with a few hours to spare you good hire one by the bridge and go to see Hickling Broad and Horsey Mere, which in my opinion, and especially with good light, are magic. You might even get to hear a Bittern booming.
mercalia
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by mercalia »

paddler wrote: ......
I would personally avoid Gt Yarmouth, and probably Lowestoft as well as both have seen better days, but again it depends what you like.
.....


when is the last time you have been to Lowestoft? It has a fine esplanade south of the bridge that you can cycle on up to pakefeld & a North beach wth sand dunes and gorse. Then nearby there is Oulton Broad with its park. Normanston park is also very nice on the road to Oulton Broad
paddler
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Re: 4 Day Norfolk Tour Recommendation

Post by paddler »

mercalia wrote:
paddler wrote: ......
I would personally avoid Gt Yarmouth, and probably Lowestoft as well as both have seen better days, but again it depends what you like.
.....


when is the last time you have been to Lowestoft? It has a fine esplanade south of the bridge that you can cycle on up to pakefeld & a North beach wth sand dunes and gorse. Then nearby there is Oulton Broad with its park. Normanston park is also very nice on the road to Oulton Broad


Well, last week actually. But only to the town centre shops. I take your points about the esplanade etc, and Oulton Broad especially, been there loads of times on boating holidays. But whether it is worth a trip just to see it (Lowestoft), well it wouldn't be to me. If I was cycling around the coast then I would make sure to go through.
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