Beach Huts

Just what is the deal with beach huts? They can be found all over the country. Once popular in Victorian times they have recently been the subject of much interest in the press as an investment vehicle. 

Prices vary from a few thousand pounds to over £100,000. Obviously the more popular beaches attract the highest prices. Beach huts are often owned by the local council with annual rental charges amounting to just a £100 or so but in some cases the annual fees can be in excess of £2,000.

The beach huts shown here are in Old Hunstanton on the sand dunes not far from the lifeboat centre. These particular beach huts command a price tag of around £15,000. Beach huts are not just found in the UK. There are beach huts as far afield as Australia and as nearby as Belgium.

Wroxham

This small town on the River Bure serves as an entry point for the Norfolk Broads and is a popular tourist attraction with day trippers and those hiring boats of all sizes for river trips and Norfolk Broad holidays.

This pretty town is quite busy in the summer months and is often regarded as the capital of the Norfolk Broads. Visitors wandering around the town cannot fail to notice that Roys of Wroxham owns quite a few stores here, one in particular being quite large and selling a wide range of household goods and products.

Wroxham has some interesting independent shops and the absence of many high street chains is refreshing. Shoppers will find many unique items here and there are several good places to eat and drink.

Wroxham is actually two villages that have merged together. Originally Hoveton was on one side of the river and Wroxham on the other. Those taking a river trip towards the broads will be quick to notice that there are many fine homes along the riverbank in Wroxham. Many of these are holiday homes of the wealthy city dwellers that live in London and elsewhere.

It is possible to hire a small launch for an hour and after 15 or 20 minutes you will reach part of the Norfolk Broads. For the more adventurous a whole host of rivers and lakes await exploration, limited only by the amount of time you have.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on  You Tube

Weybourne

This was one of our favourite parts of North Norfolk. We cycled through Sheringham Park National Trust Estate and on towards the cliffs and the coastal village of Weybourne. The views of the countryside are astounding. On a clear sunny day this has to be one of the most beautiful places in the UK.

As you pass through the agricultural pastures and heath land towards the cliffs you see the smoke trails from the historic steam train, a windmill in the distance and then the deep blue sparkling see as you look over the cliff tops and the shimmering shingle beach below. Even in peak season there is so much beach as to make this appear empty. If you are prepared to walk a little you can claim your own deserted patch of the beach for the day.

Nearer to the village of Weybourne you start to see more people.  Fishermen cast straight from the beach here as the steep shores make for good angling. This is not really a bathing beach or a place to paddle or swim at all but its beauty is breathtaking.

The Muckleborough collection is located nearby and is home to the UK’s largest private collection of military vehicles and exhibits.  Bird sanctuaries, flatlands and marshes run parallel with sandy and pebbled beaches that stretch for miles along this largely unpolluted  and natural coastline.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

Wells next Sea

Locally known as Wells and not to be confused with the City of Wells in Somerset, this town is very busy and popular with the tourists in peak season. Unfortunately on the day we visited the pay and display machines in the main car park were out of order, the town had an untidy feel about it with rather too many overflowing litter bins. To make things worse the two sets of public toilets we visited were absolutely disgusting.

Wells is named as Guella in the Domesday Book which takes its name from Anglian Wella ( a spring ). This used to be a major port for North Norfolk and a recently renovated granary on the sea frontage is proof of that. It is still popular with shipping albeit the majority of vessels are now pleasure boats.

Fishing is still popular here and like Cromer and Sheringham the crab is a popular seafood that can be bought here. Shellfish are also available along with other traditional seafoods.
As you will see from the surrounding countryside, corn is a popular crop in these parts. It was corn that provided the main source of income and it was corn that was shipped from Wells prior to tourism becoming established.

What many people may not know is that Wells used to be much closer to the sea. However, silting of the harbour now means that it sits a mile from the sea. Fishing is popular here and there are several shops selling angling equipment. The town itself has a thriving shopping area and several places to eat and drink including a couple of excellent fish and chip shops.

The side streets with their Georgian houses and pebble dash cottages with their well tended gardens are delightful on a summers evening. The Wells Harbour Railway takes passengers from the harbour to the beach.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

Stow Windmill

Stow Windmill is near the village of Mundesley along the coast road to Paston. It is popular with tourists and visitors are often seen sat outside on the small green admiring the view and taking refreshments bought from the small shop on site.

The mill was built in 1825 and was actually worked right up until 1930. Most of the interior machinery has been removed .  In 1938 the mill was purchased by Douglas McDougall, owner of the famous flour company that carries his name. He used it as a holiday home until it changed hands again in 1960.

The current owners, Roger and Andrea Hough have extensively restored the property and the inside of the building now provides historical information and old photographs of the mill during its working life. The Stow Mill Trading shop sells a variety of giftware and an attractive collection of hand-made windmills.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

Stow Mill, Stow Hill, Paston, Norfolk. NR28 9TG. Tel: 01263 720298

Sheringham Park

This popular coastal resort is situated a few miles west of Cromer and prior to tourism it would have relied totally on farming and fishing as its main source of income.  In similar circumstances to Cromer, the arrival of the railway was of great benefit to the town. Crab and lobster, whelks , herring and cod could now reach London and the markets in double quick time. These days Sheringham is still known for its crab and lobster fishing but on a much reduced scale.

The beach at Sheringham has been awarded the European Blue Flag ten consecutive times and is one of the cleanest beaches in Britain.

This pretty little town with its fish and chip shops, cafes and restaurants is popular with tourists. There is a town market near the railway station on Wednesdays and Saturdays and a busy shopping centre with plenty of traditional craft shops and privately owned stores.

This traditionally English town hosts a number of events and has its own festival each August. The Sheringham Museum highlights the heydays of the fishing industry and boatbuilding which was famous in Sheringham. Over 200 fishing boats would have operated from here in the mid 19th century.

Many tourists to Sheringham are return visitors seeking that long lost lifestyle from decades ago and the rural charm of a seaside town that has not changed much over the years. There are no kiss me quick hats here and few amusement arcades.

The town is situated in an outstanding area of natural beauty and it’s not hard to see why visitors fall in love with the place.

Sheringham’s busy high street leads into the promenade with its robust sea wall to protect the town from further erosion. Nearby Sheringham Park with its landscaped gardens is a fantastic cycling and walking route near the coast . This National Trust site does not provide access to the hall itself but the scenery is breathtaking, and on a fine day, the nearby Weybourne pebble beach is one of the finest beaches on this coast. The cliff walks are particularly popular.

Sheringham Park, Visitor Centre, Wood Farm, Upper Sheringham, Norfolk, NR26 8TL. 

Tel: 01263 820550

Muckleborough Collection
The Muckleburgh Collection of military vehicles is nearby as is Felbrigg Hall, a National Trust Property. Both are certainly worth a visit.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

Mundesley

Mundesley  is situated just 7 miles south east of Cromer along the B1159 coast road. An entry in the Domesday Book records the village as Muleslai with the main land owner being a William de Warenne. There are several holiday parks and hotels in and around Mundesley and it is a popular holiday destination.

The cleanliness of the beach has been rewarded by its 2009 Blue Flag status. A new lifeboat station is crewed and operated by volunteers as is the Coast watch station with its small museum on the main seafront gardens. Visitors are allowed to see the small lookout room and chat with the operators who are all volunteers.

The long sandy beaches here are typical of the quality of the beaches on this coastline and whilst fishing would have been the main source of income in the past, this has undoubtedly been replaced by tourism. Fishing still takes place here with boats being launched from the beach.

The village has a few restaurants, pubs and tea rooms as well as a very good tourist information office with exceptionally friendly staff. South of Mundesley at Paston, and most definitely worth a visit, is the Stow Mill Windmill now restored and open to visitors.

Unspoiled and set in beautiful countryside with miles of sandy beach, this is a good place to stay and an ideal central location if you are visiting the North Norfolk Coast. 

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

Morston Quay

This National Trust saltmarsh near Blakeney is located in the small coastal village of Morston. In the summer months it can get quite crowded and is popular with yachtsmen, fishermen, and those interested in bird watching and wildlife, particularly seals which bask on the sands at Blakeney.

From the car park visitors can walk along the track to the marshes and those interested in visiting the seals can book a boat trip from Morston.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

Hunstanton

Hunstanton is an east coast town in North Norfolk and the only holiday resort in England where the sun sets over the sea. This is an ideal location for hikers and cyclists. The beach at Hunstanton is wide and sandy and for much of the day in summer the tide is a long way out unlike beaches further south along the coast which benefit from the sea coming in much closer.

Hunstanton is popular. The gardens and long sloping grass area runs the distance of the high street to the promenade which is busy in summer and the grassed areas provide tourists with an alternative to sitting on the beach. You get the feel of a busy and vibrant town which obviously relies on the tourist industry for most of its income.

The cliffs at Hunstanton are well known for the red chalk which stands out against the white chalk layers quite dramatically. The large rocks along the beach by the cliffs adds emphasis to the dramatic landscape.

Whilst Hunstanton does not have the same appeal as Cromer in terms of idyllic seaside resorts, it does have plenty for the visitor to see and do and there are many beaches, beautiful villages and countryside not far from the town.

The railway, once again, like Cromer and Sheringham, were responsible for the boom in tourism which continues today with Hunstanton sporting a seal sanctuary, a fairground, aquarium, leisure pool and several large caravan parks and a host of restaurants, pubs and take aways.  This is a family orientated resort where the kids are less likely to get bored here than the more sedate and traditional resorts further down the coast.

The surrounding countryside is spectacular and not flat like much of Norfolk. Holkham Hall and its estate are not far from here and the beaches of the estate are claimed to be amongst the best in the UK.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

Horsey Windmill

The village of Horsey is a Norfolk Broads village which is just a mile from the sea. The famous windmill is owned by the National Trust and open to visitors. Inside you can read about the Horsey floods and the lives of everyday people including those who manned the windmill over the years.

The stairs are narrow and steep but you can visit each floor until you reach the very top and find yourself standing under the roof with a small balcony providing panoramic views of the countryside.

Many people assume that the windmills that they see in Norfolk were all used for milling flour. In actual fact the majority were used to pump water. Horsey windmill is no exception. It was used to pump water until 1943 when it was struck by lightning. The National Trust acquired it in 1948 and fully restored it.

There is ample parking and a kiosk that sells refreshments on the site.  Visitors can walk to a very quiet beach nearby and Horsey Mere, a windswept broad, is open during the summer months.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

Horsey Windpump, Horsey,  Great Yarmouth.  Norfolk.  NR29 4EF. Tel: 01263 740241

Holt

This pretty market town is believed to have taken its name from the Anglo-Saxon word for Woodland. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book as a market town with a port at Cley next the Sea.

The only remaining and fully functional working watermill in Norfolk can be found near here on the River Glaven. It is one of the top Norfolk tourist attractions with working demonstrations and flour production in full swing for all see. The flour is even sold locally in several retail outlets.

This Georgian town dates back to medieval times although records show that a serious fire started in the Shire Hall in 1708 and destroyed most of the town and its timber framed buildings.

This is a popular tourist destination with a variety of traditional and private shops where the visitor can find a host of curious craft and collectable goods. You will find things here that are very much different to products sold in the high street stores of most towns and cities.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth has long been a favourite destination for holidaymakers visiting Norfolk. With 15 miles of sandy beaches, amusement arcades and a vibrant seafront, Great Yarmouth is the ‘Blackpool’ equivalent for Norfolk. You either love it or hate it.

This is very much a family orientated seaside resort, possibly because for a certain generation, many childhood memories stem from Great Yarmouth and its fairground rides and amusements. For those seeking natural beauty and a quiet spot to get away from it all, then Great Yarmouth is probably not the place to go.

It is unfortunate that in the rush to commercialise the resort the overall effect has been one of a hotch-potch of take-aways, cheap B&B’s and far too many amusements for it to appeal to some visitors.

There is history here and plenty of other beautiful towns and villages further up the coast. Whilst Great Yarmouth has been a seaside resort since 1760, the numbers of visitors have declined over the years. It gives the impression that it has seen better days. One of the two seafront promenades runs straight into the old port industrial area of the town which is not a particularly good example of town planning.

Locally Great Yarmouth is known as just Yarmouth. It has an old Tollhouse which dates back from the 13th century and which is reputed to be the oldest civic building in the UK. Great Yarmouth is also famous for its market place which is absolutely huge. Served by a railway station the town plays host to several well known celebrities who perform at the Britannia Theatre located on Britannia Pier.

There are many old and important listed buildings in and around Great Yarmouth including the Naval Pillar or Nelson’s Monument, a tribute to Admiral Nelson. It currently stands forlorn in the middle of the industrial area. Nelson was born in Norfolk and the Norfolk Nelson Museum is housed on the South Quay.

There is certainly plenty to see and do in Great Yarmouth and the Time and Tide museum is definitely worth a visit. Great Yarmouth is also a central point for those visiting the Norfolk Broads and acts as a gateway for visitors to the Broads.

Nostalgic it is. Deck chairs, knotted hankies, sandcastles and rock were probably invented here. If not they were meant for Great Yarmouth. With an abundance of fish and chip shops and plenty of gifts and seaside paraphernalia, Great Yarmouth, with its exciting amusement rides, nightlife and shops, is great for those that want to be entertained.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

Felbrigg

Felbrigg is a small village situated south of Cromer. It takes its name from the Danish language and means ‘plank bridge’. The National Trust property Felbrigg is a 17th century house of which some 20 rooms are open to the public. This really is an interesting property which has some excellent gardens and grounds.

What makes this of particular interest is the history of the various families that have lived here. The visitor can connect more with its historic past than is possible in most other similar historic properties. This is mainly due to the fact that the furniture and the belongings of the last occupant are all here pretty much as they would have been left when it was handed over to the National Trust.

The library and Grand Tour collection here is magnificent. This is a house of contrasts and surprises. Whilst it is not one of the most impressive National Trust properties you will see in terms of size and design, it is unique and delightful in its own right.

The last occupant of Felbrigg – Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer wrote many books and was a well known biographer and county historian. His books can be seen in the library. He was a bachelor whose only brother was killed during the war. With no descendants he made sure that the Hall and Estate would be available for future generations by donating it to the National Trust.

The gardens include a beautiful 18th century Orangery, some fine trees and extensive woodland with a lake. The nearby 15th century church of St Margaret is where Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer is buried.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

 Felbrigg Hall, Norwich, Norfolk, NR11 8PR. Tel: 01263 837444

Cromer

Cromer describes itself as the ‘Gem of the Norfolk Coast’ and it is certainly one of the main tourist destinations along this part of the coastline. Cromer first became popular as a resort in the early 19th century. The long sandy beach, typical of this part of the Norfok coast, the cliff walks and Victorian Pier are all popular with visitors.

Cromer and nearby Overstrand and Sidestrand are also often referred to as ‘Poppyland’ due to the numerous poppies growing in this area.

Cromer is known for its ‘Cromer Crab’ which is an important source of income for local fisherman. In addition to tourism, the fishing industry is still prospering here with an abundance of crabs and lobster in the summer months and some limited fishing for herring and cod in the autumn and winter. Tourists can buy fresh crab from the local shops.

Cromer Pier has a three screen cinema and is home to the Pavillion Theatre. The town itself has some impressive Victorian properties, a rail service and plenty of places to shop and eat out. It was in fact the railway, built in 1877, that helped Cromer grow from a small and obscure coastal town into its present day grandeur.

The surrounding countryside is varied and of considerable beauty. This agricultural region has good fertile soil and the contrast of salt marshes and waterways, many of which lead into the Norfolk Broads. The pretty cottages and buildings in and around Cromer and North Norfolk in general are enhanced by the use of pebble dash.

It is fair to say that North Norfolk in general is very traditionally ‘English’. If you liked 70’s Britain and a relaxed and easy going lifestyle then you will be at home here. The only frustrations are likely to be getting caught following one of the countless tractors along the lanes and A roads.

This is a hikers or cyclists paradise and popular with bird watchers and those just wanting to get away from it all. The lure of outdoor life is what brings people here. Many of the idyllic villages seem to be caught in a time warp.

If you are visiting North Norfolk and staying in one of the numerous holiday cottages or holiday sites in this region then you will almost certainly visit Cromer which is at the centre of the North Norfolk coast.

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view the photos on You Tube

Blickling Hall

Blickling Hall is situated close to the market town of Aylsham. It is a magnificent and impressive stately home in the village of Blickling that has been owned by the National Trust since 1940. It is reputed to be the birthplace of Ann Boleyn although this could be disputed. Certainly the family of Thomas Boleyn did live here but records cannot prove that Ann Boleyn was actually born here.

This Jacobean Hall was built between 1616 and 1627 and has a superb long gallery for which it is renowned. Visitors will be impressed with its imposing structure and the gardens and lake that surround the hall. The hall itself has some fine ceilings and the library holds some of the most historically important collections of books in England.

Records show that Blickling Hall in the 11th century was just a manor house but towards the end of the 14th century it had become a much larger moat house.

Throughout the year many events take place at Blickling Hall and visitors can admire the gardens and stroll around the surrounding parklands which have been developed over three centuries. During the Second World War the hall was used as an Officers Mess by the RAF. It was only opened to public in 1962.

The headless ghost of Ann Boleyn is said to haunt the home on the anniversary of her execution.
This is an extravagant property and one which has seen many important visitors over the years. It should certainly be on the list of places to visit if you are anywhere in the North Norfolk area. 

For more photographs of Norfolk click here or view on You Tube

Blickling Hall, Norwich, Norfolk, NR11 6NF. Tel: 01263 738030