Please sign in to post.

2025 May-June with a Norwich base

We are excited about an opportunity to explore East Anglia from a nice home base in Norwich (3 weeks) before we move on to Cornwall for 2 more weeks. I’ll do a separate post for our Cornwall base later.

We will have a car available to us but will take local busses and trains whenever we can. If you have any knowledge of the 5+ bus companies and/or the main train lines that serve this region please give us some tips.

We plan to visit several nearby market towns and go as far as Cambridge for day trips. We know there are a few coastal towns reachable by train and bus and to avoid Greater Yarmouth. I searched through old posts and found that warning about its tackiness. If you have other charming towns within 2 hours to recommend for day trips please add.

We love history, architecture, science, literature, easy walks and authentic pubs. We are very excited that the Norwich and Norfolk Festival will be taking place while we are there to give us places to walk to for food and entertainment when we aren’t out exploring.

Our whole trip will probably look like Norwich, Wadebridge in Cornwall then a few days in London before we fly home.

Thanks for any recommendations you may have.

Posted by
397 posts

Don’t forget to go to the Broads, they’re wonderful. You can take boat tours at several broads to experience them and the bird life. Wroxham is central and very busy, Hickling or Horsey are quieter and feel almost secret, Horning is full of Arthur Ransome references, if you know his books.

Posted by
2224 posts

Don't miss the preserved railways too. The North Norfolk Railway (Poppy Line) is a favourite with teh family. Holt is delightful and well worth spending some time in. Do follow the Owl trail there. At the other end of the line is Sheerringham, another delightful small place.

Don't forget Sandringham House - well worth a visit and you could easily spend a day there. There are a couple of nature trails to follow too. Have a look at this one.

Do go for a cuise on th Broads - a wonderful way to relax. There are lots to choose from.

For historical sites - ideas here. Definitely consider Grimes Graves, a neolithic flint mine!

Posted by
2543 posts

I spent 10 days based in Norwich. These places are worth seeing in my opinion:>
Blickling Hall, Oxburgh Hall, Cromer, Wells Next the Sea, Sandringham which can be combined with King’s Lynn & Hunstanton.

Woodbridge combined with Aldeburgh and Thorpness. Southwold, Lavenham, Ickworth Hall, Kentwell Hall.

Posted by
7471 posts

I don't know if you are aware of the Greater Anglia ranger and rover tickets which are good value- https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/tickets-fares/discounts/rangers-rovers

Note the further discounts if you happen to have any type of National Railcard, or a couple of the Ranger tickets even have a Senior Version which does not need a Senior Railcard, for anyone of that age.

Greater Anglia has invested a large amount of money over the last few years in a lot of modern trains.

At Sheringham the modern trains and the steam trains meet at the same station. There is also Cromer to visit, and the famous Cromer Crabs.

No one has mentioned Lowestoft either- the most easterly town in the UK- https://www.discoverlowestoft.co.uk/information/

As for Great Yarmouth there is a lot of narrow mindedness in some quarters. It remains a very popular seaside resort as it has been for over 100 years. Not everyone likes the same thing. In some ways it is a bit like Blackpool- an immensely popular holiday town, but not without it's problems, which has a distinctly rough round the edges feel in places. Life is not all chocolate box images and roses round the door.

Posted by
4061 posts

Thank you all for so many towns and sites to visit. We’ll get busy with maps and make grouped lists! I thought Sandingham might be too far but now I see that we can easily reach it for a day trip and maybe some other towns while we are in the area. (I said whilst when I was typing the previous sentence so I think I’m getting into the research already)! I wasn’t aware of the Broads and the Ransome connection but we’ll be sure to go to different towns in this area too.

I’m especially grateful for the specific train and ticketing option as this always bewilders me with the many options. It’s always good to know where to start and what you can layer on for ticketing.

I apologize for passing along forum search history about a town I haven’t seen yet. And to have used a word like tackiness wasn’t appropriate. We have our coastal towns with amusements too but I’d prefer to find towns with little harbors or marshy birding areas instead of carousels, casinos and saltwater taffy stands but I know towns with those amenities are a lot of fun for many. Thanks for point us to other possibilities. All of your knowledge is appreciated. I know that 3 weeks will be a good start to have a look at East Anglia.

We spent a few days in mid September 2001 staying at Hengrave Hall while regrouping our study semester and couldn’t travel forward. There was a day trip planned to Norwich but I ended up staying with a hospitalized student in Bury St Edmunds so I didn’t see much outside of the country house, taxi and hospital walls. Really looking forward to delving into this area’s nature, towns and history.

Posted by
4061 posts

Thank you for the link to some birding areas nearby. I’m so glad we get to spend a good amount of time as visitors in this rich in history and nature part of England. All of these places and tips are much appreciated.

Posted by
33590 posts

Greater Anglia has invested a large amount of money over the last few years in a lot of modern trains.

Strongly influenced by the implementation of all those new trains, Greater Anglia has just been named Passenger Operator of the Year at the National Rail Awards 2024

Posted by
4061 posts

Nigel that’s good news to hear about the East Anglia network’s recent award. Also thanks for the link to the coastal birding area up north in case we get to Sandringham..