Culture Trip’s Guide to Norfolk

This part of East Anglia is only a two-hour drive from London, yet it feels like a completely different world. Swap high-rises for rural cottages that lean on each other for support, and smog for the unmistakable whiff of cow pat – then you really know you’re in the countryside.

Norfolk has some beautiful seaside towns, and Great Yarmouth is great if you’re bringing young ones with its Golden Mile of amusements, rides and attractions. If you’re looking for more company than just the ducks on the Broads, then Norwich, the county capital, is your best bet, with great places to grab a bite. Whatever you may want from your trip to Norfolk, let Culture Trip inspire you with this comprehensive guide.

Sit back in the sunshine (hopeful, we know), with the gentle putt-putting of the engine and the slap-slapping of the water in the background as you potter along the Norkfolk Broads on a hired motorboat. What could be more relaxing? Hire your boat for the day from Wroxham and make your way down the 201km (125mi) of lock-free waterways. Just don’t forget to bring a picnic.

A British summer holiday doesn’t get more traditional than a trip to Great Yarmouth – something plucky Brits have been doing since the 1700s. All that would top it off is an endearing family rendition of “Oh I do like to be beside the seaside in the car. There’s ice cream, a model village, a wooden rollercoaster and, of course, the beach, all 15mi (24km) of it – not for nothing is it called the Golden Mile. Attractions and entertainment aplenty await, but nearby countryside, with paddocked fields and pretty villages, add a sense of character, as well as a break from all the fun of the fair.

No, you’re not in the Scottish Orkneys, or the Vatnsnes Peninsula in northwest Iceland – in fact, Morston Quay, in Blakeney Point, is home to the largest seal colony in the UK. Aren’t they adorable? They’re inquisitive creatures and often like to get up close to the boat, so have your camera at the ready. The best time to go is between June and August when the seals give birth – there’s nothing cuter than the saucer-sized black eyes of a seal pup gazing up at you.

All aboard! Cut through the sweeping Norfolk countryside with the most comfortable seats – and the best views – in town. Nothing beats the nostalgic smell of burning coal and the clickety-clack of a steam train pulling up to the station, while you watch it gently come to a stop. The North Norfolk Steam Railway, better known as the Poppy Line, goes from Sheringham, across the coast and inland, to the Georgian market town of Holt, where it would be rude not to round off your traditionally British afternoon by heading down a quaint alleyway or into a charming courtyard for a spot of afternoon tea.

Seen enough of the sea? Head inland to Breckland for an eco-adventure through Thetford Forest, whether that’s by bike, on foot or up in the trees. Just outside of Thetford you can step back in time at Oxburgh Hall – a moated 15th-century manor house – or at the fort hill and the Ancient House Museum in Thetford. There’s also the Pingo Trail, a 8mi (13km) hike of circular lakes created in the last Ice Age, and Grime’s Cave, home to the only open neolithic flint mine left in the UK. Thetford is also the birthplace of Dad’s Army. Enough said.

Looking for a place to stay in Norwich? Check out our pick of the best cheap hotels in Norwich, England, bookable on Culture Trip.