NORFOLK

The fourth largest county in England with a long coastline protruding into the North Sea and gentle rolling countryside. A great place to visit!

Norfolk Introduction

The county of Norfolk is the fourth largest in England and with its long coastline protruding into the North Sea, it has tended to become isolated from the rest of the country. This was especially true in times gone by, when the fens to the west were flooded, forming a natural barrier and Norfolk people have therefore acquired a sense of independence. In medieval times Norfolk was the most populated and achieved great prosperity, leading to the building of some of the finest churches in England. Since these times the population has steadily declined and over 100 villages have been lost. Norfolk was also a great sea faring county and it developed strong links with Northern Europe, which has influenced the architecture. Fishing has declined over the years, but the crabs from Cromer remain world famous to this day!

The gently rolling countryside of Norfolk has inaccurately been described as flat, however not much rises above a few hundred feet. There is great scenic interest from woodland, forests, rolling chalklands, coastline and the watery patchwork of the Norfolk Broads. This landscape is filled with ancient churches, windmills and picturesque villages decorated with attractive signs and thatched cottages. The many activities that visitors to Norfolk can enjoy include, walking, cycling, shopping, sightseeing, boat trips, canoeing, sailing or just relaxing on a beach! Norfolk also has many local attractions and facilities including arts, crafts, gardens, museums, zoos, fine hotels, restaurants, tea-rooms, pubs and inns. It is a county definitely worth exploring!

Norfolk Map and Picture Board


	What to See and Do

	Visit at least one of the Norfolk coast villages
	Enjoy one of Norfolk's wide open sandy beaches
	Take a boat trip on the Norfolk Broads
	Get to see at least one Norfolk Windmill
	Visit Norwich Cathedral, one of England's finest
	Explore the cobbled streets of old Norwich
	Wander one of the fabulous gardens
	Visit one of Norfolk's ancient medieval churches
	Take a walk in one of Norfolk's nature reserves
	Browse the shops and galleries of Norwich or Holt
	Take a steam train ride on one of the many railways

Norfolk Guided Tour

We start our overview tour of Norfolk on the Norfolk Coast, where you can still see fishing boats operating from pretty harbour's. At one time, all the villages along the Norfolk Coast had a substantial fishing fleet, with some forced to move to nearby Lincolnshire due to overcrowding. Today, most of the ancient ports have silted up and have left miles of mudflats and marshes - the Norfolk Coast path makes a lovely walk across these on a sunny day.

Fishing Boats on the Norfolk Coast

Norfolk Coast Path

You will find pretty villages, such as Burnham Market, known locally as "Chelsea on sea" as it attracts visitors from upmarket London and has the sort of shops that you would normally find down the Kings Road!
Norfolk Living Shop, Burnham Market	Hoste Arms, Norfolk

Norfolk is famous for its wonderful open countryside and magnificent sandy bays - all wonderful for fresh air and a walk! No wonder it attracted our ancestors to build so many stately homes in the area!
Holkham Bay, Norfolk	Holkham Hall, Norfolk

There are plenty of coastal villages, such as Blakeney, with pretty flint cottages (many for holiday rent), shops, tea-rooms, restaurants, pubs and inns. Many of these villages have some great stories to tell, including stories of smuggling and even piracy. During the middle ages, the North Norfolk ports would have been filled with the aroma of imported spices and the colour of fine silks.
Blakeney Harbour, Norfolk	Norfolk Gift Shop

Norfolk is famous for two types of building. The first is the windmill and the second is a medieval church. Norfolk has the greatest concentration of these in the whole of the UK - Cley next the sea for example has both!
Norfolk Windmill	Medieval Church, Norfolk

Norfolk also has has plenty of examples of Dutch influenced architecture, a reminder of its close ties with our Dutch friends through its trade links - including fishing and weaving. Norfolk is closer to Amsterdam than London and in times gone by, it only took a day to sail to Amsterdam, compared with 4 days to travel to London.
Flemish Architecture, Norfolk	Dutch Style Property, Norfolk

Around Weybourne, Sheringham and Cromer you will actually find a ridge of heathland, giving fabulous views out over the sea and marshes below - who said Norfolk was flat!
Norfolk Coast Views, Salthouse	Muckleburgh Hill, Norfolk

Norfolk has its fair share of classic seaside attractions, such as piers at Cromer and Great Yarmouth, and lighthouses at Hunstanton and Happisburgh.
Cromer Pier, Norfolk	Happisburgh Lighthouse, Norfolk

The Norfolk Broads National Park is the UK's largest and finest wetland landscape. Wroxham is known as the "Capital of the Broads" and from here you can hire a boat for the week, weekend, day, hour or take an organised cruise.
Wroxham Bridge, Norfolk Broads	Broads Tours, Norfolk Broads

Pretty Broadland villages, such as Horning, Ranworth or Ludham, invite you to stop for a refreshment and watch the world float by! Many have riverside pubs and beautiful cottages with gardens that run down to the river.
Riverside Pub, Norfolk Broads	Norfolk Tea Room

With miles of lock free, scenic waterways to explore, you will never get bored (lost, yes probably, unless you buy a good map!). The Broads are a great place to explore by dinghy, canoe, kayak and also on land cycling.
Norfolk Rivers	Boat Moorings on the Norfolk Broads

The Norfolk Broads are full of pretty windmills, where traditional Norfolk Yachts float by - it's like time has stood still and it's a real escape from fast modern living.
Norfolk Mill	Norfolk Wherry

Broadland has many nature reserves, boardwalks and footpaths, allowing you to enjoy the scenery from the shore - you do not need a boat to enjoy the Broads, just a little knowledge of the best places to go!
Norfolk Nature Reserve	Norfolk Footpath

Norwich is considered the capital of East Anglia and an outstanding city for a weekend or city break. It has one of the best Cathedrals in the whole of the UK, a Norman Castle, cobbled streets and more tudor buildings in one single area than in the whole of London! For hundreds of years it was England's second city and its ancient city walls enclosed a greater area than ANY other English city - including London!
Norwich Cathedral, Norfolk	Norwich Castle, Norfolk
Cobbled Streets, Norwich	Tombland Alley, Norwich

Modern Norwich includes a state-of-the-art public library and media centre, and 2 modern shopping malls - one is even built under the Castle!
The Forum, Norwich	Shopping Mall, Norwich

Take a look at PocketNorwich.co.uk our sister website and your personal electronic Norwich tour guide!

Other places not to miss in Norfolk are Wymondham, with it lovely Abbey ...	and Holt a fabulous Georgian town, with absolutely loads (and I mean loads) of great shops!
Wymondham Abbey, Norfolk	Pottery Shop, Holt, Norfolk

Finally, Norfolk has more than its fair share of great attractions to make that perfect day out. They range from steam railways, adventure parks, art & crafts, museums, zoos and some fabulous gardens.
Norfolk Steam Train	Norfolk Gardens
Norfolk Museum	Norfolk Art and Crafts

A good overall map of Norfolk

This is a cross between a guide and a history book - I really enjoyed it.

This book has a Norfolk disaster for every day of the year, including floods, gales and fires!

Did you know that Norfolk has the greatest concentration of medieval churches in the world?

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