Seaside

Despite the warm weather I hadn't intended this to be a beach holiday but even so I wasn't going to go to Norfolk and not visit the seaside. Walking round Felbrigg had left me too exhausted to think of going that evening, but Blickling hadn't proved so strenuous and after our visit there we headed to Cromer for fish and chips from No 1 restaurant.

My intention had been to grab a tale-away and sit by the sea, but the earlier pleasant breeze had turned into a gale! Walking along the seafront was definitely bracing, the pier was too windy to sit there for long, and the wind whistled down Cromer's narrow streets.

Fortunately No 1 has an indoor restaurant, with wonderful views out to sea, so we ate in comfort without losing our food to the wind.

Nest day we were heading home, but not without another visit to the coast - this time at Cley-next-the-Sea.

We started with a  second breakfast at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust's visitor centre, followed by a walk through the marshes into Cley itself. This isn't really seaside but the marshes are strange and otherworldly with a beauty all of their own. The serious birdwatchers were impressed by activity within the nature reserve, but I'm not very clued-up on birds and was excited to spot a swan 

From the windmill we walked along the boardwalk which leads behind houses by the creek, then back through the village stopping in at galleries along the way.

Then back to the visitor centre for cake before heading on our way.
 

Cromer by night

In my opinion, all seaside holidays should start with fish and chips, preferably eaten in the open air, with the sound of waves crashing not far away. 

So, first night of our break we headed to Cromer, bought our takeaway supper, and sat in a shelter on the prom to eat it. The tide was in, and, while they weren't quite crashing, we could certainly hear the waves swirling back and forth.

Outside of holiday season, Cromer is quiet at night, with few other people about on a weekday evening, and, I think, more atmospheric and charming for it.  Trying to avoid the steps back from the beach, we wandered up into town, past the church and the Hotel de Paris, finding a pedestrian walkway running by clifftop houses. 

Ignore the bright lights along the pier and it's easy to imagine an earlier time with flickering gas lights and the rumble of horse-drawn carts along the narrow streets.

 

The Rest of our Norfolk Break

 With three blog posts already, I could be going on forever about our few days in Norfolk, so here's the best of the rest (though to be fair the whole holiday was wonderful)

First Cromer, 'an esplanady sort of place' according to A C Swinburne; at night as the sun set and its lights began to twinkle along the pier and prom, and by day with the sea retreating leaving damp sand to walk on, even under the pier where water had swirled the night before.

Norwich in the evening, with secretive little alleys, and huge illuminated public buildings. I was reluctant to leave the seaside and go into town this evening, but I definitely want to go back and visit properly - just maybe when the sun and sea aren't so appealing.

Wells-next-the-Sea which is, I think, my favourite place along Norfolk's north coast. There are fishing boats, amusement arcades, walks besides the marshes, chip shops, quaint narrow streets away from the touristy bustle - everything for a seaside holiday.

Either first or last stop on our Norfolk holidays is Hunstanton - this time it was the last. For an East Anglian resort, it oddly looks west, across the Wash towards Skegness. A walk along the prom to see the pier-less pier, and a visit to Boston Square have become part of our routine. I'd hoped to be able to walk along the beach to Old Hunstanton, but tide and time were against me - something to attempt next time we're here.