To ask for your experiences of living / spending time in North Norfolk..?

[Cockenspiel]

That's it really..

Due to flexible / WFH situation for myself and DH, we are considering relocating to N. Norfolk (from greater London) with our DC7.

We know Cromer, Sheringham and Wells from years of family holidays, but appreciate this isn't the reality of day to day life. We have no idea of the quality of the state schools or know what many of the smaller villages and towns are like.

We both grew up in smallish towns in the SE and moved to London for work so we have some idea of what to expect on that front I suppose.

We are by no means rich and won't be looking to buy a massive pile! More likely upgrade from our 3 bed terrace to a naicer 4 bed with some outside space etc..

Would be good to hear a range of opinions on the area, schools and anything else MN'rs think is relevant..

Would be interested to hear advice on this too. We holiday a few times a year in north Norfolk anywhere between Hunstanton and as far along as Langham and absolutely love it. For a week. Husband has dreams of retiring somewhere along the coast but I do wonder if the reality is v different to a weeks holiday.

Lots of people (from South East) do this move, did this, even when they had to commute to London 3x/week to keep their jobs. It baffles me why move out of London & bring the London lifestyle with you, but huge numbers do exactly that.

Norfolk is known as an under-achieving county (educationally).
Aylsham/Sheringham are the best state high schools in the areas you're looking.

Sheringham 6th form is rising in reputation but all I know personally about Sheringham HS is supposed drugs problems. Rich kids have the money for drugs, after all although it's not a particularly rich area over all. If not Sheringham, you'd look at Greshams, Paston or Reepham (Reepham has higher reputation currently) or commuting to Norwich for 6th form; many kids do the long commute.

Sheringham primary is huge.
I adore Cromer for many reasons, but the schools have iffy reps.

Villages... well, if you go towards Briston then you're in deep UKIP territory. North Walsham is more Labour/LibDem, probably so is Cromer.

Villages ... too many to know what to say about them! What lifestyle do you actually want when you get here? Will you accept your DC moving far away for work when they grow up? Would you be happy to chaffeur your DC everywhere until they can drive?

Hunstanton: I like this area too, but not well regarded for schools. Was a big recent thread with someone wanting to move to near Kings Lynn & almost everyone telling them to move to Norwich instead.

My parents live in a small Norfolk village; generally primary schools are great but the secondary schools can be variable, and depending on where you live you may have to do a lot of chauffeuring. Honestly, I'd consider being closer to Norwich over a coastal town - there are lots of really nice places relatively close in, and you're still 30-40 minutes drive from the coast at the weekends. Plus the transport connections are better, public transport exists, and Norwich is really nice. We're looking at a move up in a year or two, possibly close to UEA, so we can still get to the coast or the countryside but with the benefits of the city as well.

I wouldn’t move to Cromer if you paid me! It’s a bugger to get into Norwich at rush hour and will add a considerable amount of time to a commute. There are serious drug problems in and around the area.
One of the villages outside. Norwich is a better bet. From the North of Norwich you can get to Cromer etc. From the East, Poringland, Loddon, you can access places like Southwold.

@lljkk

Thanks, that's great info and just the sort of thing I'm looking to hear.

Definitely not looking to bring the London lifestyle or commute, we have both been WFH for years already so it's not a new setup, more that we are fed up of city life and the pollution etc.

We definitely can't afford private school, so would need state schools for DC.

We probably prefer Cromer to Sheringham as a place, but I think the school quality would be more of a driver for decision on where to live. I do wonder about a smaller village type school (primary) but as you say, there will be a lot of chauffeuring about for DC as they get older, which I guess we would just have to live with.

Politically, we are probably somewhere between Labour and Liberal, so UKIP land might be a bit of a stretch for us, but we aren't especially politically focused, more just looking for somewhere pleasant to live without loads of city type pollution and crime (gangs, major drug probs, terrible air quality as my son as asthma.. etc)..

Not looked at North Walsham before so one to check out.

Lots of people say to consider Norwich, which I do like, but I wonder if it's just moving to another city.. Not sure how green it is and it's still quite a trek to the coast, which is what we really love.

@MotherWol
Yeah, that's the main worry I've got - the secondary education

We have looked at Norwich itself, but not the surrounding villages, when I look at the map I just have no idea which of these villages are worth considering. I need some proper locals knowledge

You may have a point though and maybe Norwich would be a sensible option.

@Gilead

I wouldn’t move to Cromer if you paid me! It’s a bugger to get into Norwich at rush hour and will add a considerable amount of time to a commute. There are serious drug problems in and around the area. One of the villages outside. Norwich is a better bet. From the North of Norwich you can get to Cromer etc. From the East, Poringland, Loddon, you can access places like Southwold.

Interesting! Is it mainly the commute which puts you off Cromer? As this isn't something we need to worry about, we won't be commuting for work.

Do you have experiences of the villages around Norwich yourself? There are so many I don't know where to start really

If you're on FB, the Norwich Mumbler group is great for getting some local info from other parents. In terms of where to consider, I'd look at Wymondham if you want something villagey and relatively rural, Thorpe Hamlet/Trowse because it's close to the city but on the edge of the Broads, Sprowston (good schools, lots of green space), or Eaton/Golden Triangle (very hip and Guardian-reading, good schools but expensive).

We live in South Norfolk and moved here from South London - quite the change! We love Norfolk but being honest the job opportunities and long term prospects for upcoming teens aren’t great. It’s great if you already have money and are looking for a nicer quality of life and enjoy the seaside and countryside. It’s great for young children but harder as they get older as apart from getting the train into Norwich (if you live somewhere with a train station!) there isn’t a lot to do and you become chief taxi driver!

Personally we find Cromer very uninspiring. My 8 year old actually says “I don’t ever want to go there again” if it’s mentioned (!) after we went there on a short break. The beach is all pebbles and there isn’t much to look round. We all much prefer Southwold (Suffolk actually I think but on the border!) and Winterton beaches but I guess it totally depends what your budget is and what you like.

Wherever you move to look at things like public transport and job opportunities long term. My dh earns £18k doing a job he could easily get £45k for plus in London but we downsized to move here and love the quality of life - quiet, peaceful, hardly any crime etc - so to us it’s worth it.

The villages around Norwich can be nice - Taverham and near Marriotts way is particularly nice.

@MotherWol

If you're on FB, the Norwich Mumbler group is great for getting some local info from other parents. In terms of where to consider, I'd look at Wymondham if you want something villagey and relatively rural, Thorpe Hamlet/Trowse because it's close to the city but on the edge of the Broads, Sprowston (good schools, lots of green space), or Eaton/Golden Triangle (very hip and Guardian-reading, good schools but expensive).

Thank you some great tips!

Norwich is a lovely city - small but full of life, and certainly green - check Mousehold/Whitlingham. Many of the surrounding suburbs/villages might suit you. Best secondary schools are probably Thorpe St Andrew or Taverham. Further out Reepham or Aylsham. Most of the villages north of Norwich towards the coast are fine but rural public transport is pretty useless. Sheringham is generally considered to be more "upmarket" than Cromer!

I grew up in mainly North and West Norfolk and for the last part in Cromer. I must admit I've not been back to Cromer for a few years but I will say there has been on and off drug issues for many years, a friend of mine died from a heroin overdose one Christmas, my dad who was the local bobby had to inform his mum. My dad and sister now live in Norwich in reasonably nice areas.

I mainly grew up though in the little villages and despite it being the arse end of nowhere I had a good childhood I would say. I certainly would swop it for what I have now which is like living in a mix of downtown Lahore and one of the nastier districts of Sofia. The highlight of my Friday nights entertainment being to watch the mass fight with a stabbing finale from my window.

Norwich is nice and out towards Dereham and Wroxham are I believe good. I was born in Sheringham and when I last visited it was quite nice. Holt way has always been nice and the villages I grew up in were Melton Constable and Briston.

The public transport has always been patchy there and you really do need a car but I would say we managed alright.

It's making me want to go back now...

@popcornsong
Oh interesting and thanks for the recommendations on villages.

It's good to hear that Norwich is quite a green city, I've not been there enough to tell.

@HellequineViriato

Hmm, yeah I think a lot of 'seaside' towns in the UK seem to suffer from drug problems so I suppose that's not surprising to read, such a shame.

Not sure where you're living now sounds all that lovely are you planning to stay?!

I'll take a look at those villages you mentioned

Last year we went to Hunstanton and we're all shocked by how much it's declined over the last few years. Brancaster is lovely but the houses have gone through the roof, and if the local school was in Hunstanton I'd not consider it at all.

Okay,

I just need to preface this post by saying that posters like yourselves OP and everyone else that’s wanting to make the move from London are part of the problem in terms of young people who’ve lived in Norfolk there whole lives being priced out. There is an eye watering amount of Londoners and people from the SE upping sticks and moving to Norfolk, as a result it’s becoming less of a rural idyll and less affordable for people that have lived here there whole lives.

You see the same happening in the likes of Cornwall, whole fishing villages becoming owned by wealthy Londoners and people from the SE, half the time they’re second homes that sit empty for 1/2 the year and the fishermen that still work in those villages are priced out and have to commute in from elsewhere.

I’m sorry, but it’s just such a genuinely sad state of affairs and when I read threads like this, I can completely understand why people want to make the move, but something has to give soon otherwise where does it end? Norfolk is being built on at such a rapid rate to accommodate the influx in people and it’s just becoming less rural and busier and busier. I genuinely think there needs to be a scheme whereby only a certain %age of homes per year can be bought by people living outside the area, that don’t work in the area.

No doubt I’ll get stick for the above but it IS worrying and if you make the move OP, no doubt in 5 years time you’ll start noticing the changes yourself.

ANYWAY, back to the original Q, seaside towns throughout the U.K. are mainly deprived. There are a few exceptions (Southwold for instance) but they are rare. Generally seaside town= poverty so I’d probably avoid them.

Villages around the broads are probably more suited to what you’re after if you want clean air/ no gangs / drugs etc. Look at Wroxham, Hoveton, Horning, Brundall, Blofield, Sea Palling if you want to be in a seaside village. There’s then non broad villages like Briston, Reepham. Someone mentioned North Walsham, North Walsham itself is awful, it’s weird as it’s in the middle of nowhere with lots of affluent, rural villages surrounding it but the town itself is deprived, lots of drugs and violence so I would definitely avoid. Very ‘Naice’ villages around there are places like Worstead, North Repps, Smallburgh. All these are only a 15-20 min drive to various beaches but are rural and safe. Crap public transport though!

I think probably a good bet for you would be Brundall, Blofield, Blofield Heath (Hemblington) Salhouse. All these are pretty villages on the broads, but only 25-30 mins to the beach, they’re all only 15 mins into Norwich and all have good train / bus links to Norwich so no having to play taxi. Primary schools are good, as are the secondary’s too I think.

Personally I’d steer clear of Cromer, quite druggy, miles from the city so a pain for your DC once they want to start going on nights out etc and also if they get jobs in the city when they’re a bit older. It’s about a 45 min commute each way, longer in rush hour.

I don’t know why I lost the ability to be able to decipher their from there in that above post, sorry!

@Ithinkim

Last year we went to Hunstanton and we're all shocked by how much it's declined over the last few years. Brancaster is lovely but the houses have gone through the roof, and if the local school was in Hunstanton I'd not consider it at all.

Old Hunstanton is perfect though. We stay there as often as we can. It's just lovely. Hopefully we will retire there. A car is essential but Kings Lynn hospital isnt too far.

@NFN85

Okay,

I just need to preface this post by saying that posters like yourselves OP and everyone else that’s wanting to make the move from London are part of the problem in terms of young people who’ve lived in Norfolk there whole lives being priced out. There is an eye watering amount of Londoners and people from the SE upping sticks and moving to Norfolk, as a result it’s becoming less of a rural idyll and less affordable for people that have lived here there whole lives.

You see the same happening in the likes of Cornwall, whole fishing villages becoming owned by wealthy Londoners and people from the SE, half the time they’re second homes that sit empty for 1/2 the year and the fishermen that still work in those villages are priced out and have to commute in from elsewhere.

I’m sorry, but it’s just such a genuinely sad state of affairs and when I read threads like this, I can completely understand why people want to make the move, but something has to give soon otherwise where does it end? Norfolk is being built on at such a rapid rate to accommodate the influx in people and it’s just becoming less rural and busier and busier. I genuinely think there needs to be a scheme whereby only a certain %age of homes per year can be bought by people living outside the area, that don’t work in the area.

No doubt I’ll get stick for the above but it IS worrying and if you make the move OP, no doubt in 5 years time you’ll start noticing the changes yourself.

ANYWAY, back to the original Q, seaside towns throughout the U.K. are mainly deprived. There are a few exceptions (Southwold for instance) but they are rare. Generally seaside town= poverty so I’d probably avoid them.

Villages around the broads are probably more suited to what you’re after if you want clean air/ no gangs / drugs etc. Look at Wroxham, Hoveton, Horning, Brundall, Blofield, Sea Palling if you want to be in a seaside village. There’s then non broad villages like Briston, Reepham. Someone mentioned North Walsham, North Walsham itself is awful, it’s weird as it’s in the middle of nowhere with lots of affluent, rural villages surrounding it but the town itself is deprived, lots of drugs and violence so I would definitely avoid. Very ‘Naice’ villages around there are places like Worstead, North Repps, Smallburgh. All these are only a 15-20 min drive to various beaches but are rural and safe. Crap public transport though!

I think probably a good bet for you would be Brundall, Blofield, Blofield Heath (Hemblington) Salhouse. All these are pretty villages on the broads, but only 25-30 mins to the beach, they’re all only 15 mins into Norwich and all have good train / bus links to Norwich so no having to play taxi. Primary schools are good, as are the secondary’s too I think.

Personally I’d steer clear of Cromer, quite druggy, miles from the city so a pain for your DC once they want to start going on nights out etc and also if they get jobs in the city when they’re a bit older. It’s about a 45 min commute each way, longer in rush hour.

This is happening everywhere though. And more so now. It will continue to become more of an issue.

I've moved out of a Berkshire commuter town which was once green and not too crowded but was built on so fast over the past few years there is little green left and will be even less so soon.

We moved to South Yorks, for space, green and yes, more bang for our buck up here.

The problem is how could you tell us we can't move here because we don't work here? We do work here, but we WFH. A % and growing of people no longer need to live where the companies they work for are based, so will take the advantages we have.

They also then bring that income to local businesses. (You hope.)

I don't know what the solution is, I feel for local people being priced out of areas, but I'm not sure what the solution is.

I live in Norwich and it's great. Both DC doing well at a large high school to the south of the city. The city itself has a lot of green spaces so doesnt feel like any other city ive lived in, and theres some lovely walks along the river.
Having grown up in a seaside resort town, I'd personally advise against it. While the influx of tourists is great for the local economy, getting around or parking can be a massive pain in the arse due to the volume of others trying to get around.

Norwich citizen here, and can confirm it's a lovely, lovely, wonderful place to live. It's big enough to have everything you need, but small enough to be pretty much walkable for everywhere. Schools are generally good, people are friendly, it's got massive amounts of big & small parks (I've got three within ten minutes walk), easy access to the Broads, the coast really isn't all that far away. It has a really tangible independent spirit to it, and it really is a great place to live.

I know N Norfolk very well, and pretty much concur with what others have said about how isolated it can be. If you have teenagers, you'll be taxi driver for quite a few years...

I bet our kids go to the same school

www.norwich.gov.uk/info/20230/parks_and_open_spaces - green spaces in Norwich OP. A lot of these are fairly small & hidden away in residential areas, so it's like stumbling across a secret garden when you find one.

Plus there was this last week, which has made me sob endlessly... www.edp24.co.uk/news/norwich-city-council-all-star-cast-for-switch-on-6600336

@NFN85
@theemmadilemma

Excellent posts. Though I have long abandoned any hope that there is a solution. Once land is developed it is lost forever. There is no appetite for a government, of any leaning, to fix that problem. It would require a brave government to bring in housing controls and so many politicians across all parties are too personally invested.