Car free in Norfolk

[shropshirelass51]

Is it feasible to do a weeks holiday in Norfolk car free? If so any suggestions about where would be a good base. Interested in scenery, beaches, history, art, etc. Many thanks

Cromer is good for coastal walking and train connection to Norwich - where there's a good gallery or two. On bus routes too.

Depends which part of Norfolk you're planning to visit.
There's a coastal bus service from King's Lynn to Wells then Wells to Cromer (look up the Coast Liner and Coast Hopper service).
Train services are few and far between as lots of the railway lines closed in the 1960's.

My parents retired to Norfolk, but found public transport appalling.
Buses ran twice a day if there's an "r" in the month, but never on a market day in K.L., or not if the driver's ill & there's no replacement.

I exaggerate - a little.

Only if you’re somewhere with good transport, and lots of it isn’t well connected.
My little village on the edge of the Broads has no buses, the nearest station is 3 miles.

As mentioned above, Cromer would be a good base, as would Sheringham. Here’s the bus route map www.sanderscoaches.com/route-map

No probably not! You’d be okay in a suburb of Norwich travelling to the city centre, or going by train from Norwich to Cromer, Sheringham, or Great Yarmouth.

Where are you thinking about staying and where do you want to visit?

Cromer as a base would work - a lovely seaside town with a couple of small museums - get the train to Norwich on one or two days, get the bus along the coast. Or, base yourself in Norwich and do trips out to the coast, Broads etc.

Interested in scenery, beaches, history, art, etc.

If you stayed in Norwich city centre….

Art - Norwich Castle Museum. Short bus ride from the city centre to the Sainsbury Centre.

Beaches - train day trips to Cromer, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth (all about a half hour train ride from Norwich. All beaches are walkable from the train stations).

History - in Norwich city centre - Bridewell Museum (Museum of Norwich), Norwich cathedral, Norwich castle, Strangers Hall. Have a wander down Elm Hill. There’s a Roman Catholic cathedral and the plantation gardens a short walk out of Norwich (walk via Chapelfield Gardens and stop off at Cafe 33 for a great cooked breakfast/brunch).

Scenery - get the Norwich sightseeing bus up to St James’s Hill for a view over Norwich (check it’s still running as I’m not sure). You could get a Konnect bus to Wroxham for the day and hire a boat for a few hours or a seat on a organised boat trip to see the broads.
https://www.konectbus.co.uk/services/KCTB/5B

For a week to do all that - No.
if you have all summer. Then Yes.

you need to decide where you want to be and stay there.
the burnhams are lovely and you can walk to the beach and mooch around some antique shops and go to the pub.

or stay in Norwich city and do the history and stuff. Perhaps with a few days on a boat out of wroxham.

it’s the country. There are not many buses each day and the train is a link to Norwich Ipswich Colchester london. Not to the good bits!!!!

Norwich has good rail connections to Cromer and Sheringham for beaches, Wroxham for the Norfolk Broads.

I'd say for a week, visit Norwich for history and culture, visit the coast, hire a boat on the Broads. I would say base yourselves in Cromer then travel from there. There's also the coastal path and the Coasthopper bus.

Norwich is great for real ale pubs and independent shops too if either of those things interest you.

Thanks all. As we only have a week we would just go to places we could access easily. Sounds like it might be a good idea to stay in Norwich and do day trips on the train and use the coast hopper bus.
We've never been to Norfolk so are really open to exploring anywhere that's recommended and feasible!

I live in North Norfolk and public transport is sparse and expensive. A car is essential

Aylsham?

I think it would be really hard to see the best bits of Norfolk without a car.

By basing yourself in Sheringham (I find it more charming than Cromer) and using the (excellent) coast hopper bus service you could:
Visit different beaches , West Runton, (fossils) Wells (the vast open sands and Sandhills backed by lovely pine woods), etc
Take a ferry to see the seals from Morston
Visit lovely Blakeney
Take the bus and then small steam train from Wells to historic Walsingham
Day trip to Norwich
Visit the Mussleburgh collection of WW2 military stuff

Sounds an interesting itinerary. The coast hopper appeals. We did Cornwall last year and the coastal bus service was excellent and we really enjoyed it.
Would there be any of the coastal path in the places you suggest. I enjoy short walks that are not too arduous, around 4-5 miles or less which take in the scenery.
Thanks for your suggestions

If you stay in Norwich you could also do a day trip to Cambridge.

There is a great path along much of the coast.

Some good stretches:

Cromer to Overstrand (there are also buses between Overstrand for the trip back)

Sheringham to Weybourne - cliff top, pub and cafe in Weybourne

Round the sea bank Cley to Blakeney

Blakeney to Morston

Morston to Stiffkey… and Stiffkey to Wells

Wells to Holkham (fantastic, beach, woods, )

There are also inland walks up onto Salthouse Heath and Kelling Heath

This coast is a mix of vast stretches of salt marsh, freshwater marsh, shingle and sand beaches, low sandstone cliffs and heath, interspersed with lovely villages.

A few buses a day go from Sheringham to Felbrigg Hall , which has a lovely long walking route round it, as well as the Hall . https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/norfolk/felbrigg-hall-gardens-and-estate

Holkham Hall is also an interesting visit, Hall, walk round the lake and deer park.

There is a bus to Holt, a lovely small town.

And to Binham with its priory ruins

Bus map:

www.sanderscoaches.com/timetables

Sorry: the military museum is the Muckleburgh Collection

Lots to checkout, sounds like it may be viable!
Many thanks for the help

Thank you for this thread OP and something of great interest to me. And a big thank you to @CarrieOnComplainingfor such a helpful and informative post

You can see some very nice scenery and a few historical places without a car if you rent a boat for a week, but I guess that’s not what you were thinking of?

You can also get the train from Sheringham or Cromer to Wroxham if you want a day (or longer) on a boat on the Broads