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Original poster

Help please. Norfolk where might suit us?

33 replies

fussychica · 29/08/2019 14:22

Currently live in the west of the country but getting fed up with the generally cooler and wetter weather we get here and considering a change to somewhere east and within easy reach of the coast. We dont like it too busy so thought Norfolk might fit the bill but don't really know where to start looking. We want a bungalow in a nice residential area or village but not too isolated. No schools to worry about but some amenities nearby would be good.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

OP posts:
Bottledate · 29/08/2019 14:31

Is cost a factor? What about travel to the rest of the UK? Public transport? Any particular reason you thought Norfolk over Lincolnshire (probably cheaper, better links north) or Suffolk (nearer London)?

Norfolk is a lovely, but big, county (so it takes a while to get out of it) with a lot of coast - which you can spend a lot or a little to be near depending on area.

Sooverthemill · 29/08/2019 14:40

Norfolk won't be warmer! I've lived in Norfolk and though it's lovely you need to remember that transport links are quite difficult. I live in Suffolk now and it takes forever to get anywhere. Otherwise I'd suggest living near norwich eg Attleborough or Wyndham

Original poster
fussychica · 29/08/2019 17:34

Thanks for your responses. We lived in Derbyshire previous to living abroad for a number of years, when we returned we pretty much settled where we are by accident. I still really like it here but wish it was closer to the coast so we looked at Devon and some cheaper parts of Dorset but the weather seems even worse than here as most of the rain comes in from the west.
I get what you say about the sheer expanse of the county and maybe it wouldn't suit us. It was one of the reasons I asked as its so vast.
No work commitments and family live around the edge of London in nice places but we couldn't get anything close to what we have for the same budget. Looked at Lincolnshire many years ago for a work move and although I liked it I didn't really warm to it.
I'll have a look at Attleborough and Wyndham. Thank you both.

OP posts:
Sooverthemill · 29/08/2019 21:21

fussy autocorrect! It's wymondham

HeddaGarbled · 30/08/2019 00:22

The nicest bits of the coast are in the North: Blakeney, Brancaster, Holkham, Wells, the Burnhams. These are holiday home territory so very expensive, and also the most remote, with poor road and rail links.

Attleborough and Wymondham are well inland. Both have railway stations and better road links, but they aren’t near the coast.

The coast from around Sheringham and then South to Yarmouth, is cheaper but not as nice. Transport links not great, but Yarmouth is connected to Norwich by rail, so better than North Norfolk.

The weather really is better than further West! Norfolk is one of the driest counties in the UK.

PerspicaciaTick · 30/08/2019 02:43

What sort of budget are you thinking of (roughly)?
And how many bedrooms?

78percentLindt · 30/08/2019 04:02

We live in East Anglia. There isn't a decent set of hills between us and the Arctic. It may be dry but the wind is biting. I didn't have a winter coat till I moved up here from the South coast. (a raincoat but nothing warm!)
Villages change. In the years we have lived here we have lost the school, a pub, the post office and shop. And the library van has become less frequent. We do get 2 buses an hour, week days only, between 8 and 6 though.
The trouble with Norfolk is that in many rural areas public transport is poor and the roads are not too good. If I were going to live in Norfolk I would stick with Norwich. That's because we had a few months when only one of us could drive. Life became quite awkward and gave us a taste of being less independent while living in a more rural area.

Bottledate · 30/08/2019 07:37

Attleborough and Wymondham are well-placed for elsewhere but the wrong side of Norwich (which is lovely city) for the coast.

North Norfolk always gets the votes, but (despite some lovely coast; cliffs and rock pools) it can be irritating having to drive everywhere on tiny roads. No motorways in Norfolk!

I would always put in a vote for East Norfolk as it is cheaper than north and has lovely sandy beaches, BUT it's a bit 'local'. Yarmouth is connected by rail, but the service has been unreliable recently and it's then still 2+ hours to London from Norwich on train.

There is Acle or Blofield or Brundall (large villages east of Norwich near stations) and a lot of new houses being built to fill in the gaps.

Have a look at Diss perhaps...

Spudlet · 30/08/2019 07:45

Remember ‘When the wind is from the East, ‘tis neither for for man nor beast’ 🥶

Everyone always bangs on about North Norfolk but I live in the south of the county and much prefer it. It’s less prettified imo, and more agricultural - which I like.

There are some lovely villages around Attleborough and while there isn’t much in the way of public transport you can get to Norwich easily by road, and get trains to Norwich, Cambridge or London from several towns locally. The house prices are also lower, or were when we were looking. And you can be at the coast in an hour, which to some people probably seems ages but I grew up in Leicestershire so it feels close to me Grin

cocomelon23 · 30/08/2019 07:52

I would go north if Norwich if you want the coast. Somewhere like Spixworth, Frettenham, Great Plumstead.

EdithWeston · 30/08/2019 08:00

I was wondering about Diss, but it's not near the coast

If you want North Norfolk, non-coastal but close, look at Aylsham, Holt and maybe Fakenham.

Or of course, as you're coming from the SW, you could always try Hunstanton, simply because it's the only place on the east coast where you can watch the sun set over the sea.

Original poster
fussychica · 30/08/2019 09:28

Thank you all so much. Lots to consider here. Looks like with beauty comes isolation, which we definitely wouldn't want as we are in our early 60s. Will look at all the places mentioned as a starting point.

OP posts:
Sooverthemill · 30/08/2019 13:36

fussy we are similar age and our starting point for househunting when we moved nearly three years ago was ability to walk to GP, shop and library. So when we are very old we won't be stuck. We do have the coast too which is nice but facilities were of critical importance

Todayissunny · 30/08/2019 13:47

Wroxham area used to be nice when I lived there. Train station and bus service to Norwich. It's on the broads. Close enough to the sea but far enough to be protected from the wind.
That was a few years ago though. Don't know why none ever mentions it.

3kidsandaginger · 31/08/2019 08:17

Waveney valley (Harleston or Bungay!!). Gorgeous little towns. Great weather. 15 mins to Diss which has a train to London taking 1hour 30mins.

Fabulous schools, small class sizes.

I adore where I live and have lived in lots of counties. Good luck

Sleepyquest · 31/08/2019 08:31

I think Holt or fakenham would suit your requirements. Not on the coast but about a 20 minute drive from it Smile

lljkk · 31/08/2019 08:41

What about commuting to work??

I presume you're happy to have a car-dependent lifestyle. Do you need to regularly drive to other parts of the UK to visit friends or family, maybe?

We want a bungalow in a nice residential area or village but not too isolated. No schools to worry about but some amenities nearby would be good.

Budget?
What do you consider "amenities"? And how near do they need to be?

You sound to me like a Worstead person. But that is still far side of county from rUK. Maybe you're a Hemsby person. I can't tell.

lljkk · 31/08/2019 08:42

ps: most the places folk have mentioned are NOT villages.

Fairylea · 31/08/2019 08:44

The further away from Norwich you live the more isolated you will be. We moved from London to South Norfolk and whilst I absolutely love it here it’s difficult transport wise unless you are prepared to drive at least half an hour every single time you go out anywhere. Not ideal for getting older or having young teens!

sluj · 31/08/2019 08:53

Wroxham is a curious place, it's like a Norfolk version of Southend in the summer. Lots of cafes doing special £3 fish and chip deals for the hoards of pensioners, traffic jams through the centre and Roy's shops everywhere you look. I expect there are nice houses to be had nearby though, particularly if you can get waterside. They certainly looked quite cheap with my Home Counties eyes. It is convenient for lovely Norwich too and is probably lovely out of season.

lljkk · 31/08/2019 08:59

Housing Off the Avenue in Wroxham is dead nice, down nr the Yacht club. The riverside housing is generally expensive in this area.
Still not a village.
Tesco is what... 10 minute drive from Wroxham.
Not sure if Tesco is the amenity OP wants.
Irstead, Neatishead, are nice villages. Everyone drives Fiat 500s down there (narrow roads!).

Sheringham is a more sensible choice if nearing retirement. Not sure if OP works at all.

Barbarafromblackpool · 31/08/2019 09:00

What about Kent? The weather there seems usually pretty dry and warm in the summer. There's nice countryside and the coast. Also, it's well connected to London by train and road.
I'm not from Kent, so don't know it well, but thought it might fit.

lljkk · 31/08/2019 09:00

Frinton is almost the driest place in mainland UK.

sarararararah · 31/08/2019 09:03

I’d look at aylsham. It’s a nice town with some nice amenities. Close to the coast but also to Norwich. A good fit I reckon.

MustardScreams · 31/08/2019 09:04

Reepham might fit the bill. Lovely village feel, but only 20ish mins from the city & 15 from Aylsham which is a reasonable sized town (2 supermarkets, lots of little food places, pubs, pharmacy, library etc). Plus once you’re in Aylsham there is basically one road to the coast.