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Original poster

NORTH NORFOLK - anyone moved here from London?

40 replies

SilkStockings · 08/12/2008 20:04

We were thinking of moving to (roughly) the Cotswolds next year but after a couple of holidays in North Norfolk, around Holt, are more in love with the landscape there than in the South West. Any advice on Norfolk - schools (primary for now but long term thinking so secondary too) - stuff to do - making new friends etc. Do you live there? Do you love it?

OP posts:
DeckHallsWithFIMBOughsofHolly · 09/12/2008 00:03

I live in a village a few miles from Norwich.

Whilst North Norfolk is lovely I only ever see it as a place to have a holiday home/retire to. Unless you can work from home I would forget it. The commute to Norwich on a daily basis would get you down.

There really isn't that much to do. It is miles from anywhere. You would miss London. It is just that a place to have a holiday.

DeckHallsWithFIMBOughsofHolly · 09/12/2008 00:03

I think if you went for state schools, you would need to travel to Sheringham from Holt for a secondary.

charliegal · 09/12/2008 12:45

I agree with Fimbo. We live in London but have family in Sheringham. Absolutely love the area, great for holidays but sooo quiet and miles from anywhere.

ChopsTheDuck · 09/12/2008 12:57

have to agree that there is nothing there. tends to be more older people than young families too, so I would iomagine it quite difficult to make friends. I'd go a bit closer to norwich personally.

Original poster
SilkStockings · 09/12/2008 13:47

Hmm - will think about it more. We did meet a great woman who teaches at Fakenham high school and moved to the coast with her two little girls when she got divorced and has loved it. Her girls are now teenagers and seem to have a great social life - beach parties etc and shopping in Norwich or London.

We would be working from home and need to go to London a couple of times a month which means changing trains in Norwich I think.

Thanks very much for your answers. Anyone with anything more positive to say??!

OP posts:
DeckHallsWithFIMBOughsofHolly · 09/12/2008 13:50

How do the teenagers get to Norwich or London though? Last time I caught the train to London it cost £71

You get a direct train from Norwich to Liverpool Street.

If you work from home then yes it could work out for you.

Original poster
SilkStockings · 09/12/2008 13:56

I guess they have some kind of rail card? My oldest is five so I have no idea yet about that age, being long past it myself. I'm probably closer to a bus pass.

Thanks again though Very early days of thinking about it so won't be put off yet but food for thought...

OP posts:
MerryChristmasPANDAGHappy09 · 09/12/2008 14:04

very regular (hourly) train direct Sheringham to Norwich, takes about an hour, then Nch to London 2 hours ish.

I grew up in N Norfolk, family are still there. AFAIK schools in Sheringham and Holt ok - some people choose the smaller rural primaries - Kelling or ?Baconsthorpe. Sheringham High now got a 6th form, or there are options to go to Norwich or North Walsham - I did my A levels by commuting to Norwich every day - was a good start for independence at uni.

there can be difficulties re public transport and getting home from the cinema, and by car it always takes an age to get anywhere, but it is a lovely part of the world.

Blu · 09/12/2008 14:23

My family live on the N Norfolk coast.

The favoured secondary schools seem to be Fakenham and Aylsham (further away) but if you live in the catchment f Fakenham you are further away from the train line at Sheringham. If you need to travel to London, by FAR the best route is from Kings' Lynn to King's Cross, rather than Norwich - for parking, drive, speed of trains etc, so being further towards the West of fakenham area would be better than Sheringham direction for schools and travel.

Many Primary schools are tiny and have only two mixed aged classes, all I know is that Langham is favoured over Blakeney.

I LOVE N Norfolk in winter and summer, but not sure I could live there. You have to drive substantial distances for swimming pools, cinemas, there is no credible theatre for miles and miles - my brother is even anxious about his kids cycling on the roads because they are narrow and windy, no pavements and traffic races about.

Holt is OK for food, but you cannot buy a child's vest or socks there.

If your children love walking in bleak weather and would make the best of what N Norfolk has to offer - sailing , birdwatching etc then they could be v happy.

Blu · 09/12/2008 14:26

Spend Feb half term there, and pick up a copy of 'Glaven Valley newsletter' to get an idea of what is on offer socially to make friends!

Blu · 09/12/2008 14:27

Oh - and it is a very long drive to a proper A&E.

DeckHallsWithFIMBOughsofHolly · 09/12/2008 14:48

There is this school in Holt. Blu may know more about it.

MerryChristmasPANDAGHappy09 · 09/12/2008 14:50

Greshams got a good rep but v pricey I believe. I outright refused to go there when my dad wanted me to for A levels (was strident abot my socialism even then!)

DeckHallsWithFIMBOughsofHolly · 09/12/2008 14:53

Oops sorry Panda forgot about you

MerryChristmasPANDAGHappy09 · 09/12/2008 15:00

no worries Fimbo btw was it you looking for toys in Norwich? If so why not try the toyshops in Sheringham and Holt - walk on beach got to be better than fighting your way through the crowds in Nch?

DeckHallsWithFIMBOughsofHolly · 09/12/2008 15:03

No, not me. Actually thinking about it, toy shops are pretty thin on the ground in Norwich. I like Langleys but it is such a squash.

Dh loves the beach at Mundesley.

4CALLINGBIRDSandnotout · 09/12/2008 15:09

Hi i ive in w norfolk between Kings Lynn & Fakenham to be precise but i have lived all over norfolk including Cromer. I love it here, it is a different way of life, you can find excitement and activity but it is still quiet for bringing up the children. Dp was born in Walthamstow spent his young adult life in Essex and moved here after his 1st heart attack and now could never move back, we love the community feel to things here.

ANorfolkBroad · 09/12/2008 15:16

I'm another one who comes from NW Norfolk, family still there, but I moved south.

It is a truly beautiful place and I love going back there to visit my parents. BUT I could never, ever, live there permenantly again.

Things to consider:

  • you have to drive everywhere
  • there are entire villages which are half empty out of season, and full of tourists in season
  • driving everywhere
  • few shops
  • long way to school (I had a 35-mile round trip to secondary)
  • public services limited;
  • if you've never lived in a properly rural area before, think very, very hard indeed about whether you can cope with the lifestyle. You need to be either very self-sufficient on your own OR into joining lots of groups - church, WI, societies whatever.

Sorry, but I hear so many of my friends say they'd love to live there and I think "but you wouldn't last 5 minutes!"

Good luck with whatever you decide

Blu · 09/12/2008 17:14

Oh, yes, if you are considering private schools then everyone raves about Gresham's - my parents neighbours dds went - but I have no personal knowledge.

For toys, the first floor of Starlings in Holt is surprisingly brilliant! It has an excellent craft dept, too.

bronze · 09/12/2008 17:22

I'm another in North Norfolk. We're northwest at the moment but are planning to move further east in the next year as my inlaws live that way. DH also was born and grew up there.
My sil went to Greshams, seems much the same as any other good private school.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with all this "The favoured secondary schools seem to be Fakenham and Aylsham (further away) but if you live in the catchment for Fakenham you are further away from the train line at Sheringham. If you need to travel to London, by FAR the best route is from Kings' Lynn to King's Cross, rather than Norwich - for parking, drive, speed of trains etc, so being further towards the West of fakenham area would be better than Sheringham direction for schools and travel." Sorry Blu

Fakenham High is rubbish which is one of the reasons we plan to move. Don't know much about Aylsham but close by there is also Reppham High which is excellent.
The line from Norwich is not only quicker but it also a lot cheaper than from Lynn.

bronze · 09/12/2008 17:25

I may be wrong on the fares/time bit though. I'm just going by what fil said when he had to book tickets for us from Lynn and themselves from Norwich recently.

Fakenham high is still rubbish though

Guadalupe · 09/12/2008 17:31

Other than Langley's and Ticketyboo the only good places to get toys in Norwich are Jarrolds and JohnLewis. There was a lovely one on upper st giles but that closed and became part of the ever expanding Beeches empire.

We go to North Norfolk regularly at weekends and camp a lot in the summer but I don't think I'd want to live there. Heaving with braying types in the summer and the winter would be bleak. I quite like bleak myself but I think dcs would be bored.

4CALLINGBIRDSandnotout · 09/12/2008 17:35

BRONZEbut i went to fakenham high school so it does have some success

bronze · 09/12/2008 17:37

Could be argued

Blu · 09/12/2008 18:21

Ah, Bronze - I am v happy to concede to your knowledge! I have a few friends who have battled to get into Fakenham instead of Wells, I think.

I also have family who went a little out of catchment and were biting their nails to get into Aylsham instead of North Walsham - and are v happy with Aylsham. But it's hardly handy for the n Norfolk coast.

Have friends with children at secondary at Sheringham - have never heard them say anything bad about it, so they must be happy enough.

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