Norfolk and Suffolk

[True Romance]

Planning a tour around Norfolk and Suffolk starting next weekend. Never been to either before so after some pointers. Site recommendations, nice towns/villages, good dog friendly beaches or beach side camping? Any do's and don'ts?

Thank you.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Planning a tour around Norfolk and Suffolk starting next weekend. Never been to either before so after some pointers. Site recommendations, nice towns/villages, good dog friendly beaches or beach side camping? Any do's and don'ts?

Thank you.

We had a couple of nights here in Aldeburgh. If you choose your spot, it’s free. Loads of walking to be had. 5 min walk into town. Decent public loos nearby. Beach is over the sea wall. You can walk onto Orford Ness if you ignore the National Trust no entry signs
Parking for motorhome where you can stay overnight . Nice view over the Alde river and marshes. motorhomes are not...
park4night - (IP15 5NA) Aldeburgh - Slaughden Rd

 

[CJW]

Kelling Heath campsite. You can take a steam train from the site to Sheringham. Something a bit different. Lots of walks from the site too.

 

[Huba]

Most of the beaches in Norfolk and Suffolk are dog friendly as long as you stay away from the big places, favourites for dogs are old Hunstanton, Sheringham (dog friendly north of the lifeboat station) most of the small beaches between Cromer and Yarmouth. Suffolk wise we have stayed at cliff house holiday park which was quiet when we went in spring and right on the quiet beach at Dunwich (albeit down some stairs)

Places to visit, Holt is nice but expensive like a lot of that area, Norwich is nice and has a good park and ride (dogs are allowed on the buses). Aldeburgh and Southwold are worth a trip, but quite similar. Wroxham has easy parking for the broads. There's quite a lot of national trust places in north of Norfolk which with membership gives cheap parking for the coast and something to keep you busy with the houses etc. Yarmouth is worth a look there's a lot people don't see there, like the docks and the town as people concentrate on the sea front.

One thing to note it's a big area and the roads are not fast, can take hours to get from south Suffolk to north Norfolk on coast road. But we love it and go lots

 

[Greenmachine]

We went to Suffolk earlier this year and were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed it. It was just before we got the van, so can’t help on sites. There were plenty of signs for camping around though.
It is very dog friendly, the only place we saw that didn’t allow dogs was Oxford Ness itself. There are loads of well signposted footpaths. If you use them, just be aware that the massive empty field you are in will actually contain several hares!

Alderburgh to Thorpeness is a nice walk, Alderburgh itself good for food and the Adnams shop.

Framlingham is okay, but we thought Dedham was better. Orford itself is lovely, castle, seafront and a little bakery. Rendlesham forest has walking and bike trails.
We found a nice pub on a walk along the River Orwell at Pin Mill. Lavenham may be worth a visit if you like interesting old architecture.

 

[Ricardo T]

Some good info above. We live on the door step to Framlingham which has a stunning castle and a market Tuesday and Saturday mornings, a lovely town but then i would say that!.

Woodbridge is equally as nice if not better imo....lovely river walks and good eateries. Gets busy at the weekend as do all the second home seaside towns of Aldeburgh, Thorepness and Southwold but well worth a visit. All the beaches are stoney apart from Walberswick which has quite a bit more sand,especailly at low tide. Bawdsey Quay is lovely with the foot ferry over to Old Felixstowe, a favourite of ours. Orford with its impressive castle..Iken Cliffs and Snape Maltings for some retail therapy at london prices.
The beaches north of Southwold are less stoney and gradually turn to sand the further you haed north and into Norfolk.

Ipswich is ,well...erm...the waterfront is nice but thats about it!

Horsey Gap has the amazing seal colony..but dont tell everyone!

Holkham beach and onto Wells beach is amazing especailly at low tide...goes on for miles and you might see the Household Cavalry riding their horses out into the sea.
Holkham Hall is well worth as visit as is Blickling Hall and of course Sandringham.

Heres our favourite sites...

Wantisden Park: CARAVANS & CAMPING. lovely forest walks and into to Orford.

Deepdale Camping & Rooms | Deepdale Farm, Burnham Deepdale, North Norfolk Coast, England

Campsite, private rooms, glamping, group accommodation and visitor information centre on the beautiful North Norfolk Coast. The perfect base to enjoy the big skies, countryside and coastline.

deepdalecamping.co.uk

Foxhills Camping - Home

Please enter your slogan here!

www.foxhillscamping.co.uk

We stayed at Dunwich Cliif Camspite (right on the beach clifftop) a few weeks back for a birthday celebration but its too commercialised for us, good facilities though. Had a meal at the onsite 'pub' which was shockingly bad!!

 

[CAB]

Southwold.

Adnams Brewery Tour.

Make sure you book in advance.

 

[Adscan]

I second Deepdale Camping and Rooms....fantastic site.

 

[drinfinity]

If you have bikes, Holkham Hall is great to ride around, or walk round the deer park. We were there last week. If you are into birdwatching you will know all about Cley and Minsmere. Thursford for steam engines/vintage fairground rides. Two Magpies Bakery is great for coffee and cakes, very expensive for food, and has several outlets now.

When I was a kid we used to stay on a CL at Field Dalling, although we stay with family there now.

 

[Martinf]

Kelling Heath campsite. You can take a steam train from the site to Sheringham. Something a bit different. Lots of walks from the site too.

So long as you don’t want to take the steam train back because they don’t stop, even on request. It’s on a 1 in 80 rising gradient!
The interspersed diesels do stop on request, and more seriously, it’s not far to walk from Weybourne station.

 

[CJW]

So long as you don’t want to take the steam train back because they don’t stop, even on request. It’s on a 1 in 80 rising gradient!
The interspersed diesels do stop on request, and more seriously, it’s not far to walk from Weybourne station.

True but it’s only a short walk from the last platform.. and you get to talk to the folks in the signal house / room / whatever it’s called.

And whatever you do, do not overlook the sausage train in Sheringham.

 

[Martinf]

We live in Essex and like to head north to Suffolk and Norfolk, often out of season. I would endorse the comments above.

We have often stayed at (the mentioned) Cliff House. Another several times used site is Deer’s Glade a few miles south of Cromer. We discovered last time that there is a reasonably near bus stop with services south to Norwich or north to Cromer, Sheringham and Holt. The bus stop is shown on Google but had no signage, so we like to think of it as ‘secret’. Both sites are open all year.

Another site we used last February is Deepdale Camping. Near the coast and again a bus service east and west. We have stayed at Stiffkey (Highsands Creek Campsite) a couple of times, many years apart. It’s near the coast path but it didn’t really suit our personal expectations.

Several places we enjoy have been mentioned, like Southwold, Sheringham, Holt, Snape. Norwich is worth a visit too (I lived there for a few years long ago). The nearby campsite is summer season only but you should able to find somewhere nearby to stop if you return later!

This of course just scratches the surface of many different opportunities.

 

[Martinf]

True but it’s only a short walk from the last platform.. and you get to talk to the folks in the signal house / room / whatever it’s called.

You mean the Signal Box

 

[Nacho.Nigel]

I’ve been going here for years and highly recommend it. Good walks on the beach, heathland and Minsmere. Cliff House Holidays | Camping and Coastal Holiday Homes in Suffolk
Excellent Sunday Lunch in the on site bar / restaurant called the 12 Lost Churches.

Nice walk to a pub The Eel's Foot Inn, Eastbridge | Home

 

[True Romance]

Thanks all, some excellent information to digest. Will start planning a route from us in the west Midlands and back tomorrow armed with the above details. Thanks again, very much appreciated.

 

[CJW]

You mean the Signal Box

That’s the fella!

 

[Ricardo T]

And how could I forget Minsmere doh! with the excellent Eels foot nearby for a camp spot, mentioned above. Its a CM&C 5 van site and only charges £18 per night incl EHU

The Eel's Foot Inn, Eastbridge | Home

Julian and the team welcome you to The Eel's Foot Inn nestled in the pretty hamlet of Eastbridge on the doorstep of RSPB Minsmere.

www.theeelsfootinn.co.uk

Norwich is a lovely city and Whittlingham Broad is a nice site not too far away, around 45 min walk.

Home

Beautiful Countyside Campsite with the city of Norwich on the doorsptep and the Norfolk Broads in the back garden

www.whitlinghambroadcampsite.com

 

[roadtripper]

The family used to have a static van just outside Hunstanton. Used to love meandering along the coast between there and Wells, so many photo opportunities in my black and white photography days. In particular Brancaster, Burnham Overly Staithe and Titchwell.

 

[La Dodgy Vita]

The Laburnum Caravan Park in West Runton has 8 clifftop touring pitches with great views and super clean (almost new) facilities.
Good walks on the Norfolk Coast Path to Sherringham to the west and Cromer to the east and a reasonably good bus service fron West Runton village to Cromer, Norwich, Sherringham and Wells-Next-The-Sea

 

[SundayAl]

Clippesby for one or two nights.
Breck farm is awesome as you can walk into Kelling heath but it costs less per night and camp fires allowed.
Forest park for great clubhouse.
Whitlingham if you'd like to visit Norwich for the day. Beautiful city.
Searles if you want a family caravan park... Proper throwback site with arcades and an awesome pool. Bingo and entertainment in the evening.