North Norfolk

Understand

Norfolk has around 90 mi (140 km) of coastline, with the region between King's Lynn in the west and Mundesley in the east part of a "protected landscape". It is home to several seaside towns. Hunstanton and Cromer have busy promenades close to the shoreline. Hunstanton, affectionately known as "Sunny Hunny", has an aquarium, leisure centre, and manicured gardens with a sea view. The town is famous for its red chalk cliffs, coloured by iron pigments, which rest on red-brown carstone. It is one of the few towns in Norfolk where you can see a sunset over the ocean, if you face west looking over The Wash. Cromer's Victorian pier is 151 metres long, complete with a theatre showing summer and Christmas performances. The town centre lies on a clifftop, while the beach below is a mix of sand and rock. Slightly smaller is Sheringham, which has a selection of seafront pubs and eateries. They are close to the town's shops, cafes and restaurants which line narrow streets. Heritage steam and diesel trains connect Sheringham with Holt as part of the North Norfolk Railway (Poppy Line), which operates seasonally. Nearby Sheringham Park is a National Trust property, with rolling landscaped parkland, sea views, and bushy, sprawling rhododendrons which are at their best in bloom throughout May and June. Set back from the North Sea, Wells-next-the-Sea has a working quay. It is home to several fish and chip shops, including French's which traces its history back to 1921. It has a number of spots for crabbing (or "gillying" in Norfolk) with children, and plenty of shops which sell the equipment for a day out on the beach. The annual carnival takes place each summer, with a calendar of events for families and grown ups. Wells Beach with its pinewoods and colourful beach huts is around 1.2 mi (1.9 km) north of the town. Outside of the towns, quaint villages break up green and brown fields. Burnham Market is one of the busiest of these villages, with a selection of deli-type and clothes sho

Getting there

By plane There is no airport in the Norfolk Coast area. Norfolk's only passenger airport is at Norwich, where a small number of flights arrive daily from cities throughout the UK and western Europe. Bus route 44/44A/X44/X40/X41 departs from Hellesdon near the airport for Cromer, West Runton and Sheringham. The nearest major international airport is London Stansted, which lies in Essex. A large number of flights arrive into Stansted from cities throughout the UK, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. There is no direct public transport to the Norfolk Coast area.

By train Railway stations at King's Lynn, Sheringham, West Runton, Cromer, Roughton Road and Gunton are part of the National Rail network. Regular trains arrive into King's Lynn direct from London King's Cross, Cambridge, Waterbeach, Ely, Littleport, Downham Market and Watlington. From Brighton, London Gatwick Airport, Croydon, Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Harlow, Bishop's Stortford and Audley End, travel to Cambridge and change for trains to King's Lynn. From London Stansted Airport, Birmingham New Street, Leicester, Melton Mowbray, Oakham, Stamford, Nottingham, Grantham, Peterborough, March and Norwich, travel to Ely and change for trains to King's Lynn. Regular trains arrive into Sheringham, West Runton, Cromer, Roughton Road and Gunton direct from Norwich, Hoveton and Wroxham in the Broads National Park, and North Walsham. Direct trains from London Liverpool Street, London Stratford, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Stowmarket, Diss, London Stansted Airport, Audley End, Cambridge, Nottingham, Grantham, Peterborough, March, Ely, Brandon, Thetford, Attleborough and Wymondham arrive into Norwich, for trains towards Cromer and Sheringham.

By bus Routes into the Norfolk Coast area include:

Excel A/B/C - into King's Lynn from Peterborough, Wisbech, Swaffham, Dereham and Norwich; Yellow Line X29 - into Fakenham from Norwich; Sanders Coaches X40/X41/X44/44A - into Cromer and Sheringham from Norwich

Getting around

By train It is not easy to get around the Norfolk Coast by train, but some short hops are possible:

Bittern Line ( National Rail) - Hop between Sheringham, West Runton, Cromer, Roughton Road, Gunton and North Walsham on the Bittern Line. Trains run throughout the day and you can book tickets using any National Rail ticket retailer. The Bittern Ranger ticket offers one-day unlimited travel on the line, which is also valid to Worstead, Hoveton and Wroxham in the Broads National Park, Salhouse, and Norwich. Change at Sheringham for Poppy Line trains towards Weybourne and Holt. Poppy Line/North Norfolk Railway - A heritage railway between Sheringham, Weybourne and Holt. Routes are operated using historic steam and diesel engines. The timetable is limited, especially during winter months. Change at Sheringham for trains towards West Runton, Cromer, Hoveton and Wroxham in the Broads National Park, and Norwich. Wells and Walsingham Light Railway - A narrow gauge railway using steam locomotives between Wells-next-the-Sea and Walsingham. A visitor attraction, the route closes during winter months except special events.

By bus The Coastliner and Coasthopper buses hug the Norfolk Coast.

Lynx Coastliner 36 - King's Lynn, Dersingham, Ingoldisthorpe, Snettisham, Heacham, Hunstanton, Old Hunstanton, Holme-next-the-Sea, Thornham, Titchwell, Brancaster, Brancaster Staithe, Burnham Deepdale, Burnham Market, Burnham Overy Staithe, Holkham, Wells-next-the-Sea, Wighton, Little Walsingham, East Barsham and Fakenham. Change at Wells-next-the-Sea for Coasthopper CH1 towards Sheringham and Cromer. Coasthopper CH1 - Wells-next-the-Sea, Stiffkey, Morston, Blakeney, Cley next the Sea, Salthouse, Kelling, Weybourne, Sheringham, Beeston Regis, West Runton, East Runton, Cromer. Change at Wells-next-the-Sea for Lynx Coastliner 36 towards Hunstanton and King's Lynn. Change at Cromer for Coasthopper CH2 towards North Walsham. Coasthopper CH2 - Cromer, Overstrand, Trimingham, Mundesley, Trunch

See

The Norfolk Coast features a series of nationally and internationally significant landscapes, including areas reserved for wildlife. Many of these are publicly accessible with hides or viewpoints for visitors. Restrictions may apply in some areas to protect wildlife, particularly nesting birds during the summer months.

1 RSPB Snettisham Reserve, Snettisham, Beach Road, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE31 7RA, ☏ +44 1485 211973, [email protected]. Lagoons near The Wash, where waders such as Knot, Dunlin and Oystercatchers search for their suppers. Also spot thousands - up to 40,000 - pink-footed geese gather at Snettisham in winter as they arrive from Iceland and Greenland. (updated Jun 2024) 2 RSPB Titchwell Marsh, Titchwell Marsh, Main Road, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE31 8BB, ☏ +44 1485 210779, [email protected]. A mix of saltmarsh, reedbeds and freshwater lagoons behind Titchwell's sandy beach. Look out for Avocets, Bearded Tits and Marsh Harriers from the public hides. (updated Jun 20