Norfolk

peewhyeff

We will be staying 5 miles from Great Yarmouth last week of June. Any ideas forplaces to visit . We are 2 60yr olds, still active but not distance walkers! We will have the car and like to see pretty villages, quirky odd things that are in the area having travelled over 200 miles to get there (and we want to see as much as we can). We're not into theme parks but enjoy gardens, boat trips, town walks, interesting buildings etc. And a good cake and coffee shop!

Chris25

Places to visit off the top of my head -

Fairhaven Trust in South Walsham - woodland walks next to the broad with boat trips on some days & they have a cafe. I think they're in the Gardeners' World 2-4-1 scheme, if you have one of those cards. They're famous for their candelabra primulas & they have a shop where you can buy plants.

Hoveton Hall Gardens near Wroxham - they too have a cafe.

Pensthorpe nature park near Fakenham - beautiful walks around lakes filled with different waterfowl, and gardens - excellent cafe & large gift shop.

There are 2 cathedrals in Norwich, both with good cafes & there's a castle with a museum too.

Bury St Edmunds ia a lovely town with a cathedral & it's gardens.

Tea rooms -

Heydon tea shop in Nth Norfolk in small pretty hamlet - some films were made there years ago, good cuppa.

Moulton garden centre near Acle - nice garden centre, gift shop & lovely cafe with very good lunches, scones & cakes.

I'm sure there must be many places for a cuppa in Norwich & someone else will have a better idea.

Wiveton Hall Cafe in Nth Norfolk - has lovely cafe, pick your own, and a plant shop. Nearby is the Wiveton Bell pub - excellent food.

It might be worth having a look at the local newpaper online & check it before you go to see if there are any fetes or interesting events on while you're there.

Chris25

thought of a couple more -

Blickling Hall near Aylsham is a NT property - Anne Boleyn's ghost is rumoured to appear every so often nice cafe, book store, walks around the lake & the nearby pub, The Buckinghamshire Arms, serve fantastic food.

Woodbridge in Suffolk is lovely riverside town, nice shops & cafes. Has an old-fashioned cinema as does Southwold, another lovely town. Aldeburgh too, but not sure if they're too far to travel?

Walsingham in Norfolk is quaint village with (I think) 2 shrines. Nice cafes & there's a small railway from Walsingham to Wells which has an outstanding beach and several tea-shops. The beach extends to the huge expanse of Holkham (think Shakespeare in Love)where you can walk around the Holkham Hall or have a drink in the pub there (The Victoria?).

Holt in Nth Norfolk is v popular with gift & antique shops & Byfords is a good place for breakfast, has deli attached.

JIL

Southwold, about 22 miles from Yarmouth and it's quirky, there's a pier with shops on it, a harbour, a lovely town an inshore lighthouse. A lovely place.
Wells next the sea, another lovely place,
Blakeney. Trips to see the seals
Norfolk Broads.
Sandringham.

Sagz_2

Southwold pier is quirky and a nice stroll.

Winterton beach is quiet and huge when the tide is out, our dogs loved the dunes.

Thrigby wildlife gardens is a small zoo, but nice to wander around for a couple of hours or Africa Alive for a full day out.

Best curry is served at Planet Poppadum on GY seafront....... moved away 3 years ago and haven't had a decent curry since!

photome

OP how far are you prpared to drive from Gt Yarmouth, I assume not to far otherwise you wouldnt have made your base as gt Yarmouth

It would help with suggestions

There is a great tea room for afternoon tea in Holt (follys), Holt is also small and nice to walk around but is 40 miles away so possibly too far

iammumtoone

If you plan to go into Yarmouth itself the model village is something different, suitable for all ages.

I second Pensthorpe a lovely place but as said above it depends on how far you want to travel.

peewhyeff

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions. Seems like there's plenty to see though I must admit I hadn't realised Norfolk was so big! Looks like we'll be clocking up the miles. Hoping for good weather but not as hot as these past few days.

p00hsticks

It's been a few years since we were down that way but we enjoyed the gardens, steam trains and gallopers here

http://www.bressingham.co.uk/home.aspx