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Cycle tour in Norfok

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 abr1966 25 Apr 2017
Thinking of a 4 day tour in early July but haven't really thought much apart from starting Kings's Lynn and heading towards Wells by the sea and Sheringham. Planning to stay in youth hostels/b&b's rather than camp and would like a mixture of sea and country villages....
Any knowledge/ suggestions greatly received...
In reply to abr1966:

My in-laws have a place in Cromer which we go to stay in a couple of times a year. I take the bike and get out for about a couple of hours a day (so that, geographically, is my knowledge base). The cycling on a fine day is great, especially along the coast, but linking up the villages inland makes for good sport. On a bad weather day it can be (sadistically) pleasing.

A few things that spring to mind:

Second flattest county in England, but that North Norfolk section is surprisingly hilly. Nothing you'll need silly gearing for but it's not flat. (Try to incorporate Beacon Hill up to Roman Camp - it's in the Top 100 Hill Climbs Vol. 2).

Bike shops are sporadic (pretty sure the one in Cromer has gone). Guess if you're touring you'll have capacity for spares.

The roads in the bigger holiday towns are full of tourist drivers concentrating more on finding a parking space, than being aware of me on the bike. Once off the main A roads you usually get the roads to yourself.

Enjoy it. Love North Norfolk.

 GrahamD 25 Apr 2017
In reply to abr1966:

If I were spending time touring I'd spend time visiting inland places like Swafham, Thetford, Castle Achre etc as there are some lovely quiet lanes linking them.
Bellie 25 Apr 2017
In reply to abr1966:

If you get off the main roads, the minor ones of which there are plenty are very enjoyable, with lots of old airfields, and lovely villages to go through as you make your way to the coast at Brancaster and eastwards. The main road on there will be busy so head back inland again and make your way eastwards like that.

Places like Docking, Great Bircham (with windmill), North Creake and South Creake, Walsingham. You can visit the Holkham estate, and head in to the honey pot of Holt. You can visit Burnham Thorpe (west of Burnham market) and see where Nelson was born.

I used to love cycling the lanes when I was down there. Hempstead, Baconsthorpe and Barningham then up towards Sheringham.

Some nice pubs out there too.



OP abr1966 25 Apr 2017
In reply to Bellie:

Thanks, this is great info....local knowledge of which villages and pubs is just what I was hoping for...!
In reply to abr1966:

The main coast road from King's Lynn to Hunstanton then onwards seems to be well served for pubs and the like. Some of them seem to fair well in those 'best pub' type categories.

I'd forgotten that I'd worked around Thetford way. That too is great cycling though I remember the main road (the A11?) is one to avoid. Funny enough (or not), the roads around there seemed to shred my tyres. Four punctures in three days (around Sheffield I might suffer one a year), definitely wasn't funny.
 Yanis Nayu 25 Apr 2017
In reply to abr1966:

Make sure you've got 34 x 28.

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