Norwich, The Broads and Coast

VisitNorwich’s informative website states that the city is “steeped in atmosphere and peppered with unique architectural treasures”. Well, I visited the ancient city with my family and can confirm that the assertion is correct: Norwich has much to offer holidaymakers and should be an integral part of any itinerary if visiting this corner of the world.

Being a compact city, it’s easy to explore – which is just as well because there’s plenty to see. If you want someone to help you make the most of your visit, join a walking tour. Between Easter and October, expert guides depart from the Tourist Information Centre (situated in The Forum). Alternatively, enjoy an open-top bus tour or explore by boat: there are various cruises along the River Wensum, which cuts through the city, and beyond to the famous Broads.

Alternatively, do what we did and explore under your own steam. One of the first places we visited was the Cathedral. Over 900 years old, it boasts the highest Norman-built tower in England. It’s a stunning building and somewhere you could spend hours simply admiring the incredible architecture. Make time to sample the delicious homemade cakes at the award-winning restaurant and café (open all week). Situated where the original medieval monks’ dining room stood, the food is scrumptious.

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Norwich was formerly England’s second city and offers a rich cultural heritage. Strolling along its medieval streets lined with historical buildings, shops, cafés and restaurants is a delight. Make sure you explore Elm Hill, a cobbled road full of half-timbered Tudor houses, tearooms and antique shops.

A must-see is Norwich Castle. It’s difficult picking the “best attraction” in Norwich because there are so many, but the castle was certainly vying for top spot. Our interest was piqued when we discovered it housed the city’s museum and art gallery.

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Built by the Normans as a Royal Palace, every floor is packed with treasures and fascinating exhibits covering a host of subjects. You can explore a reconstruction of an Anglo-Saxon grave site, admire locally-found Viking treasures, check out the world’s largest ceramic teapot collection, learn about the region’s own Queen Boudica and much, much more; it’s one of the finest museums I’ve visited in a long while.

Another museum worth seeing is Strangers’ Hall, which was the home of merchants and mayors since the early 14^th century. It’s like stepping back in time as you wander through a host of rooms, including the Tudor great hall, Georgian dining room and intriguing toy room.

The trouble with Norwich is that there is always another thing you’d like to see – perhaps next time we’ll visit for longer. For example, Colman’s Mustard has been produced in Norfolk for nearly 200 years and the Shop and Museum, situated in Royal Arcade and replicating a Victorian shop, charts the product’s history.

Talking of shops, Norwich is regularly rated among the UK’s top shopping destinations so grasp the opportunity of looking around while you’re here.

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With so much history coursing through the streets, an apposite hotel to stay at is The Maids Head. It’s central, has its own car park, friendly staff, smashing restaurant and, quite simply, oozes charm.

Dating back over 800 years, it claims to be the oldest hotel in Britain; I can’t verify that but do know that it’s retained much of its olde-worlde character whilst keeping up with the times in terms of what one expects from a hotel these days, such as free wi-fi.

Everyone is friendly and helpful throughout the hotel, including the award-winning restaurant, the WinePress@Wensum. Here, the staff aim to create an “unstuffy” atmosphere and they achieve their goal: everyone is relaxed yet efficient – and the food delicious.

Next morning, we headed beyond Norwich to explore the Broads, the coast and to experience those big skies of Norfolk – and, wow, we weren’t disappointed.

Our first port of call was Winterton-on-Sea where we relaxed on the gently-sloping sandy beach, built sandcastles, paddled and watched excitedly as two seals slowly glided along, just a few metres from the shore. Of course, they’re regular visitors to Norfolk beaches but tourists and locals alike always delight in seeing them.

There is a large fee-paying car park at the beach and a small café, which can get very busy during peak times. The quality of food is fine and I didn’t mind spending a little more in order to enjoy lunch so close to the water.

For many people, Norfolk is all about The Broads, dubbed “Britain’s Magical Waterland”. Here, people become sailors as they hire a boat and sail around the intricate network of rivers and lakes which form this beautiful wetland region. Although we didn’t take to the water, we spent time walking alongside it, picnicked at the water’s edge and simply soaked up the atmosphere as canoes, day boats and cabin cruisers passed by.

The sumptuous countryside is punctuated by attractive villages, such as Brundall, Surlingham and South Walsham, home to the Fairhaven Woodland and Water Gardens. Open to the public since 1975, the 131 acres of ancient woodland and water gardens is a place to visit any time of the year (closed only on Christmas Day). A rich mixture of native and cultivated plants, it’s also a haven for wildlife.

When it comes to accommodation in the area, there is plenty of choice. We stayed at Braydeston House in Brundall. A fine Georgian country house set amid wooded gardens, it’s a perfect location for exploring The Broads and coastline.

Your host is the friendly owner, Ann Knox, who does everything she can to make your stay as comfortable as possible – and she’s knowledgeable, too, about the local area.

Ann – who also owns Loades Cottage at Blakeney (on Norfolk’s north coast and available to rent) – serves a tasty breakfast in her conservatory, overlooking the expansive garden; and as she only lets out two rooms – a twin-bedded room with ensuite bathroom and a double-bedded room on the ground floor with ensuite and even a kitchen (both have TV, radio and tea/coffee-making facilities) – it’s a quiet and relaxed place to stay.

Being that I live in West Somerset, my visits to Norwich and the rest of Norfolk have been rare. But that might be about to change because we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and fancy sampling more of what this region has to offer.

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