Norfolk and the Wash - places to visit

[Dave Pearson]

Hi veryone

I'm taking the family to a challet nea the Wash at the end of October and I'm wondering if anyone can suggest some great places to visit.

This is a family holiday but i will have the "big" camera with me as we never miss an opportunity! What i mean is hat I aren't nessessarily looking for great places to photograph but if anyone can suggest one taht is also a good family visit then brilliant.

Thanks in advance

Dave

[Francis Pullen]

Dave, there are some great photo opportunities in this area. Hunstanton in the Wash faces due West, so sunset, 'violet hour' photos are great, and the cliffs have red iron layers contrasting withe white chalk. Brancaster, Wells-on-Sea and Holkham Beach offer really big open skies, sea and sand  - I was at Holkham a couple of weeks back photographing a couple of 21 year old student girls for their family albums - really beautiful.

Further along the coat is Blakeney, famous for its seals, harbour and fish and chips!

Have fun!

[Dave Pearson]

Dave, there are some great photo opportunities in this area. Hunstanton in the Wash faces due West, so sunset, 'violet hour' photos are great, and the cliffs have red iron layers contrasting withe white chalk. Brancaster, Wells-on-Sea and Holkham Beach offer really big open skies, sea and sand  - I was at Holkham a couple of weeks back photographing a couple of 21 year old student girls for their family albums - really beautiful.

Further along the coat is Blakeney, famous for its seals, harbour and fish and chips!

Have fun!

Thanks Francis, what a great start you made here for me

[David Routledge]

Dave, there are some great photo opportunities in this area. Hunstanton in the Wash faces due West, so sunset, 'violet hour' photos are great, and the cliffs have red iron layers contrasting withe white chalk. Brancaster, Wells-on-Sea and Holkham Beach offer really big open skies, sea and sand  - I was at Holkham a couple of weeks back photographing a couple of 21 year old student girls for their family albums - really beautiful.

Further along the coat is Blakeney, famous for its seals, harbour and fish and chips!

Have fun!

Hi Francis, hope you are well

Sounds wonderful, but I am afraid you are in serious error which must be corrected. There is only ONE place that can claim to be famous when it comes to fish & chips, and that is, of course, Harry Ramsdens in Guiseley, West Yorkshire. In fact great fish & Chips do not exist outside of Yorkshire. Dave may get some amazing photographs in Blakeney, but for the taste of proper fish & chips he will have to wait until he returns home to his native Yorkshire, as it cannot be found in Norfolk.

God bless
Dave

[Chris Seals]

Hi Dave

Depends what you mean by "near the wash" and how far around the Norfolk coast you would like to venture.  At the end of October it will be rather chilly along the North Norfolk coast, but go with the philosophy that "there's no such thing as the wrong weather, just the wrong clothes" and you will have a great time.  

As Francis said, the seals at Blakeney (not my immediate relatives!!) are great, but it is a VERY long walk along Blakeney Point (not recommended for a young family) or you can do a boat trip (but rather you than me in October!!).  Either way you will need a loooong lens (400 + converter).  Recommended beaches - Brancaster, Holkham (but be prepared for a long walk to the sea and a very brisk walk back when the tide starts to come in.  This is the beach that is featured in Shakspeare in Love and the opening sequence of the TV series Kingdom with Stephen Fry) and Wells-Next-to-Sea.  

The kids may like a trip on the North Norfolk Steam railway which runs between Sheringham and Weybourne or a visit to Pensthorpe (near Fakenham) which hosts the BBC Springwatch and Autumnwatch programmes (great for bird photos, NOT Kate Humble!!).

If you happen to be around Norwich the very last week in October that is very good planning indeed, as St Andrews Hall hosts the annual Camra Beer Festival every lunch time and evening (advance tickets required for Friday and Saturday nights though).
If you need any further guidance, please do give me a call or drop me an e mail.

Unfortunately cannot disagree re the fish and chips in Yorkshire, but we do have the legendary Cromer Crabs!!

Have a great time.

Chris    

[Chris Seals]

P.S.  The Queen's Norfolk residence Sandringham House is also open to the public upto 31st October if that's of any interest.

[Angela Prabhu]

Happisburgh light house is a very photogenic - but could be a bit of a trek. It's a proper red and white stripy lighthouse and privately owned.

You must go shopping to Roys of Wroxham - it's an institution for anybody holidaying in Norfolk

Don't forget the windmills on the broads if you go inland

Please be very wary of the tides at Brancaster and all those long beaches on the NN coastline - the tide really does come in very fast - especially near the equinoxes - get a local tide table and leave plenty of time to get back to dry land.

I used to spend all my holidays messing about in boats there - it's really lovely, fabulous light

[Chris Seals]

Happisburgh light house is a very photogenic - but could be a bit of a trek. It's a proper red and white stripy lighthouse and privately owned.

To avoid some blank looks if you ask for directions though, locally it's pronounced "Haysburrer"!!

[Dave Pearson]

Where do i start? Oh yes - fish n chips! dave you are correct, the best come from the Yorkshire coast and we have been know to drive to Whitby just for last orders

Chris - great advise - thank you.  We won't be there for the Fri/Sata part of the beer festival and I doubt I'll be able to get to it anyway  The steam railway and Pensthrope sound good, I'll add them to my Google map that I'm using the plan possible visits with. I would love to do Sandringham but there is NO WAY my kids are going in there - pound to a penny they would knock something over! My mum loves the Royal family so might visit just to get some shots of the house for her.

Angela - I love lighthouses so thanks for that tip. We might get a day down on the borads but want to try and explore the more local area to where we are staying (Hunstanton).  thanks for the advise about the tides though - wouldn't want to end up on an episode of seaside rescue or helicopter heroes!

I love this forum, thanks guys.

Chris, just seen you lighthouse name advise - cheers

[Francis Pullen]

Both Daves, of course I am too tactful to mention the recent 'Undercover Boss' TV series which found Harry Ramsden's, like the old magazine Punch, 'Are not quite as good as they used to be'! 

 

[Gary Evans]

Visit the really old parts of Kings Lynn.   So says the man from Kings Lynn