With spring around the corner, it’s time to put those walking shoes on and start planning some outdoor activities. You might be wondering where to go for walks around Norfolk this spring? Well, you’ve landed in the right place. Below I put together a list of some of the walks you can do in Norfolk this spring.
Norfolk is primarily a rural county and has many walking trails and hidden villages I’m sure you would enjoy discovering. There are some popular places like Cromer, Sheringham or Wroxham. However, there are also less known villages like Salhouse or Barnham Broom. Whichever you decide to go for, there are plenty of walking trails in Norfolk to keep you busy this spring.
Where to stay/how to get to Norfolk for your walks this spring?
Whether you are a local or a tourist, Norfolk can be a very good choice for walking enthusiasts. Norfolk is mostly flat, so you don’t even have to be that much of an experienced walker to keep up with the others.
The following villages and towns are accessible by train or bus, which is a bonus for those of you who don’t drive or do not have a car. It depends on where you travel from, but generally speaking, the train/coach ticket can be relatively cheap. However, if you travel from far, I do recommend booking your train/coach ticket in advance because these tend to become more expensive if you buy them close to the departure date. This is something typical to the UK public transport.
The main train operator in Norfolk is Greater Anglia. There are also local bus companies (most buses depart from Norwich bus station-the main city in the county. Most local buses operate a cashless payment system, therefore if you have a contactless card, you don’t need cash to pay for the ticket. Moreover, you have the option of travelling with coach companies like National Express or Megabus. These usually travel between cities within the UK and sometimes get to smaller towns and villages too. Coach companies and local buses are cheaper than trains. If you travel by car, it’s good to know that Norfolk county has a good network of roads. The traffic gets pretty busy during rush hours though and some country roads can be narrow.
Now that we’ve had a look at how to travel in Norfolk, let’s also have a look at where to stay. If you decide to stay in Norfolk for a while, you will need to find a place to stay. Most holiday lettings are listed on popular platforms like Booking.com and Airbnb. I like to say there is something for every type of traveller out there. However, I must highlight that at least in Norwich, the low budget accommodations like hostels are reduced compared to other locations in the UK. However, sometimes you can get some good deals for single rooms on Airbnb.
Now, that travel tickets and accommodation have been sorted, let’s have a look at the walks you could do in Norfolk this spring.
1. Norwich: the best place to go for walks in Norfolk this spring
- My advice is to start with something easy. Try a few walks in Norwich before you venture to explore the Norfolk countryside. If you live in Norwich, you have the best walking trails at your doorstep. If you travel to Norwich, well, you are about to visit the most beautiful city in Norfolk county. Norwich is also the biggest city in the region and an excellent location for walks in nature. Not too far from the Norwich city centre, you have Marriott’s Way and Whitlingham Country Park, two of the most popular places for walks in Norwich. Far more information and additional walking routes are provided in Popular walking routes-discover Norwich on foot!
2. Salhouse
- Once you feel more comfortable walking long distances, you are ready to venture outside Norwich. Jump on the train and head towards Salhouse. It’s only 15 min by train from Norwich. Read about one of the walks you can do in Salhouse here. Pictures and a step-by-step guide are provided to ensure you don’t get lost. As with the walks in Norwich, the walking route in Salhouse is pretty easy to complete. Salhouse is a fairly quiet village, so is perfect for those of you looking for some quiet time in nature.
3. Barnham Broom
- Another quiet location and not very touristy at all is Branham Broom. This Norfolk village which I had the chance to discover through petsitting, has become one of my favourite places for walking in Norfolk. Although not a tourist destination, the trails in Barnham Broom are marked. This comes in handy, especially if you are not a local. You can get to Barnham Broom by bus. Some of the suggested walking trails I discovered while living in the village are here. As with Salhouse, the routes in Barnham Broom are accompanied by images to make it easy for you to follow the route.
4. Wroxham & Hoveton
- Now moving on to more famous places in Norfolk for walks, let’s have a look at the lovely village of Wroxham. Officially known as Hoveton & Wroxham, these 2 villages are definitely more popular than Salhouse or Barnham Broom. They can become quite busy in summer and during school breaks. That’s because they are part of the Broads-the biggest natural park in the region. People (mostly UK residents from what I noticed, it doesn’t seem to be many foreigners visiting the county of Norfolk) usually come to Hoveton and Wroxham for water activities. Lots of sailing and boat tours take place in these villages. However, there is also plenty of walks to do, some of which have been presented here.
5. Sheringham & Cromer
- The county of Norfolk is lucky to have quite an impressive coastline. The coastline is again very popular among walking aficionados, and many people book their holidays or come to spend a weekend on the coast of Norfolk. While there are many places along the Norfolk coast where people go for walks, by far, the most popular stops are the coastal towns of Sheringham and Cromer.
Sheringham and Cromer are conveniently located approximately half an hour away by train from Norwich. The towns offer more entertainment opportunities than Salhouse, Barnham Broom or even Wroxham & Hoveton. There are more restaurants, museums and shops to splurge on than in any of the villages presented above. The only place with more entertainment options on this list is Norwich.
If you ever end up in either Cromer or Sheringham, do make sure you try some fish and chips as the restaurants on the coast tend to use fresh fish. Most walkers decide to celebrate the end of the walking route with some fish and chips. What can be more rewarding than a good meal by the sea in one of the most popular coastal towns in Norfolk?
Although you can visit them separately, Cromer and Sheringham are sometimes mentioned together because a popular walking route starts in one place and finishes in the other place. It is a lovely walk by the coast, and you can find more about it here. As well as walking, there are other things you can do or visit in either Sheringham or Cromer.
These are just a few of the walks you can do in Norfolk this spring. There are many more as each village and town in Norfolk is packed with walking trails. Most of them are well maintained and marked. With so many walking trails around Norfolk, I hope the ones listed in this blog post will inspire you to put those walking shoes on and start exploring the Norfolk countryside this spring.