Over the Easter break I decided to get away for a few days and planned a trip to North Norfolk and walk half of the Norfolk Coast path from Hunstanton to Cromer. I was basing myself at Burnham Deepdale Campsite and either using buses or driving to my start/finishing points.
Day 1 - Drove to Burnham Deepdale. Was able to pitch up early and caught Bus to Hunstanton on the Coasthopper, found the start point and off I went.
I was walking back to the campsite today which was 13 miles so a gentle start on what was a glorious day and the beaches looked fantastic.
I had the option of walking along the cliff tops or along the beach and as the tide was so far out and fairly firm sand underfoot, I took the latter and saw plenty signs or erosion along the cliffs. This in particular is at Old Hunstanton under the lighthouse.
As I said, the tide was really low and so I enjoyed walking along the shoreline, not a care in the world, knowing I couldn't get lost as I was following the beach. Perfect start to my first National Trail.
Couldn't get lost was maybe a slight over see. I wouldn't say I got lost but I did forget about a turn off along the beach which takes you in land to cross a river or as I found out a rather wide channel on the beach. The channel being about 20m wide and water flowing gently but fast enough to cause concern I ummed and agghhed until a couple approached and said it was perfectly safe, probably about knee deep and would stay and watch in case something did happen, either laugh or rescue me
Off went the boots and in I went, in some places the water hitting the bottom of my shorts and it was great fun but safely across I waved back to the couple. I wasn't expecting that on the walk so the day just got better.
Got back to the campsite a little sunburnt but first day completed and what a great start.
Day 2 - Woke up early so was walking by 7am. Today I started from the campsite and was heading to Cley next the Sea, but pronounced Cli. Approx 21 miles but knowing some sand dunes on this stretch so may feel longer!
The path started great and some early morning people and a dog standing on a surf board type of thingy caught my eye. I'm sure someone knows its proper name
To be honest most of this stretch of the walk runs along side salt marshes and nature reserves and even though the views were good, it did all kind of look the same. There was hardly any dune walking and where there was, you could take a lower path which was better underfoot. Got to Cley(Cli) next the Sea a little redder but had been using loads of suntan cream. 22 miles completed and had to catch 2 buses to get back to the campsite but the Coasthopper bus service obviously runs along the coast so I was able to travel back looking at where I had walked and recognising the little coastal villages I had walked past throughout the day.
Day 3 - I could have caught 2 buses to get to the where I finished yesterday but today being Easter Sunday, they started later and finished earlier so I would have been up against the clock. Fortunately Cley(Cli) has a free of charge car park at the village hall. So drove 20 miles and parked up, even a Portaloo in the car park!
Cromer was the destination and started off with about 4 miles of really loose shingle beach, no matter where I walked along the beach the shingle just made walking a lot slower and tiring. However the views made up for it, the North Sea was very calm and the solitary was brilliant.
But after the beach came the cliff tops where the views just spread up and down the coastline
At Sheringham, there is a manned lookout post and had a nice chat with the Coast Guard there. The post also looks over Sheringham golf course, just to the right of the pic.
A few miles on I could see my final destination, Cromer Pier. By now the paths were very busy with people enjoying the views.
To finish the walk I decided to walk along the Pier and visit the RNLI Station at the end. In there is a beautiful stained glass window and with the Easter sunshine shining through, it was a lovely end to a fantastic walk. 3 days of Norfolk Coast in the glorious sunshine. It didn't seem near on 50 miles as I loved every bit of it. About another 50 miles to complete the whole trail which finishes in Hopton on Sea which I am already planning for the end May Bank Holiday.