North Norfolk

Whew, a long day today.  Maybe due to starting early.  Felixstowe didn't seem to have much of interest beyond McDonald's and Wetherspoons, but Great Yarmouth is nice, after a long ride through the attached industrial port.  Yarmouth is a big seaside town boasting two piers, many crazy golf courses, plus it seems, a cultural side with several theatres and I expect museums etc if you were to look for them.

About this time I joined NCN route 1 which I think goes all the way up the east coast, though not necessarily the way I'm going.  It did mean I was able to avoid short bits of the busy A12 on decent cycle paths.  Most of the route was on small roads, which were a bit busier than those in Suffolk.   The coast round here is protected  by huge banks of sand or earth to prevent flooding of the low-lying land, so the few coastal villages were disappointingly cut off from the sea.

After an age I was gasping for elevenses and luckily arrived at Horsey Mere, one of the Norfolk Broads which has  preserved windmill/water pump which used to drain the broad into the sea.  More important, it had a café.  Fortified, I continued on to lunch at Cromer, which is on a bit of a cliff but still manages to embrace the sea with a pier, beach and a promenade.   It's weird how some towns seem to turn their back on the sea.   Concrete coastal defences such as at Sheringham, my next stop and dubbed Norfolk's premier coastal reaort, suffers from.  It's a lovely place with borh steam and regular trains, but the seaside doesn't aeem to enhance it.

I decided on Cromer to book ahead for a B&B in Hunstanton, which turned out to be something of a stretch.   North Norfolk is relatively hilly and about this time I remembered I didn't have any tea yesterday.  I struggled up the hills and had to refuel in Wells-Next-the-Sea, a beautiful place packed with beautiful people.   They must have debated its name for a long time, as it's certainly not NEAR the sea.  When the tide is out, there's a large puddle by the waterside, and the sea is the 'next' thing a couple of miles to the North.  They do serve wonderful flapjack though.

More hills followed, especially after Downham Market which would have been a great place to linger for a pint on the green with everyone else.  Eventually I arrived at the B&B, being careful to keep my distance in case he caught a whiff of my un-showered body and refused me entrance.  He cheered me up by telling me the main road route from Sheringham is flat.

After a shower, I hit the town where the sun was setting over the sea,  well the Wash.  Found an Indian restaurant which raised the important question - should cyclists have rice or naan bread with their meal.  Which is the better fuel? I may write to Cycle magazine for advice.   Perhaps Cycling GB already knows the answer but Dave Brailsford is keeping it secret to avoid helping the competition?