Norfolk

Norfolk is England's most rural county — wide skies, flat marshland, some of the finest bird reserves in Britain, and market towns like Holt and Burnham Market that feel genuinely untouched by the urban expansion that's reshaped much of the home counties. It's towards the outer edge of what works as a day trip from London, but worth knowing about for a longer visit.

Getting There

Trains from London Liverpool Street to Norwich take about 1 hour 50 minutes — the county town is accessible but the most scenic parts of Norfolk (the coast, the Broads) require a car or onward bus from Norwich. Without a car, Norwich itself (cathedral, market, excellent independent food scene) is the practical destination.

The Norfolk Coast

Wells-next-the-Sea, Blakeney, Holkham and Brancaster are the most visited stretches of the north Norfolk coast — long sandy beaches, seal colonies at Blakeney Point, and a relatively wild character compared to the crowded Kent or Sussex coasts. All essentially require a car to reach from Norwich in any practical way.

The Broads

The Norfolk Broads — a network of rivers, lakes and marshland — are navigable by hire boat (no licence required for unpowered vessels under a certain size). A day on the Broads by boat is an unusual and genuinely enjoyable experience. Wroxham is the main base for boat hire.

Day Trip vs Longer Stay

Norwich works as a long day trip. The coast and Broads really benefit from at least one night away — the journey from London to the coast and back in a day leaves very limited time there.

Tips

• Book train tickets to Norwich in advance — day return prices are much lower when booked ahead.
• A car hired from Norwich is the most practical way to see the coast.
• Norwich's independent food market on Saturdays is one of the best outside London.