My husband, Rob and I have spent nearly 5 years back in the UK now, and Norfolk has definitely earned a place in both of our hearts. We married in the heart of Thetford forest and have spent several day trips driving up from our seaside town to enjoy the vast sandy beaches, lush, green forests and quaint little villages that make up Norfolk.
In this guide, I have designed a 3 day Norfolk itinerary enjoying Norfolk's beautiful countryside whether it be raining or brilliant sunshine and staying at (in my humble opinion) one of the most beautiful camping/ glamping locations in the UK.
How to get there
Norfolk is located on the Eastern side of the UK, north of London looking out to the North Sea. There are two major towns located in the county, Norwich (city) and Kings Lynn. If you don't have a car, you can jump on a Greater Anglia train to Norwich (2hr 6 min from Tower Hill) and get one of the many buses around to where you need to be, or hire a car once you're in Norwich (recommended). If you're driving from London, it'll tale you between 2-3 hours to drive via the M11.
Where to stay
With just a short distance form Sandringham and the coast, I'd recommend nothing other than staying at Happy Valley Venue& Glamping. Rob and I married here in 2022 and I really cannot recommend this location enough. Happy Valley is a Norfolk Wildlife trust site with over 9 acres of land among the trees, dark skies and although they do host weddings during the summer months, offer out their selection of hand built cabins, bell tents and space for personal camps for staycationers to enjoy. My personal recommendation would be either Toad Hall or The Keepers Cabin for larger groups and something like King Nutkin for couples is ideal. Please note, if your trip falls on a weekend, Happy valley have a 3 night minimum booking.
If Happy Valley is a little out of your price range, there are some beautiful pubs around the area:
Itinerary
Day 1
You'll want to arrive at your cabin or hotel for early evening on day 1 to make the most of your time in Norfolk. Once you have checked in, be sure to take an evening stroll around the local town, Great Massingham and enjoy the quaint cottages, picturesque pond and charming church and book a comforting meal in at The Hare. Once you have finished your meal, it'll be time to head back to your accommodation for an evening of boardgames or, if you've booked Toad hall a dip in the hot tub!
Day 2
You'll want to get up and about nice and early as there's heaps to pack in today. If you're staying at Happy Valley, you will have access to a kitchen, fire and whatever else you need for self catering, so a good home made breakfast will be on the cards before a big day! You'll want to leave for around 9AM to make the most of the day.
Your first stop will be to head to Sandringham Estate a Jacobian style estate house which is still frequented by King Charles and Camilla. Here you will get the chance to explore the estate and do a bit of deer spotting and walking through 243 hectares of woodland trails. I personally recommend spending 2 hours walking around the Dersingham Bog where you'll find several established trails aside from the board walk. Click here for a map of the area and other useful information to help you plan your trip.
Stop off for a light bite at the Sandringham restaurant before heading up to the coast for the afternoon.
Your next stop will be Old Hunstanton Beach. When you arrive at the carpark, grab a soft serve 99 Flake ice cream from the store and a game of "scatch" and head down to the beach. Here you can enjoy, striped cliffs, rock pools, sand castles and sand dunes and if the tide is low, a long walk along the beach.
If you're anything like me, you'll be wiped and want to head to an early dinner. Head over to The Dabbling Duck before heading back to your cabin for an evening of more boardgames, a campfire and watching the stars (Happy Valley is a dark sky zone).
Day 3
Day 3 will be the day you leave Norfolk, so it's important to check out early after a good breakfast and tidy of your cabin in order to make the most of your day! Once you're ready to leave, head down south to Thetford forest in Brandon. Created in the 1800's by Edward Bliss, Thetford Forest boasts 50,000 acres of trees. We chose to park by Brandon country park. From here, you can take one of many walking trails through kept parkland. we took the "red route" through the tall trees, which takes you past the old mausoleum, which is rumoured to be haunted!
Finish off your trip with either a picnic at one of the many picnic tables offered within Brandon country park, or
What to wear
This very much depends on the time of year, weather etc. You could very much get away with packing some comfortable jeans, t-shirts and a light jumper in summer. With that being said, British weather is famously unreliable. click here for my extensive guide to what to wear hiking as a woman where you'll find some great waterproof recommendations along with some trusty layering advice
What to pack in your daypack
Bug Spray- Whenever you're venturing into thick grassland, bush or forest be sure to pack some bug spray just in case. There are few things that dampen a trip into the forests or a trip to the beach like getting eaten alive by mosquitos or sand flies.
Water- This goes without saying, but make sure you have a sufficient amount of water for your day. I like to pack my Water Bladder for long hikes and something like this Chilly bottle for smaller adventures.
Snacks- No day out is complete without some pack out snacks, especially for a long day. I'd recommend picking some high protein options to keep you going between meals, especially for a wander around the woods. These protien balls are great for on the move snacking, as dried fruits, which you can grab cheap at any local supermarket.
Layering- I don't know about you, but regardless of the time of year, I need a layer or two packed into my backpack. Check out my blog post on What to wear hiking to find out my favourite fleece layers!
Waterproof- We live in England, and part of that is never knowing what on earth the weather is going to do. It's good to have a light, easy fold waterproof to hand in case things take a turn for the wet and windy!
So there you have it, 3 days and 2 nights in the beautiful countryside that is Norfolk. Have you been before? What are your favourite things to do and why?
Leave a comment below with your recommendations, or if you have been to any of the locations mentioned above, let me know!
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