Trip to Cromer
This seems to becoming an annual trip, and at the same time of year? So, on Sunday 8th October we set off for the Seacroft CMC site in North Norfolk. Despite reasonable roads for most of the journey it still takes us about three and a half hours, which of course, does include some stops en route. With the ever upward spiral of site costs we decided this time just to book a hardstanding with awning pitch, rather than the usual serviced pitch, which turned out to be a bit of a mistake. I shouldn’t be such a skinflint! Why was it a mistake? Well, when we got to the site there was only a choice of two pitches, one looking out on a chemical emptying point and the other part of a section where the pitches are quite cramped together. By the time we had made up our minds the latter choice became Hobson’s Choice! At least for the next few days the weather forecast was encouraging.
Neither of us can now walk as far as we used to so on the first full day, we wandered down to West Runton beach. Just opposite the site entrance is a footpath which is part of the Norfolk Coast Path which avoids walking along the main road. The path leads down to a metalled road between the static caravan parks and exits onto the main road just as you enter West Runton where you turn right to the beach. Still a few fishing boats in evidence. Cromer can be seen in the distance and many people walk from here along the beach.
The next day we took the bus into Sheringham which is a favourite of both of us. It’s obviously a seaside town but somehow seems as if that is incidental. There is a nice selection of shops mixed with a bit of seaside stuff. We checked out the station where the steam trains normally run from but today it was a diesel rail car. Couldn’t resist a coffee in the little coffee shop in the Arcade which we have used before. Found our way the seaside and sat for a while enjoying the lovely weather before making our way back up through the town for some shopping at the handy Tesco before getting the bus back to the site.
Wednesday was a lazy day because rain was forecast but not quite as bad as they said it would be. The next day, whilst still dull, we got the bus in the opposite direction into Cromer. We walked towards the Pier and then down to promenade level. They have been clever with the inserts they have embedded into the steps up to the Pier and along the prom. These mainly detail rescue missions of the Cromer Life Boat. However, I did notice one saying that Winston Churchill had visited in 1885 and by all accounts was not impressed! You can’t please everyone! The Pier is pleasingly free of the usual seaside tat and it affords a good view back to the town. We made our way to another favourite coffee stop, The Rocket, which is above the Henry Blogg Lifeboat Museum. Having looked around the town we went back to the Bus Station, good timing as our arrival coincided with the arrival of our bus.
The final two days of our trip were spent relaxing. Mixed weather and getting a bit colder. We did wander down to the site restaurant for a coffee on Saturday morning. As I mentioned at the beginning when we arrived the selection of pitches was restricted. If we stay a week anywhere, we tend to do Sunday to Sunday as I think travel on the roads is little easier. I had always thought that after the weekend we would always have a better choice of pitch but this didn’t work in this case. Observing the site comings and goings we might have been better doing Wednesday to Wednesday? Perhaps next time?