Sunny Seacroft

Our initial tentative trip out seemed to be a reasonable success. To my surprise Margaret suggested that we should have another trip away. We both like Norfolk so decided on a return visit to The Seacroft site at Cromer. Journeys are always an unknown quantity even more so when heading for the extremes of Norfolk. Don’t ever plan to get anywhere quick, at least once you leave the main dual carriageways!!! I also find that there are often very few places to stop en route that are not already full of lorries. Might have been a bit of a cheek but we pulled into the area by the Tank Memorial next to the Thetford Forest site for a lunch stop as I knew there was a lot of room there.

When we arrived the warden who booked us in highlighted the available pitches and there were only a couple of hardstandings left. I was surprised how full the site was as it wasn’t half tern until the following week. We found one of the remaining hardstandings albeit right next to the toilet block and a service point!!! Since our last visit Seacroft has had an extension with 25 new hardstanding pitches and very nice it looks. If I were being picky I think I would question why they are all serviced pitches when the site could do with a few more ordinary hardstanding pitches. On the plus side there is a very nice new generation motorhome service point with an open grill. No more Ironman heroics trying to lift drain covers!!!

The next day we walked into Cromer which is a bracing walk as you are some height above the beach. Once past the car park you wend your way down towards the pier and sea level. We noticed dire warnings about the Brown-Tail moth which breed in bushes on the cliff-top. Apparently, if handled, they can cause skin irritation. It did cross my mind that when I was a kid I would have been just as likely to collect a few in a jam jar!!! Our last visit was in 2013 in October and I remember us leaving a day early because of storms. On that occasion we remember seeing waves crash into the pier as we drove by. Although we didn’t know it at the time the storm did quite a lot of damage and work to restore the lower prom has only just been completed. As we wandered through the town it was quite busy which was good to see. We were looking for a sit down and a coffee but everywhere seemed busy. Then I remembered the RNLI Henry Blogg Museum down on the sea front which also had a café. It’s an ideal spot to sit and have refreshments as you look out over the beach and the pier. One final wander back through the town and the bus home, didn’t want to overdo it!!!

We had been blessed with good weather so far and the next day was no exception and if anything less of a breeze. We were heading for Sheringham by bus. There is a very regular service from immediately outside the site entrance in both directions so we didn’t have to wait long. When we arrived the Wednesday Market was in full swing, there is another one on Saturdays. Sheringham is the starting point of the North Norfolk Railway, also known as the Poppy Line. The station is just across from the Market and there was one locomotive in steam on the platform but no carriages. It always seems to be a popular destination. The town was busy and decked out in bunting as we made our way down to the seafront. Although we have been here many times I had not realised what a long promenade there was along the seashore and with plenty of places to sit and stare. A few brave souls were even in the water. The beach at Sheringham seems to have more sand that the one at Cromer. Before making our way back to the bus we revisited the Market as Margaret had decided to buy something for her sister’s birthday, an ornament of a duck in wellies of all things!!! It’s just my view but I do think that Sheringham is the jewel of the North Norfolk coast.

Thursday was our last full day at Seacroft and temperatures were forecast to be even hotter so we decided to have a lazy day at the van. On a slightly different subject I wonder how people generally get on with the WiFi on Club sites? I often find that it often drops its connection. Perhaps that is to do with using the laptop in the van or that too many people are making demands on the system. Some time ago I purchased a Solwise signal booster which I decided to use for the first time. It certainly seemed to work in that it have a more consistent signal with no drop outs. Being our last day we decided to treat ourselves to a meal in the site restaurant, not an option available on many Club sites.

Friday and time to go home, but what route to take. Back the way we came via Brandon and Mildenhall? Back via Norwich and having to fight our way round the City roads or an alternative. Looking at the map it seemed that via Kings Lynn might be an option and I loaded this into TomTom. This route took us via Wisbech and Peterborough where we headed down the A1 to the Black Cat roundabout. On reflection I should have perhaps continued on the A605 directly west from Peterborough but obviously TomTom was taking us on the fastest route. From Kings Lynn to Peterborough coming the other way (fortunately!) was a constant stream of caravans and motorhomes. OK it was heading into a Bank Holiday weekend but there seemed a lot of them. What I should have twigged was that many of the were heading for the Club’s National Rally at Sandringham!!!

Site report with photographs here http://www.davidklyne.co.uk/seacroft_caravan_club_site.html