To Cromer from Felbrigg and return
Saturday 13th February 2010
Total of about 6 miles, including 2.5 miles on Weavers' Way in each direction
Click here for all our photos from this walk.
We woke to a snow shower, but the weather forecast was for a basically dry, if very cold, day, and we wanted to get out walking, so after Richard had done the shopping we set off for our first leg of the Weavers' Way. It took just over an hour to drive to Felbrigg Hall, with snow and sleet showers en route. The showers continued until just after lunchtime, but they were never particularly troublesome, and we had sun for most of our return walk from Cromer to Felbrigg Hall and our return drive home.
Felbrigg Hall doesn't open until 1st March but the Park is open all year and the tea rooms, shop and toilets are open at weekends throughout the winter, and parking is free for National Trust members. We went for a quick look at the outside of the 17th Century Hall, then we walked back along the drive, with good views to the Church, in the middle of parkland to our right. Just past Hall Farm we took a path diagonally across parkland, to emerge in Felbrigg Village.
We turned right along the B1436 for a short distance, then turned left along a good track that turned into a footpath before emerging onto a minor road. We crossed the road then took a footpath across attractive farmland to a bridge over the railway, then we crossed a field to the corner of a wood and verged slightly to the left, with good views to the eastern end of Cromer, including the lighthouse at Foulness.
We emerged onto Hall Road, near the Zoo, and followed the road down into Cromer. The road wasn't too busy and there was a good pavement, so it was a pleasant walk. We passed Cromer Hall, which appears to be a private house, built in mock gothic style, but was apparently the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Baskerville Hall" - before Doyle moved it to Dartmoor!
We cut across a playground and a car park to the new Tourist Information Centre, then down Garden Street to emerge high above the Pier. Last time we were here (with Helen and Eileen, after walking the final leg of the Norfolk Coast Path) it was hot and we celebrated with ice creams. The weather was a bit different today, though we could have bought ice creams if we'd wanted them - we opted not to! We walked along the Pier to the Pavillion Theatre and the Lifeboat Station at the end. There are excellent views back to the Hotel de Paris (built 1820) and the Church of St Peter and St Paul. Cromer grew up as a fishing and tourist centre and retains aspects of each of these - it's an unpretentious and friendly place; delicious home-made soup and cheese scone at 'Buttercups' on High Street cost just £2.60. After lunch we retraced our steps to Felbrigg Hall.
