Who are you?

Anna Ellis, local authority on the Norfolk coast

I’m Anna Ellis, and among other roles, I’m the chief travel researcher and planner for our family when we are organising any of our many trips!

Where are you a local authority on?

The beautiful north-west Norfolk coast.

Why are you a local authority on this place?

I was lucky enough to be born here and apart from a short spell spent elsewhere at university and while training, I have lived here all my life.

What do you love about it?

Norfolk Coast Path

So much! It has lots for the outdoor enthusiast and foodie in me. We have golden, sandy beaches, where you can simply enjoy the sea air with a walk, or take to the water kitesurfing.

If wandering on the beach isn’t your thing, we have a fabulous coastal walking path, and the historical Peddars Way. Don’t fancy walking? Then we also have cycle trails, including National Cycle Route 1.

And for the foodies, there are lots of local traditional pubs and, of course, brilliant seaside fish and chips!

What is your favourite place to visit?

Holkham Pinewoods

The golden sandy beaches of Brancaster, Holkham or Wells, where the colour of the sand makes the sea look turquoise-blue on a bright sunny day.

A barefoot walk along the beach, paddling in the sea, gives you a great appetite, ready to visit one of the many pubs along the coast, or just grab some fish and chips and sit in the sand dunes to watch the sun set; remember many parts of our coast face west.

What food and drink is the area known for?

Seafood, specifically Cromer crabs, cockles and whelks, and of course, the seaside resorts have fish and chips.

Tell us somewhere great to eat

Thornham Deli, a deli and café located on the coast road. If you like seafood, you should try the seafood board – but you might not want to share!

Where can you get spare kit?

Boldero’s, in Hunstanton, is an Aladdin’s Cave of camping items, accessories and spares.

Where can you find the cheapest petrol/diesel in the area?

We have a Tesco in Hunstanton, but there is a petrol station just by the entrance to the Deepdale campsite, which also has a Nisa supermarket for the essentials.

Where should you try to avoid when you’re visiting the area?

I would recommend avoiding Stiffkey, on the coast road. The village is small, and its brick walls can cause damage if accidentally kissed by your van!

It also doesn’t have passing places for large vehicles, so if you meet the Coasthopper bus or another bigger vehicle, it could ruin your sense of calm!

Share a secret highlight that only the locals would know!

Wells-next-the-Sea

The Coasthopper bus service runs from the medieval town of King’s Lynn through to the famous seaside resort of Cromer, and as the name suggests, it follows the coastline and stops at all of the local villages.

You can walk the coastal path in either direction until your feet tell you to stop, and then simply catch the bus back to where you started.

Or you could take the bus to one of the villages and walk to the next one, then catch the bus in either direction back. Well-behaved dogs are allowed on the bus, too.

Enjoy strolling on the boardwalk at Brancaster, listing the windmill at Cley-next-the-Sea, seeing the beach huts and crabbing at Wells-next-the-Sea, great birdwatching at Titchwell, or the woods at Holkham.

If you like being on the water, you can catch a boat at Moreton to see seals basking on the sandbanks.

If you liked this… READ THESE:

Travel Guide to East England

Travel Guide to Great Yarmouth

If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, why not get the latest news, reviews and features delivered direct to your door or inbox every month. Take advantage of our brilliant Practical Caravan magazine SUBSCRIBERS’ OFFER and SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER for regular weekly updates on all things caravan related.