ENGLAND || Norfolk - travel vlog (The Broads, Norwich, Cromer, Holkham Beach) 15 Degrees North

15° North are travelling again! This time we are in Norfolk, visiting The Broads and the Coast. There we visit: Thurne Mill, Horsey Windpump, Wroxham, Norwich, Cromer, Cley-next-the-Sea, Wells-next-the-Sea, Horkham Beach & Norfolk Lavender.
Jérémy and Ben here again! We love to travel and to satisfy our wanderlust, we are on a European roadtrip exploring the best places for a city break on the continent. We love to escape Britain to experience the best culture, cuisine and attractions that Europe has to offer. If you’re a tourist like us and just need a good itinerary for what to do and how to do it when you’re in Norfolk, we will show you the best things to put on your itinerary.
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Norfolk is a county in eastern England, covering the northern portion of East Anglia. Famously flat, the land is riddled with rivers and canals, all linked together to form the UK’s largest inland waterway network. Add to that all the windmills, which were historically used to pump water out of the low-lying farmland, you’d be forgiven for thinking we were in the Netherlands.
The waterways are all part of the Norfolk Broads National Park. So what exactly is a Broad?A broad is a lake, which was formed artificially - albeit accidentally - thanks to long-standing peat farming. The Vikings, who settled in the area during the Dark Ages, considered trees too precious a material to burn for fuel, so instead they brought the practice of peat farming across from Scandinavia. However, due to rising sea levels, the vast holes they dug in the peat bogs eventually flooded, forming the broads that we see today. Which is why the area now looks as it does. So it’s entirely the Vikings fault that East Anglia looks as it does.
Historically, the Broads were not a pleasant place to be. Waterlogged, prone to flooding and riddled with disease-carrying mosquitos, this was one corner of Britain that was left largely uninhabited for a long time. However, the eventual construction of windmills left some of the land suitable for farming and the rivers became a hotspot for watersports enthusiasts from across England.
Norwich is an ancient city and claims to have England’s most complete medieval centre. Don’t get me started on how ridiculous it is that British councils have allowed historical town centres to be demolished. Well you don’t have to be angry about that in Norwich. The city dates all the way back to the Celtic Era, when it was the capital of the Icenii people.Which means that Britain’s greatest warrior princess, Boudicca, lived right here. The cathedral is one of Britain’s largest and it towers over the city centre. Although it’s not to be mixed up with its second cathedral, which is Roman Catholic and five minutes walk away. The city revolves around Norwich Castle... but that was covered in scaffolding when we visited. Typical.
Norfolk is also known for its beautiful coastline. Exposed to the North Sea, the Norfolk Coast is famed for its quaint seaside towns and vast sandy beaches. We strongly suggest that you set aside a day and do as we did, starting our road-trip in Cromer and ending in Hunstanton. This route was suggested to us by a local and she was completely right; the drive is gorgeous and there are so many cute villages to take in on the way.
Wherever you go in Norfolk, you’ll see that the county embraces its maritime heritage in a big way. No matter where you are, you’re never far from a beach or a river, so it makes sense to embrace the nautical lifestyle to the max. Whether you love bumbling about on a boat, sunbathing on golden sands, crabbing, fishing, surfing, swimming or simply sipping a G&T in a beach hut, Norfolk is the place for you. And the beaches are absolutely enormous, with sands rolling far out to the horizon when the tide is out.
Oh and - side note - if you did like we did and visited Provence off-season and missed the lavender in bloom, you can actually see the Norfolk Lavender instead. So if you’re there between June and August, go and take a peak!