Latest news with #VisitNorfolk
Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Beautiful UK seaside village with 15-miles of beach and 'best' holiday park
Just a stone's throw from one of the most popular seaside resorts in the UK, this quaint coastal village has stunning beaches, a ubiquitous history, and one of the country's best holiday parks A charming seaside village overshadowed by its popular neighbour is finally having its moment under the spotlight. Surrounded by idyllic Norfolk countryside, and part of a 15-mile stretch of unspoilt coastline, lies the tiny parish of Hopton-on-Sea. Here, you'll find all your quintessential seaside must-haves - from rows of flashing arcades, fish and chip shops, and white sand that melts into turquoise waters. It's just six miles south of Great Yarmouth, one of the most iconic staycation hotspots in the UK. However, Hotpon-On-Sea offers a more laid-back, chilled vibe, which is perfect for those wanting to kick back with a good book and soak up the rays. Steeped in history, human activity in the village dates back to the Palaeolithic era - and Hopton-On-Sea was used as part of a dense military defence network during the Second World War. "The oldest building in the parish is the ruins of St Margaret's church. Built in the 14th century, it burned down in 1865," explains Visit Norfolk. "The ruins of the old church are being restored to form a cultural centre for the village. As part of the £140,000 restoration project by the Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust, gargoyles were found on the site from the previous 11th-century church." But what really sets Hopton-On-Sea apart from the rest is that it's home to the award-winning Potters Resort, which was recently ranked the best UK holiday park by consumer brand Which?. Scoring an impressive 87 per cent overall customer score, travellers gave the resort five stars for its quality of facilities/ activities and West-end quality entertainment. Potters also received a respectable four stars for several criteria, including the quality of accommodation, cleanliness of the resort, and food and drink offerings. With average prices at around £110 per night, Potters may seem quite expensive at first - but the adults-only resort is actually all-inclusive, meaning you don't need to spend a penny on food or drink while you're there. "The Facilities are excellent," raved one visitor. "[The] Activities varied and well organised and the entertainment outstanding. All inclusive deal was very good value; the food is superb and plentiful." Another agreed, hailing: "I have been many times and find a consistently good standard." Located some 143 miles from central London, driving to Hopton-On-Sea from the Big Smoke will take around three hours and 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a two-hour and 36-minute train journey from London Liverpool Street over to Great Yarmouth, which will include a stopover at Norwich. From here, you'll have to take a 15-minute taxi ride down to Hopton-On-Sea, or you can take the 1A Coastal Clipper bus towards Lowestoft and disembark at The Turnstone. Then, you'll be around a 15-minute walk to Hopton's stunning beach. If you're flexible with dates, you can grab single adult fares for as little as £20. Like many other holiday parks, Potters operates on either three-night breaks (that start on a Friday) or four-night breaks that start on a Monday. If you want to visit during the peak season, a three-night stay on Friday, August 8, will set you back £739 for an adult and £599 for a child aged 10-17. Again, this also includes your food and drink for the entire duration, as well as a host of activities and entertainment. If that's still way out of your budget, staying in a caravan is a great way to keep the price down. Check out this three-bed mobile home here, which costs £424 on the exact same nights. *Prices based on Trainline, and Potters Resort listings at the time of writing. Which?'s league tables are based on 2,255 responses from 1,717 Which? members and the general public. The survey was carried out in February and March 2024.
Daily Mirror
13-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Beautiful seaside village home to one of the UK's best ranked beaches
This quaint seaside village is famous for its thriving fishing communities and mouth-watering seafood - but its endless stretch of golden sands is what really sets it apart from the rest A charming seaside village has been thrown into the tourist spotlight after topping the league tables for its 'glorious' beach. Tucked away on the idyllic Norfolk Coast National Landscape, some 126 miles from London, lies the overlooked parish of Brancaster. Renowned for its thriving fishing and sailing communities - and often touted as one of the driest villages in the country - this tiny slice of coastal paradise makes for the perfect summer staycation. "All year round, Brancaster is a lively village and there is a good range of places to stay and eat," hails Visit Norfolk, the area's official tourist board. "Brancaster is known for its mussels and excellent seafood which you can try in the fabulous pubs and restaurants with breathtaking views over the staithe; and enjoy locally produced ale and seasonal dishes. You can also buy freshly caught fish and seafood from stalls at the staithe and on the main road." But, it's Brancaster's incredible beach that really sets it apart from the rest. Boasting miles of unspoilt golden sand for 'as long as the eye can see' and crystal-clear water, this long stretch of shore is the perfect place to sit back with a good book and soak up the rays. When the tide is out, you might also be able to spot the remains of SS Vina, an old shipwreck that was used by the RAF for target practice before the Normandy landing. It was later dragged to a sand bank in the entrance to Brancaster Staithe Harbour where it sank due to being filled with shell holes. It's likely Brancaster Beach will become even more popular this summer, having recently featured on The Times UK's 50 best beaches for 2025 list. "The dunes offer shelter from all winds except from the north and the sand is perfect for building your own Crow Fort," the publication wrote. "There are usually seals snoozing around the first bend of the Hun. The narrow Beach Road gets busy in high summer so come early: there's a well-stocked kiosk opposite the car park." Make sure you check high tide times before visiting, as the road is often flooded. Alternatively, you can check out RSPB Titchwell Marsh, a renowned nature reserve and a haven for native and migrating birds. There's a wide sandy beach here too, which offers vast views across The Wash, and is a must-see for animal lovers. Driving to Brancaster from central London will take you around three hours and nine minutes. However, direct trains from King's Cross to King's Lynn Station slash the journey time to just one hour and 48 minutes. From here, you'll need to take the 36 Coastliner towards Fakenham and disembark at Ship - before walking 0.9 miles to Brancaster Beach. Even without a railcard, you can get single adult fares for as little as £18. Due to its small size, staying in Brancaster itself can be difficult (and pricey). Hayloft Brancaster, a cosy holiday home just 17 minutes walk from the beach, is a great option for couples, with its rustic interior, fully-equipped kitchen, and private garden. Staying here on Friday, July 25-27 will set you back £852. If you're driving up to Brancaster, staying just outside the village is a great way to keep the cost down. For example, staying at The White House - located 2.2 miles from Brancaster centre - on the exact same nights costs almost half the price (£451). This stunning guest room, set in the rolling countryside, includes a free breakfast, and a spacious double bedroom.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cruises to leave from Norfolk weekly, year-round starting next week
This cruise season will be unlike any other at Nauticus as it sets sail on a new schedule of weekly cruises year-round. Norfolk's business community looks at those passengers and sees an opportunity. It is making a joint effort to draw them out for experiences in the area before and after voyages. This takes the form of expanded discount packages involving local restaurants and hotels and promotions for business districts like Selden Market and Waterside in downtown Norfolk. Weekly cruises will begin Feb. 11 with the Carnival Sunshine and run through December, instead of being from early spring to early fall and being more sporadic. Each week, there will be more than 3,000 passengers disembarking from the previous week's cruise and 3,000-plus more passengers embarking for another weeklong cruise, according to Stephen Kirkland, executive director of Nauticus. Cruise passengers spend an estimated $125 per person in the area before and after their voyages, according to Rehn West Saunders, director of development and marketing for Nauticus. That means an estimated $375,000 per ship and $19 million annually in economic impact from the new weekly schedule. Nauticus is expecting an estimated 300,000 cruise passengers this year, Saunders said. 'Our primary opportunity here is continuing to position Norfolk as an incredible pre- and post-destination,' Kirkland said in a presentation to the Norfolk City Council last month. 'Savvy travelers know if I get there the day before I can spend some time in the port and I can make sure that I'm ready for my cruise – that's our opportunity.' Along with the new schedule, cruise passengers leaving from Norfolk this year can now book cruises to Canada and Bermuda, Saunders said. To help promote local businesses, Visit Norfolk created a webpage with a full list of the discount packages being offered to cruise passengers. The page launched in September 2024 and quickly became the most viewed page on their site, according to Sarah Hughes, director of marketing for Visit Norfolk. The discounts include a free night at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel near the Norfolk Airport along with parking for the length of the cruise and transportation to and from the cruise terminal, 20% off a meal at select restaurants at Hilton Norfolk The Main, 15% off meals at restaurants at Waterside, and promotions with the city's various museums and other attractions. The year-round cruise schedule for Norfolk has been in the works since the announcement of Nauticus's relationship with Carnival in 2023, but the disruption to cruise traffic caused by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore put many of these ideas on the fast track, according to Saunders. 'What we really saw last spring with the Baltimore bridge collapse when both Carnival and Royal Caribbean were redirected to Norfolk … The community really stepped up and saw that there were going to be a lot of cruise passengers coming here, people were being bused down from Baltimore, and we were just able to come together and quickly come up with packages and deals and things for these passengers to do and I feel like that was what spurred (the year-round schedule) because (local businesses) were able to see a return,' Saunders said. Later this month, Nauticus will host more than 100 travel agents for a site visit to help promote Norfolk as a cruise destination across the country. Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806,
