Planning first trip. East Anglian Coast. Thoughts welcomed.

[BoldonLad]

Day one can be mostly cycled inland or mix it up with the Four Ferries Route
https://www.thesuffolkcoast.co.uk/four-foot-ferries-of-the-suffolk-coast
You can also check out the UFO trail in Rendlesham Forest.
The seal season is over by May.

The N Norfolk coast road rarely goes in sight of the coast and can be very busy. You may be better off following parallel small lanes inland. You can also climb the coastal mountain range for better views.
Regarding milleage, be prepared to recalibrate your plans, navigation around small lanes can add distance.

A saddlebag + barbag are fine. You need clean shorts every day. May weather is too variable to comment.

Would second those three points.

We are casual (and elderly ie 70+) cyclists. We visited North Norfolk in July 2020, very surprised at just how hilly it was, and, navigation a major issue, lots of villages with no indication as to place name (really messed up my CC ABC Towns and Villages Challenge).

It is possible to avoid the busy coast road, by using the smaller lanes (more interesting pubs there too, as a bonus)

But, being positive, we really enjoyed it

 

[BoldonLad]

BUT....​

Where else?​

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This will be on a road bike with 25mm tyres. Plan to stick to roads. If you really want to experience seaside touring is a gravel bike/ATB a better bet?​

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Much to learn.​

A lot further north (but, on a major rail route), is Coast and Castles Route (Edinburgh - Newcastle). We have done sections of it on hybrids. My younger, and fitter, brother has done whole route on Gravel Bike. A good mix of seaside, cliff top, and, some inland sections.

I even have some video of Berwick to Holy Island section, here.

 

[Blue Hills]

You probably took a dud route, but it is a difficult one to time because the wind can change a cyclist's speed by 50% or more either way.

This would have been it (probably came from cycletravel originally) - route started from wiggenhall st peter but I began the day's pedalling from a campsite some miles away - glad I allowed plenty of time, and boy was I happy to see the cathedral on the final run-in.

 

[mjr]

We visited North Norfolk in July 2020, very surprised at just how hilly it was, and, navigation a major issue, lots of villages with no indication as to place name (really messed up my CC ABC Towns and Villages Challenge).

That is common across Norfolk. The main indication for some villages is an ornate sign in its "centre" which your route may not take you past. Most of the county's milestones which used to help with navigation were moved to a depot during WW2 for safekeeping and probably to hinder any invasion but the depot was bombed. The Quiet Lanes section of Route 30 (Cromer to Sea Palling perhaps?) has milestone-like places and distances on the little signposts but they are tiny, difficult to read at much speed and not much good for photo challenges.

Still beautiful, though!

 

[BoldonLad]

That is common across Norfolk. The main indication for some villages is an ornate sign in its "centre" which your route may not take you past. Most of the county's milestones which used to help were moved to a depot during WW2 for safekeeping but probably to hinder any invasion and the depot was bombed. The Quiet Lanes section of Route 30 (Cromer to Sea Palling perhaps?) has milestone-like places and distances on the little signposts but they are tiny, difficult to read at much speed and not much good for photo challenges.

Still beautiful, though!

Yes, indeed, we really enjoyed it. Will be back, if we outlive tier 4, lockdown, etc

 

[Blue Hills]

Sea Palling as I remember has a free shower (maybe closed at the moment of course)
I was there on a beautiful day.

 

[mjr]

This would have been it (probably came from cycletravel originally) - route started from wiggenhall st peter but I began the day's pedalling from a campsite some miles away - glad I allowed plenty of time, and boy was I happy to see the cathedral on the final run-in.



View attachment 567392

Odd. I thought you must have done one of the many looks-good-on-a-map dull long flat fen road routes further north as mentioned in the OP, but apart from the gravel and middle-missing route through March, that looks like the Sustrans route I described. I don't understand how the likes of Gravel Bank, Elm, the meridian at Australia and the riverside ride in from Whittlesey can't bring a little joy, even with a religious headwind for part of it, but I guess people take joy from different things.

 

[Blue Hills]

Odd. I thought you must have done one of the many looks-good-on-a-map dull long flat fen road routes further north as mentioned in the OP, but apart from the gravel and middle-missing route through March, that looks like the Sustrans route I described. I don't understand how the likes of Gravel Bank, Elm, the meridian at Australia and the riverside ride in from Whittlesey can't bring a little joy, even with a religious headwind for part of it, but I guess people take joy from different things.

Maybe would have appreciated more with less wind
Yes the riverside bit was nice at the end, too much of the rest in the flat fens was battling against a terrible headwind. I well remember looking at a couple of folk out walking the ditched flatness thinking 1: what the hell are you doing out here, 2: pittying them as at least i was leaving, if i could make it across the flatlands. If i return, it will be the other way, after checking a forecast.

 

[alpine fenlander]

Maybe would have appreciated more with less wind
Yes the riverside bit was nice at the end, too much of the rest in the flat fens was battling against a terrible headwind. I well remember looking at a couple of folk out walking the ditched flatness thinking 1: what the hell are you doing out here, 2: pittying them as at least i was leaving, if i could make it across the flatlands. If i return, it will be the other way, after checking a forecast.

I'd say it's an aquired taste! Took me a good few years, but I do quite enjoy the big skies now even with a headwind. That said given the choice and especially with luggage it'll be more enjoyable with a tailwind and presumably there isn't really a reason why such a tour couldn't be done in reverse if you haven't book accomodation in advance.

 

[mercalia]

maybe look to wander around the Norfolk Broads rather than the coast?