Good/Bad things about living in Norfolk?
Discussion
We are looking to move back to the UK into the area in the coming months, so I'd like to know your views on Norfolk?
What's good about the area? It looks nice and rural (we currently live in Normandy)
What's bad? I saw a Facebook post about a Jag hijacked and stolen in Watton recently. Really? !!!??
What's the flood risk generally, being so flat?
Appreciate your views.....
What's good about the area? It looks nice and rural (we currently live in Normandy)
What's bad? I saw a Facebook post about a Jag hijacked and stolen in Watton recently. Really? !!!??
What's the flood risk generally, being so flat?
Appreciate your views.....
Edited by Pitre on Thursday 25th November 13:29
crankedup5 said:
Cant answer your question directly but if I were in your shoes I would be looking to move into rental and then take time to explore and assess the area.
Thanks; It is one option that we're considering, but I was hoping for some real world testimony from those that already live there...Pitre said:
We are looking to move back to the UK into the area in the coming months, so I'd like to know your views on Norfolk?
What's good about the area? It looks nice and rural (we currently live in Normandy)
What's bad? I saw a Facebook post about a Jag hijacked and stolen in Watton recently. Really? !!!??
What's the flood risk generally, being so flat?
Appreciate your views.....
Ironically after nearly a decade in Norfolk I'm leaving soon, but I'm certainly a bit sad to go.What's good about the area? It looks nice and rural (we currently live in Normandy)
What's bad? I saw a Facebook post about a Jag hijacked and stolen in Watton recently. Really? !!!??
What's the flood risk generally, being so flat?
Appreciate your views.....
Edited by Pitre on Thursday 25th November 13:29
The villages can be lovely and my own has a nice old centre market, however it is one of those targeted for (over) development with hundreds of houses being built without any plans for increasing the already at capacity services like doctors, schools, shops, roads, public transport. No idea how it will feel in a decade.
Up on the coast can be completely manic in tourist season.
Flood risk is very localised AFAIK, if you've a house next to a waterway or on the coast you might have a problem but I can't remember ever seeing widespread disruption myself (in mid South Norfolk)
Crime, we've been lucky our village is quiet, some others are less so.
I quite like Norwich as a little city, a couple of malls, a few cinemas and lots and lots and lots of pubs! There's some good museums a good market and the spectacular cathedral does great community stuff like having the diplodocus from the Natural History Museum assembled inside their beautiful space for a month and also the breeding pair of Peregrines on the tower.
Lots of lovely outdoor spaces, forests, beaches, manor house gardens and plenty of history to explore.
Knowing next to nothing about the place before moving here from a big city we've loved our little village, the surrounding sights, Norwich city and easy access to London (for a weekend).
Norfolk. 900,000 people, four surnames 
https://www.suffolkgazette.com/news/ceefax/
I find it a mixed county - either Nowheresville, or second-homers charging about in expensive 4x4s.
https://www.suffolkgazette.com/news/ceefax/
I find it a mixed county - either Nowheresville, or second-homers charging about in expensive 4x4s.
Put it this way, when I was 19, I couldn’t wait to leave, now I am nearly 59 I can’t wait to move back full time.
The point is that if you are younger and want a lively night life etc then maybe it can be a bit dull, but if you like rural pubs, walking your dogs on the beach, peace and quiet, being relatively close to nature (inc birdwatching etc), good golf courses, sailing/wind surfing/ paddle boarding, a feel of open spaces and light then it’s a good place to be. Plus it is generally drier and less cold in the winter than most places in the U.K.
If you like motorsport then Snetterton is more or less in the middle of the county, if you like WW2 or aviation museums then Duxford is not far away and world class, whilst there are a couple of tank museums. If you like country houses to visit there are several; there are open air concerts in the summer at places like Holkham Hall and outdoor art/ sculpture exhibitions at Houghton Hall, Norwich has theatres and is obviously the main city, and Kings Lynn has an Arts festival every year which includes a “fringe” type thing (“festival too”) where some acts warm up before going to Edinburgh.
The roads are not great but travel to London by train from Kings Lynn or Norwich is straightforward, Cambridge is not far away, and once you are at Peterborough or Cambridge you can get on the A1, M11 or A14 easily.
Like anywhere, there are good and bad places, probably best to come and stay for a couple of weeks holiday and have a very good look round. As I say, I can’t wait to move back.
The point is that if you are younger and want a lively night life etc then maybe it can be a bit dull, but if you like rural pubs, walking your dogs on the beach, peace and quiet, being relatively close to nature (inc birdwatching etc), good golf courses, sailing/wind surfing/ paddle boarding, a feel of open spaces and light then it’s a good place to be. Plus it is generally drier and less cold in the winter than most places in the U.K.
If you like motorsport then Snetterton is more or less in the middle of the county, if you like WW2 or aviation museums then Duxford is not far away and world class, whilst there are a couple of tank museums. If you like country houses to visit there are several; there are open air concerts in the summer at places like Holkham Hall and outdoor art/ sculpture exhibitions at Houghton Hall, Norwich has theatres and is obviously the main city, and Kings Lynn has an Arts festival every year which includes a “fringe” type thing (“festival too”) where some acts warm up before going to Edinburgh.
The roads are not great but travel to London by train from Kings Lynn or Norwich is straightforward, Cambridge is not far away, and once you are at Peterborough or Cambridge you can get on the A1, M11 or A14 easily.
Like anywhere, there are good and bad places, probably best to come and stay for a couple of weeks holiday and have a very good look round. As I say, I can’t wait to move back.
Edited by andy97 on Friday 26th November 11:11
I'm in Essex and have neighbours moving to Norfolk, they said that buying a house was a bunfight. They were 'interviewed' by the property developer and eventually deemed a suitable buyer.
I understand that with the working from home regime, many people living & working in London are leap frogging the commuter belt and buying directly in areas outside of it.
Nothing to back the above up but it does seem to add up.
I understand that with the working from home regime, many people living & working in London are leap frogging the commuter belt and buying directly in areas outside of it.
Nothing to back the above up but it does seem to add up.
andy97 said:
Put it this way, when I was 19, I couldn’t wait to leave, now I am nearly 59 I can’t wait to move back full time.
The point is that if you are younger and want a lively night life etc then maybe it can be a bit dull, but if you like rural pubs, walking your dogs on the beach, peace and quiet, being relatively close to nature (inc birdwatching etc), good golf courses, sailing/wind surfing/ paddle boarding, a feel of open spaces and light then it’s a good place to be. Plus it is generally drier and less cold in the winter than most places in the U.K.
If you like motorsport then Snetterton is more or less in the middle of the county, if you like WW2 or aviation museums then Duxford is not far away and world class, whilst there are a couple of tank museums. If you like country houses to visit there are several; there are open air concerts in the summer at places like Holkham Hall and outdoor art/ sculpture exhibitions at Houghton Hall, Norwich has theatres and is obviously the main city, and Kings Lynn has an Arts festival every year which includes a “fringe” type thing (“festival too”) where some acts warm up before going to Edinburgh.
The roads are not great but travel to London by train from Kings Lynn or Norwich is straightforward, Cambridge is not far away, and once you are at Peterborough or Cambridge you can get on the A1, M11 or A14 easily.
Like anywhere, there are good and bad places, probably best to come and stay for a couple of weeks holiday and have a very good look round. As I say, I can’t wait to move back.
I'm in this camp and actively looking at the moment. I'm almost centre of the country at the moment and miss the sea.The point is that if you are younger and want a lively night life etc then maybe it can be a bit dull, but if you like rural pubs, walking your dogs on the beach, peace and quiet, being relatively close to nature (inc birdwatching etc), good golf courses, sailing/wind surfing/ paddle boarding, a feel of open spaces and light then it’s a good place to be. Plus it is generally drier and less cold in the winter than most places in the U.K.
If you like motorsport then Snetterton is more or less in the middle of the county, if you like WW2 or aviation museums then Duxford is not far away and world class, whilst there are a couple of tank museums. If you like country houses to visit there are several; there are open air concerts in the summer at places like Holkham Hall and outdoor art/ sculpture exhibitions at Houghton Hall, Norwich has theatres and is obviously the main city, and Kings Lynn has an Arts festival every year which includes a “fringe” type thing (“festival too”) where some acts warm up before going to Edinburgh.
The roads are not great but travel to London by train from Kings Lynn or Norwich is straightforward, Cambridge is not far away, and once you are at Peterborough or Cambridge you can get on the A1, M11 or A14 easily.
Like anywhere, there are good and bad places, probably best to come and stay for a couple of weeks holiday and have a very good look round. As I say, I can’t wait to move back.
Edited by andy97 on Friday 26th November 11:11
Trouble is as has been said before, areas around Norwich especially are earmaked for massive development over the next few years.
Andy308, where about's was this in Norfolk?
Kwackersaki said:
andy97 said:
Put it this way, when I was 19, I couldn’t wait to leave, now I am nearly 59 I can’t wait to move back full time.
The point is that if you are younger and want a lively night life etc then maybe it can be a bit dull, but if you like rural pubs, walking your dogs on the beach, peace and quiet, being relatively close to nature (inc birdwatching etc), good golf courses, sailing/wind surfing/ paddle boarding, a feel of open spaces and light then it’s a good place to be. Plus it is generally drier and less cold in the winter than most places in the U.K.
If you like motorsport then Snetterton is more or less in the middle of the county, if you like WW2 or aviation museums then Duxford is not far away and world class, whilst there are a couple of tank museums. If you like country houses to visit there are several; there are open air concerts in the summer at places like Holkham Hall and outdoor art/ sculpture exhibitions at Houghton Hall, Norwich has theatres and is obviously the main city, and Kings Lynn has an Arts festival every year which includes a “fringe” type thing (“festival too”) where some acts warm up before going to Edinburgh.
The roads are not great but travel to London by train from Kings Lynn or Norwich is straightforward, Cambridge is not far away, and once you are at Peterborough or Cambridge you can get on the A1, M11 or A14 easily.
Like anywhere, there are good and bad places, probably best to come and stay for a couple of weeks holiday and have a very good look round. As I say, I can’t wait to move back.
I'm in this camp and actively looking at the moment. I'm almost centre of the country at the moment and miss the sea.The point is that if you are younger and want a lively night life etc then maybe it can be a bit dull, but if you like rural pubs, walking your dogs on the beach, peace and quiet, being relatively close to nature (inc birdwatching etc), good golf courses, sailing/wind surfing/ paddle boarding, a feel of open spaces and light then it’s a good place to be. Plus it is generally drier and less cold in the winter than most places in the U.K.
If you like motorsport then Snetterton is more or less in the middle of the county, if you like WW2 or aviation museums then Duxford is not far away and world class, whilst there are a couple of tank museums. If you like country houses to visit there are several; there are open air concerts in the summer at places like Holkham Hall and outdoor art/ sculpture exhibitions at Houghton Hall, Norwich has theatres and is obviously the main city, and Kings Lynn has an Arts festival every year which includes a “fringe” type thing (“festival too”) where some acts warm up before going to Edinburgh.
The roads are not great but travel to London by train from Kings Lynn or Norwich is straightforward, Cambridge is not far away, and once you are at Peterborough or Cambridge you can get on the A1, M11 or A14 easily.
Like anywhere, there are good and bad places, probably best to come and stay for a couple of weeks holiday and have a very good look round. As I say, I can’t wait to move back.
Edited by andy97 on Friday 26th November 11:11
Trouble is as has been said before, areas around Norwich especially are earmaked for massive development over the next few years.
Andy308, where about's was this in Norfolk?
The leapfrogging comment was from a well read friend of mine who said that the influx of new people was introducing some problems into the town centres.
From what my neighbours said, the dearth of available properties was creating situations similar to central London a few years ago - where offers had to be above the asking price.
I fully expect someone on the ground to contradict the above! I'm just making a contribution because it interests me and I think I'd love to live out that way.
As one who has lived here all of my 60 years,
I agree with much of what has already been said, the area has a lot going for it but only if it suits your lifestyle,There's a lot of nothing here and the roads are dire.
Generally on the coast its very quiet then its very busy for 12 weeks in the summer season.
Living on the coast in pretty much one of the most easterly villages in Suffolk as I do is great, but you are a long way from anything!
e.g. If I want a decent cinema it's Norwich a 60 mile round trip.
Another example, this is a 100 mile search radius for me when looking for a car. I stand more chance of buying aboat!
One thing I don't agree with is the comment about the weather being bad, It's the driest area of england by far apart from the odd easterly gale pretty good.
Moody coast walk picture to end on
I agree with much of what has already been said, the area has a lot going for it but only if it suits your lifestyle,There's a lot of nothing here and the roads are dire.
Generally on the coast its very quiet then its very busy for 12 weeks in the summer season.
Living on the coast in pretty much one of the most easterly villages in Suffolk as I do is great, but you are a long way from anything!
e.g. If I want a decent cinema it's Norwich a 60 mile round trip.
Another example, this is a 100 mile search radius for me when looking for a car. I stand more chance of buying aboat!
One thing I don't agree with is the comment about the weather being bad, It's the driest area of england by far apart from the odd easterly gale pretty good.
Moody coast walk picture to end on
Kwackersaki said:
I’ve noticed anything half decent is snapped up in a day or two around Norwich and some huge estates being built or planned around the coast.
Bradwell and Gorleston will soon be joined with Lowestoft.
Yes there are a couple of developments ongoing and planned but I can't see any joining up happening antime soon Bradwell and Gorleston will soon be joined with Lowestoft.
Easternlight said:
Yes there are a couple of developments ongoing and planned but I can't see any joining up happening antime soon
Weren’t they looking at the land on the left opposite beacon park along the bypass and then at the end of the bypass at barn owl lodge? If so, I guess it would take a few years though.It’s an understated part of the country. I’ve recently moved from Norwich itself to 10 mins down the road. The Broads start 5 mins walk from my front door and are perfect for paddleboarding etc. There are 3 or 4 really good bistro pubs minutes away & the coast and a choice of different beaches are 30 mins away - starting at Cromer and working your way round to Gorleston.
Norwich has a pretty decent arts & music scene & decent shops. The roads are slow thanks to Norwich City Council being utterly clueless when it comes to infrastructure.
It’s not on the bleeding edge of contemporary fashion & trends but poke around and you’ll be surprised. As mentioned above there is a lot of movement from London as it’s easily commutable by train.
Norwich has a pretty decent arts & music scene & decent shops. The roads are slow thanks to Norwich City Council being utterly clueless when it comes to infrastructure.
It’s not on the bleeding edge of contemporary fashion & trends but poke around and you’ll be surprised. As mentioned above there is a lot of movement from London as it’s easily commutable by train.
we moved to Attleborough 3 weeks ago, and plan to make it our last move. We had lived the other side of Cambridge (St Ives and then Cambourne) for 27 years and we wanted a change of pace - contrary to what people think about Internet speed and rural places we have full-fibre so working from home is a breeze.
I still work in Cambridge and commute daily on the train walking to the Railways Station. Closer to the coast, closer to the broads and 9 minutes from Snetterton. Each to their own but I don't miss the new developments, agro with parking all the time and no space.
Visit places a few times to get a view of them, at different times. So far I would say It's a more relaxed pace of life.
I still work in Cambridge and commute daily on the train walking to the Railways Station. Closer to the coast, closer to the broads and 9 minutes from Snetterton. Each to their own but I don't miss the new developments, agro with parking all the time and no space.
Visit places a few times to get a view of them, at different times. So far I would say It's a more relaxed pace of life.
We have lived here for 20 years with a short stint in Surrey in that time (2 years) then moved back if that tells you anything.
The good:
- Good value homes compared to 'down south - that said like most places our house has almost doubled in value over 8 years
- Lovely countryside, very close to lots of seas. My wife and I often go to Cromer most nights for evening walks
- Laid back, relaxed type of place
- Low congestion, nothing like Guildford
- Plenty of places to eat, not so much Michelin star, but there are a lot of nice restaurants spread around outside of Norwich
- Norwich is a nice slow, quiet city - if you like that kind of thing - nothing like London
- Good schools some really good private schools too
- Snetterton is in my backyard - really great racetrack. I often go down on an evening track day after work during the summer - perfect life really
- Bedford Autodrome and Cadwell not too far away either
- Great connections to London
- Airport north of Norwich
- Weather is probably one of the best in the country
The bad:
- Lots of "clicky" people, I've lived here for 20 years as mentioned but I am still considered an 'outsider
- Very slow traffic - people here are very bad drivers - drive with fog lights on, no indication, normally drive about 20mph below the speed limit etc etc. I would say the driving here is probably one of the worst in the whole country
- People are not that friendly - it's hard to make friends here
- can't think of any others
Overall - it's great living here we will likely never leave as they say!
The good:
- Good value homes compared to 'down south - that said like most places our house has almost doubled in value over 8 years
- Lovely countryside, very close to lots of seas. My wife and I often go to Cromer most nights for evening walks
- Laid back, relaxed type of place
- Low congestion, nothing like Guildford
- Plenty of places to eat, not so much Michelin star, but there are a lot of nice restaurants spread around outside of Norwich
- Norwich is a nice slow, quiet city - if you like that kind of thing - nothing like London
- Good schools some really good private schools too
- Snetterton is in my backyard - really great racetrack. I often go down on an evening track day after work during the summer - perfect life really
- Bedford Autodrome and Cadwell not too far away either
- Great connections to London
- Airport north of Norwich
- Weather is probably one of the best in the country
The bad:
- Lots of "clicky" people, I've lived here for 20 years as mentioned but I am still considered an 'outsider
- Very slow traffic - people here are very bad drivers - drive with fog lights on, no indication, normally drive about 20mph below the speed limit etc etc. I would say the driving here is probably one of the worst in the whole country
- People are not that friendly - it's hard to make friends here
- can't think of any others
Overall - it's great living here we will likely never leave as they say!
I moved in about 30 years ago, having grown up on the South Coast.
I really like it. Norwich is a lovely city, there is plenty of space in the countryside, a coast and Broads. Its not unlike Normandy.
There isn't any motorway - so if you want to get home somewhere then the last bit takes longer than you'd like. Also, getting from one place to another can take longer than expected as many roads are single carriageway. For example, I live just outside Norwich. Cromer is about 25 miles away. I'd allow an hour to get there using A roads.
I really like it. Norwich is a lovely city, there is plenty of space in the countryside, a coast and Broads. Its not unlike Normandy.
There isn't any motorway - so if you want to get home somewhere then the last bit takes longer than you'd like. Also, getting from one place to another can take longer than expected as many roads are single carriageway. For example, I live just outside Norwich. Cromer is about 25 miles away. I'd allow an hour to get there using A roads.
Duke Caboom said:
I live just outside Norwich. Cromer is about 25 miles away. I'd allow an hour to get there using A roads.
wannabe-racer said:
- Very slow traffic - people here are very bad drivers - drive with fog lights on, no indication, normally drive about 20mph below the speed
You two should compare notes....
One other thing I've remembered having left Norfolk last week the water hardness is abysmal!
Living just south of Norwich with easy access to the A11 I found if I left before 7am I could get to Milton Keynes in 90minutes. It was under 150minutes to Heathrow on the weekend even with the roadworks.
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