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Coastal town in Norfolk, England
Photo: diego_torres, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Cromer is a town on the North Norfolk coast famous for its crabs, fishermen and lifeboats. The North Norfolk coast is one of the most rapidly eroding coastlines in Europe. A thousand years ago Cromer was inland ('Crow Mere', the lake of crows seen on the town's coat of arms), and the coastal village was called Shipden. This is now several hundred metres out to sea.
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A pleasant walk eastwards from the town centre and affords fine views.
View and learn about a wide variety of animals from South America. Cafe and Gift Shop on site.
The beach at Cromer is public and free to access and rated very highly. The West Beach (west of the pier) is more built up, with toilets, a shop and a funfair. The East Beach (east of the pier) has fewer amenities. Walking east along the shore, you'll soon be out of the main tourist orbit, and even in the summer holidays you can have huge stretches of beautiful beach more or less to yourself. Even in winter it has a rugged grandeur. The most notable beach fauna is the edible crab (Carcinus edulis), served when available in local cafés and restaurants. Crab boats can be seen launching and returning with their catch.
The Cromer Museum is housed in several converted fishermen's cottages, and includes many interesting and picturesque arcana of local and town life. It also includes a few scraps of the famous West Runton Elephant. Some of the rest of this enormous fossil beast can be found in the Norwich Castle museum. There are also displays of local lore and legend including the Black Shuck.
Cromer Pier is one of the oldest in the country and has been damaged and restored several times. The Pavilion Theatre at the end of the pier runs a Seaside Special variety show during the summer season (June to September), and also around Christmas. There is lots of other entertainment throughout the year from ballet to variety to blues and folk and rock. Check the web-site for dates, times, prices, and tickets. Fireworks on the pier are a highlight on 1 January and in Carnival Week, and the pier is a good place to stand when observing the traditional Boxing Day Swim on 26 December. Beyond the theatre is the new lifeboat station. The old one is on shore, next to the Henry Blogg RNLI lifeboat museum.
Cromer Lifeboat Museum
Learn about the courageous lifesavers. See one of the lifesaving boats.
Sumptuous hall built from 1624 with Jacobean exterior and Georgian interior; it was inherited by the National Trust in 1969. The grounds include an attractive walled garden.
Like many Norfolk churches, it is much vaster than would seem to be necessary. Much of it was restored after partial destruction by a World War II bomb. The view from the tower is, reputedly, extensive.
shows all the latest releases. Screen one still has a mighty wurlitzer in it. Screen four is hardly bigger than one's front room. If you like 3D and ear-splitting surround sound, go elsewhere; it's a popular local cinema, even more so when it rains (frequently) during the summer holidays. It's also much cheaper than big city picture houses.
It offers a course as challenging as it is spectacular.
Surf school, paddle boarding, equipment hire.
East Runton Fish & Chip Shop
Great local café.
A room with a view, this is found on top of the lifeboat museum
Great when you need that all-day fry-up.
Homecooked Thai cuisine
Tea Rooms
Formerly Aristocrats Tea Rooms.
Take-away & restaurant.
Slightly posher than most, a short walk from the town centre.
Upmarket fish & chips restaurant and takeaway with views of the pier.
Has a small attached cafe specializing in sweet and savory waffles. Many of the ingredients are fresh grown on the farm.
Enjoy hot and cold drinks while painting pottery.
Live music occasionally on Saturdays. Also food & rooms.
Great selection of beers and superior bar food. A good place for a quiet pint overlooking the sea. Also food & rooms.
Also food.
Satellite TV. Free Wi-Fi.
Bed and breakfast on cliff drive.
No pets.
No pets.
No children, no pets, no one night stays.
3*
Off-beat small hotel in deer park, quirky mixture of antique, modern, and art-junk. Good dining.
Country inn with rooms, dog-friendly, and good restaurant.
Supermarket
ATMs.
Supermarket
ATMs.
Surf & skate shop.
Traditional Sweet Shop
http://www.black-bikes.co.uk
Sales, service & repair, hire.
By train
Cromer railway station is served by Greater Anglia trains, part of the National Rail network.
By bus
Cromer is served by several bus routes, including:
By car
Cromer is in the north-eastern corner of Norfolk.
By bicycle
Regional Cycle Route 30 goes through the town. The Norfolk cycling route, The Rebellion Way, passes close to the town through Sheringham.
On foot
Cromer is 23 miles from the centre of Norwich, and is a good base for exploring the north coast of Norfolk.
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Norwich, Norfolk · Regional · NWI
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