what to do 

May we at the Knoll take this opportunity to tell you a little about the history and the tourist industry of our area.

In spite of the mistaken legend that the scenery is unattractive, Norfolk has become one of the great holiday centres of Great Britain. Although it is true that no part of the county is higher than 300 feet above sea level, there is little of  the dead-flat, steam-rolled scenery so typical of say, parts of Essex or Lincolnshire. The marshlands of the Broads, and the salt marsh country in the north of our area have a subtle charm of their own.

The wooded country around Cromer and Sheringham is  hills dressed in pine, heather and gorse, thus taking on an aspect that could never be deduced by the study of the contours on the map.  Then there are the rolling parklands of the Waveney  country, the moorlands and forests of  Breckland, the chalk downs of West Norfolk, the grand cliffs of Sheringham through to Mundesley. All the fine scenery that has inspired artists of the highest calibre for many decades. Yes,  indeed a great holiday location with many things to do and see, there is no need to get bored what ever the weather.

Cromer itself was born out of a fishing village and a port where sailing ships landed on the long flat sandy beaches to unload their cargoes. In that period there were no railways and the access by road was very bad. In Victorian times the railways came to Cromer;  the M. & G.N and the L.M.G.N.R both came to different stations, Cromer High Station and Cromer Beach Station. With easy access to the industrial Midlands, the North and also London, the tourist industry was born. Large hotels were built as well as many rows of Victorian  houses, many of which became Guest Houses in the rapidly expanding tourist industry ( including the Knoll). There is a wealth of attractions that have built up over the years, as well as the many natural features that we  have been blessed with.

The Norfolk Broads contain nearly 200 miles of navigable waterways, developed from peat workings, rivers and lakes. There are quaint towns and villages and many miles of unspoilt countryside, with an absolute wealth of nature: herons, coots, moorhens, swans, grebes, ducks, Chinese water deer, otters and many more. Day trips are available from most of the larger Broadland towns, and we ourselves can take parties of six to ten people out for the day, with either a picnic or a pub lunch. 24 hours notice is required.

The salt marshes of the Yare, Waveney and the  northern coastline are also a haven for British and migratory birds, and sightings of rare visiting birds, often blown off their migratory routes, are regularly made.  There are many nature reserves that can be visited in this area.

Cromer and it's surrounding area is ideal for the walker and the cyclist amongst us with cliff and coastal walks, as well as quiet lanes and country walks. To the south you can walk along the cliff-top to Overstrand, going out of the town,  past the putting greens and the old Coastguard look-out station and onwards to the lighthouse, with it's lamp house 58feet above ground level, and 274feet above sea level. The lighthouse is now fully automatic with a candle power of 80,000, the light flashes five times every fifteen seconds day and night every day of the year. (Visits can be arranged) From this point there are great views all round.  East over the Royal Cromer Golf Course to Overstrand, inland over delightful  hills and woodland, and to the West, most of the town of Cromer can be seen (spot the Knoll Guest House on the other side of the town) together with many rows of  old fishing cottages. From here carry on eastward, over soft grassy glades and sandy paths along the edge of the golf course to the small fishing village of Overstrand, where at the centre of the village, on the cliff top, is a quaint cafe where you can have lunch, afternoon tea or simply a good old cuppa before you walk back to Cromer along the beach. Beach walks can be great fun for all the family, there are fossils to be found, belemnite being the most common,( these tend to look like old bullets) they are the fossilized back bones of Squid and thousands of years old, Crabs, shrimps and small fish can be found in the rock-pools under stones if you are quick and quiet, different kinds of sea-weed and dead sea life  like star fish etc. can be seen on the high tide mark. These activities are great fun for children and adults too,  pastimes that have been forgotten in our modern age. All this, while taking in the magnificence of the tall cliffs and beach scenery. Of course, you can walk even further along the beaches and when you get tired you only have to climb up one of the many cliff paths to the villages and the coast road, where you can catch one of the fairly frequent buses back to Cromer.

If you choose to go Westward you have the delightful fishing villages of East & West Runton and on past Beeston Bump (a noticeable hill on the skyline of the cliffs) as you approach Sheringham, a quaint, close built fishing town. (Famous because I was born there. Ha! Ha!). Sheringham has it's own steam railway (some diesel as well) which is about 7 miles long, winding it's way from the station westwards out by the side of the golf course, then inland first over farmland then heath land up to the village of Weybourne. The stations at Sheringham and Weybourne are often used for film and TV locations. The railway continues on to Holt which is worthy of a visit with it's olde worlde, out of the ordinary, shops. There is a horse drawn carriage that can be taken from the station in to the town during the tourist season, otherwise the town centre is at least a mile walk, past the famous Gresham's School and the Kelling Hospital, a former sanatorium.

There are many stately homes in the area; Felbrig Hall, a National Trust property, is within walking distance, Blickling Hall, Holkham Hall and Houghton Hall are not too far away. Another place of interest is the famous Sandringham House,  bought for the Royal Family for it's good shoots that are to be found on the  Estate. The house and the estate are still very much in use by the Royal Family, who always spend Christmas there.  There are many public roads through the estate which means that on occasions, you can spot Royalty and famous people on the shoots or riding.

There  are many other places of interest such as the Muckleburgh Collection (military vehicles); museums in Norwich, Cromer and Sheringham; the Shire Horse centre, where working heavy horses can be seen working ; Langham Glass and many more attractions for you to enjoy.

I hope this information has wetted your appetite, and that we see you soon  here in Cromer. 

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