Local Area Information
SIDESTRAND & OVERSTRAND - Sidestrand is an attractive slice of Norfolk nestled beside some beautiful sandy east coast beaches. There are many attractions within easy reach including the Norfolk Coastal Path and nearby Overstrand and Cromer offer plenty of attractions for everyone too. Golf, tennis, a zoo, pitch & putt, and iconic Pier with shows and plenty of places to eat and drink are all found in Cromer. Overstrand is just over a mile away; this understated Victorian seaside gem has a number of amenities such as a family pub/restaurant, village store, dog friendly cliff-top café – as well as a seafood shack. The wide sandy beach is much quieter than nearby Cromer and is perfect for swimming and surfing when the tide is out. There is a car park with public toilets above the beach, and access to the beach is via a long, gradually sloping path.
CROMER - approx 3 miles from Sidestrand, known as the Gem of the Norfolk Coast with its traditional pier with lifeboat station and Pavillion theatre, which still stages end of pier shows. The streets and alleys are crammed with shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes and although the fishing industry has declined over the years, Cromer Crabs are still as famous as ever and really should be sampled. On the outskirts of Cromer there is also the South American themed Amazona Zoo, a 10 acre site full of animals such as Jaguar, Monkeys and Flamingo.
MUNDESLEY – approx 4 miles from Sidestrand. Mundesley is a family holiday resort with a wonderful sandy beach, considered one of the best in Norfolk, with safe swimming for youngsters when the tide is out. The village contains a number of facilities including a small number of shops, eating places, pubs, tea rooms and possibly the smallest Maritime Museum in the country. Nearby Stow Mills is one of the best windmills in Norfolk and well worth a visit.
HOLT - approx 13 miles from Sidestrand, a traditional market town with the majority of the 200 shops and business services in Holt being independently owned and the sense of pride within this close knit community is a constant attraction to visitors. The town centre is beautifully compact and contains some fine Georgian Buildings.
SHERINGHAM - approx 7 miles from Sidestrand, an English seaside town, the Motto of the town granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban District Council, is Mare Ditat Pinusque Decorat, Latin for " The Sea enriches and the pine adorns". Sheringham is also home to the North Norfolk Steam Railway (The Poppy Line) which operates steam train rides to Holt. Sheringham also holds a very popular twice weekly market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
NORFOLK BROADS - approx 17 miles from Sidestrand, Norfolk is probably most famous for the man-made Broads, a National Park with over 125 miles of navigable lock-free waterways set in beautiful countryside and studded with charming and picturesque towns and villages.
HORSEY BEACH - approx 20 miles from Sidestrand, there are a number of trips around Norfolk that can be taken to see the Grey Seal colonies, my favourite during the months November to February has to be Horsey Beach, where a colony of Grey Seals come on to the beach to breed. The Horsey Colony is one of the few accessible mainland grey seal breeding sites in the UK, making it one of the best sites in the world to see the seal pups. This attraction is totally free apart from parking charges and of course the obligatory cup of tea we all have to have on outings. Once parked there is about a 2km walk across level fields to reach the beach, well worth a visit.
GREAT YARMOUTH - approx 30 miles from Sidestrand, famous as a family holiday destination bursting with fun things to do, activities for all, shows and attractions stretching along the fabled Golden Mile and the huge expanse of pristine beach.
NORWICH - approx 24 miles from Sidestrand, head inland to what is considered to be the capital of East Anglia. Norwich City Centre has streets that still carry a lot of their medieval charm, including some remains of the ancient city walls and a wealth of historic buildings. The Norman Cathedral is one of the finest in England with its magnificent cloisters and cathedral close. The majestic castle with its 12th century keep is prominently situated overlooking the city. The city has two shopping malls and there is a wonderful Riverside walk and Chapelfield Gardens. Norwich also boasts the largest permanent open air market in England, easy to explore on foot.
