Norfolk train & cycle

A trip I'd been planning to do for a while but had never got cheap train fares, heritage railway times and free time to coincide.

From Chesterfield there is a through train to Norwich (from Liverpool) so on the way out I took that to Thetford and changed to get a train that stopped at Wymondham. Then onto the Brompton and cycle to a small village called Thaxted to get the first heritage railway (Mid Norfolk Railway) to Dereham, then another cycle to the first night stop north of Dereham.

Next morning off again by bike to Walsingham to pick up the Wells and Walsingham railway to Wells, this is the longest 10 1/4" gauge railway in the world. Back on the bike heeading for Holt with a lunch stop on the way in a welcoming flint walled pub.

In Norfolk you are rarely far away from an old airfield and I passed several on this day including Little Snoring and another with the huge concrete runways crossing the road and a small museum.

I arrived in Holt with plenty of time to spare and after a look round the town cycled out to the North Norfolk station which has a small museum. The steam hauled trip took me along the coast to Sheringham where I stayed for the second night in a pub with a room overlooking the sea. After an excellent meal a walk along the sea front in pouring rain reminded me how desolate an English seaside town can be!

A wet start the next morning which soon stopped as I cycled towards Aylesham to ride on the Bure Valley railway to Wroxham.

At Wroxham its just a short walk to the mainline station although I had time to ride into town to look at the river. Train into Norwich, then direct train back to Chesterfield!