Cromer

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.

Modern Cromer is a mélange of architectural styles. Everything from charming brick-and-flint and stately Georgian, to 1960s carbuncular to modern bungalows and caravan sites. But the heyday was the 19th century, as witnessed by several streets of tall townhouses (now mainly B&B hotels), the growth stimulated by the coming of the railways and when the popularity of the town and environs was raised by the writings of Clement Scott.

Get in

By car

The drive from Norwich on the A140 takes about 35-40 minutes. This is a much more dangerous road than it appears: at harvest time especially you should watch for farm vehicles emerging from side roads. You can also get to Cromer quite easily by bus from Norwich. The Coast Hopper operates throughout the year runs to Wells next the Sea with connections to Hunstanton. This is a great way to explore the coast. As you go west along the coast, especially after Sheringham, each village is more picturesque than the last. Lots of barn conversions and vernacular brick-and-flint architecture. By air, the nearest airport is at Norwich.

By train

Trains run hourly from Norwich, taking 45 min via Salhouse, Hoveton & Wroxham (for Bure Valley railway to Aylsham), Worstead, North Walsham and Gunton, and continuing to West Runton and Sheringham. The last train leaves Norwich around 11PM; in 2022 a walk-up single is £8.70.

The 🌍 railway station is on Holt Rd half a mile west of town centre. It has ticket machines but no office or toilets. There is level access to the sole platform.

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
  • Norfolk Coast Path. A long distance (63 miles) footpath originally ending at Cromer (running westwards to Hunstanton) but the path now run westwards to Sea Palling. Links to the Peddlars Way long distance footpath near Hunstanton (updated Jun 2017)
  • The Weavers' Way (56 miles) ling distance footpath runs to the town from Great Yarmouth.

Get around

Cromer is 23 miles from the centre of Norwich, and is a good base for exploring the north coast of Norfolk. Cromer is on several main roads: to Norwich, Holt, along the coast to Sheringham to the west and Overstrand to the west, which can get congested in the town centre especially during the summer months. Although Cromer bustles at all times of the year it is much busier in the summer, especially during Carnival Week in mid-August. There are several car parks inside the town, all of which are pay-and-display. Competition for the few free parking bays is fierce. On the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month, Cromer's Market is held inside the Meadow Car Park, reducing the number of available spaces.

In Cromer and in general in East Anglia, bringing or hiring a car is highly recommended as the area has many small villages and towns separated by long country roads. There are quite a few reasonably good local bus companies (Sanders is the main one) and although Cromer is remarkably hilly for Norfolk, cycling is a good way to get around.

See
  • 🌍 The Lighthouse, Overstrand Rd, Cromer, NR27 0JH. A pleasant walk eastwards from the town centre and affords fine views. 
  • 🌍 Amazona Zoo, Hall Road, Cromer, NR27 9JG, ☏ +44 1263 510741, . 10AM-5PM (last admission 4PM). View and learn about a wide variety of animals from South America. Cafe and Gift Shop on site. £11.50 adult, £8.50 child (other options). (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Cromer Beach, Runton Rd, Cromer, NR27 9HP. 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. (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Cromer Museum, East Cottages, Tucker Street, Cromer, NR27 9HB (near the church), ☏ +44 1263 513543, . 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. (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Cromer Pier and Pavilion Theatre, ☏ +44 1263 512495. 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. 
  • 🌍 RNLI Henry Blogg Museum (Cromer Lifeboat Museum), The Rocket House, The Gangway, Cromer, NR27 9ET, ☏ +44 1263 511294, . February to early December: 10AM-4PM. Learn about the courageous lifesavers. See one of the lifesaving boats. Free. 
  • 🌍 Felbrigg Hall, Felbrigg NR11 8PR, ☏ +44 1263 837444, . Daily 9:30AM-4:30PM. 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. Gardens £8. (updated Apr 2021)
  • 🌍 Cromer Church, Church St, Cromer, NR27 9HH. 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. (updated Apr 2017)

Do
  • Cromer has three Amusement Arcades on or near the Promenade.
  • Go gillying – catch edible crabs with a line, bait, weight and net from Cromer Pier, or attend the Cromer Crab Festival.
  • Surf – believe it or not, Cromer and nearby East Runton offer reasonable surfing.
  • 🌍 Regal Movieplex, 2-4 Hans Place, Cromer, NR27 9EQ, ☏ +44 1263 510151. 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 earsplitting surroundsound, 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. (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Royal Cromer Golf Club, 145 Overstrand Rd, Cromer, NR27 0JH, ☏ +44 1263 512884. It offers a course as challenging as it is spectacular. (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Glide Surf School, Cromer Promenade, Cromer, NR27 9HE, ☏ +44 1263 805005, . Surf school, paddle boarding, equipment hire. (updated Apr 2017)

Buy
  • Shopping: Cromer has many of the usual chain stores, charity shops and so on, but has a selection of unusual independent gift shops, secondhand book stores, grocers, hardware stores and so on, and in the Crossways tobacconists, one of the last of its kind.
  • 🌍 Morrisons (Supermarket), Holt Rd, Cromer, NR27 9SW, ☏ +44 1263 515275. M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM. ATMs. (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Co-Op (Supermarket), Middlebrook Way. Holt Rd, Cromer, NR27 9JR, ☏ +44 1263 511277. M-F 8AM-9PM, Sa 8AM-8PM, Su 10AM-4PM. ATMs. (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Wet Dog Surf Shop, 7 Tucker St, Cromer, NR27 9HA, ☏ +44 1263 519703, . M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Surf & skate shop. (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Amy's Sweet Shop (Traditional Sweet Shop), 11b West Street, Cromer, NR27 9HZ, ☏ +44 1263-511418, . M Tu 9AM-5PM, W 9:30AM-1PM, Th-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 11AM-4PM. (updated Apr 2017)

Cyclists

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Accommodation is plentiful and cheap, especially out of season.

Stay healthy
  • 🌍 Nearest Accident & Emergency: Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital (Casualty or the Emergency Room), Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UY (25 miles S of the town.). 24/7. (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Minor Injuries Unit, Cromer and District Hospital, Mill Road, Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 0BQ. Daily 8AM-8PM. Minor head injuries (with no loss of consciousness) simple wounds; Simple eye conditions, foreign body, corneal abrasions; minor burns; soft tissue injury; bites and stings, with no associated complications, or acute reaction; simple fractures; fingers that may be broken or dislocated (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Cromer Group Practice (GP/Primary Healthcare), 48 Overstrand Rd, Cromer, NR27 0AJ, ☏ +44 1263 513148. M 8:30AM-6PM, Tu 8:30AM-1PM & 2-6PM, W-F 8:30AM-6PM. (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Corner House Dental Practice, 24 Norwich Rd, Cromer, NR27 0AX, ☏ +44 1263 512390. M-F 8:30AM-5PM. (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Lloyds Pharmacy, 51 Church Street, Cromer, NR27 9HH, ☏ +44 1263 512171. M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-5:30PM. (updated Apr 2017)

Connect

As of July 2022, Cromer and its approach roads have 4G from EE, O2 and Vodafone, but no signal from Three. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next
  • Blakeney (Norfolk) with Blakeney Point Seal Colony and Norfolk Wildlife Trust Cley Marshes Nature Reserve
  • Hunstanton
  • Wells-next-the-Sea with its oysters and its seal-watching trips.
  • Weybourne
  • Norwich
  • Walking long distance North Norfolk Coast Path that leads via spectacular cliffs, breathtaking beaches and charming woodland to Hunstanton westbound and Sea Palling eastbound. A lovely walk at low tide is the mile between Cromer and Overstrand, which has refreshments and loos, and back again. Where else can you walk a mile completely barefoot?
  • Along the coast - to the west, visit the village of Overstrand. This was once very fashionable with some spectacular houses and one or two fairly upscale hotels such as the Sea Marge, reminiscent of an earlier age.
  • Inland - lovers of great houses can visit Blickling Hall (National Trust) nr Aylsham, home of the Boleyns, with lovely gardens and one of the best secondhand bookshops anywhere
  • National Trust's Sheringham Park, woodland park and gardens with coastal views.
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