I’ve been to many countries around the world, and seen quite a lot of England, but there were two counties I’ve not been to and was intrigued to explore for a holiday…
Suffolk and Norfolk….
Since we were starting in Kent, it made sense to start with Suffolk as we pass through it first… its a county filled with natural beauty with rolling hillsides situated on the east coast of England, bordered by 50 miles of glorious coastline and topped with breathtakingly beautiful open skies, there were so many quaint villages and medieval towns that for centuries have drawn in artists and writers. I loved Bury St Edmunds with its Abbey and Cathedral and city full of history. Surrounded by beautiful countryside and steeped in over 1,000 years of history, Bury St Edmunds is the historic home of Saint Edmund, the original patron saint of England. In medieval times, the Abbey of St Edmund was one of the richest and most powerful Benedictine monasteries in the country, attracting pilgrims from across Europe to visit St Edmund’s shrine. Although the Abbey was dissolved in 1539, the mystery of Edmund’s final resting place remains—many believe he still lies hidden within the Abbey ruins.
I also loved Lavenham a few miles away, one of the prettiest villages I’ve ever seen I joked it evenmade Kent look ugly.
We went to Southwold on the coast and also Aldeburgh with bracing walks along the promenade by the North sea.
After that we went to Kings Lynn in Norfolk. King’s Lynn, the capital of West Norfolk, was one of England’s most important cities from the 13th century, and today it is proud of its maritime heritage, with many listed buildings, museums and medieval merchants’ homes along its cobbled streets and beside the atmospheric quays on the River Great Ouse that leads to The Wash and North Sea. And not far from there was Castle Rising, a quaint village full of character and history.
I liked Hunstanton on the north Norfolk coast full of families enjoying the late September sunshine, and I adored Wells next the sea too, a pretty village with a little harbour and nearby beach.
From there we went to stay near Norwich. Norwich claims to be the most complete medieval city in the United Kingdom It includes cobbled streets ancient buildings half-timbered houses many medieval lanes; and the winding River Wensum that flows through the city centre towards Norwich Castle. We spent nine hours walking around the city, inside the Cathedral and outside, it has the longest cloisters in the country, and the houses around it were so pretty, the whole city had a lovely elegant vibe of old mixed with more modern areas that delighted us as visitors.
Norfolk is possibly 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. There are plenty of places along the meandering waterways to explore pretty villages and market towns, or to stop at a welcoming pub. The UK’s largest nationally protected wetland and an important area for wildlife, the history of the Norfolk Broads is fascinating, as they are actually a man-made creation. The Broads were formed when people dug for peat in medieval times and then they were later flooded. The Victorians used them for transporting heavy loads but nowadays they are purely for pleasure. I loved Wroxham for its bustling town and sparkling waters and Ranworth for its peace and quiet.
Its been a lovely relaxing holiday and we were fortunate that the weather was mild and sunny which makes a big difference to exploring.
And I’ve taken a lot of inspiring photos that I know I will want to paint