21 March 2024

Norfolking About! Day 1

Friday.  We finished loading the van up and set off about 1030 or so.  We had to navigate the Dartford Crossing and given that it was Friday, we were expecting a tough crossing.  

For some reason there are four lanes of traffic that approach from both sides. The Bridge coming south and the tunnels going north are also four lanes.  So why doesn't the traffic simply get in lane and drive through without miles of tailbacks on both sides?  There's a 50mph limit and that shouldn't cause any problems, but it does.  

Maybe the drivers that use it are too stupid for their own good!

Anyway although there was some traffic building up it wasn't as bad as we have seen it in previous occasions and we were through reasonably quickly. We usually stop at the services at Thurrock just after the Crossing but we had already planned a farm shop stop at one that had been recommended by The FrenchiesMotorhomies on YouTube.

To get there the Ohrex satnav had decided that we would take the M11/A11 route to Norwich and so this found us stopping for a comfort break at Birchanger on the M11.  It was okay getting in, but bedlam getting out as the roadworks around the junction allied with poorly timed traffic lights meant hardly anyone got out again onto the large roundabout each time they went green!

The next stop was that farm shop. The butcher's shop has some lovely local meat and we bought some of their Toulouse sausages and a pork pie. Some other bits and pieces including a local beer from the main shop.  Parking was easy enough.


Then we were off. The satnav then took us into the edge of Norwich on the laughingly named inner ring road.  Stop/start traffic until we got out to the airport.  We noticed that petrol and diesel is far more expensive here than at home. And that's unusual!

We eventually arrived at the Seacroft Caravan Club site at East Runton about 1630. Check in was simple and this is one of the sites that actually make a note of what  pitches are free.  As we were booked on a hardstanding but no awning pitch we had to look for a set of white pegs delimiting the pitch.  We had a choice of two.  We chose one nearest the entrance and less distance to walk through to the entrance and to the beach...

Once setup and the moho on the ramps and the electricity hooked up we had a cup of tea before venturing out to find the beach. We wanted to see how close it was for a day out the next day. In the end we managed to go the wrong way and ended up in a private area with the beach some 50 to 100 feet below us.  At least we knew now where we went wrong.

Tomorrow we will be out earlier and find the beach and walk along to Cromer pier and town.


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