Sheringham Short Break: Hiking Highs on the North Norfolk Coast

Take a self-guided trip to the Victorian seaside town of Sheringham, a charming spot and a good base for two days of walking Norfolk’s most dramatic cliffs. This area is part of the Deep History Coast, a shoreline formed two million years ago and riddled with fossils. It’s also where this famously flat county soars to its highest point (although it is only 105m…).

From Sheringham, there are wonderful walks both east and west. These will reveal the tranquil ruins of an 11th-century priory, landscaped parkland aflame with flowers, an ancient ridge once home to woolly mammoths and, thanks to this ‘high’ countryside, excellent views all round. Cosy up in a lovely B&B, not far from the promenade, breathe in the sea air and relax.

Tour Overview

The icons below highlight the distance, difficulty and theme of this itinerary.

Days

Distance

Walks from 10km to 14.5km

Difficulty

Easy

Landscape

Connecting Villages & Towns / By Water

Theme

History / Food & Drink / Wildlife / Coastal

Activities & Experiences

Walking / Heritage

Boats at Sherringham - Shutterstock (NE)

photo EGWT

Sheringham Short Break: Hiking Highs on the North Norfolk Coast

Here’s everything you need to help you plan your very own walking and exploring break in North Norfolk. Click on the blue arrow tabs below for more information. To save this itinerary to view later, use the Save to My Rucksack button at the top of the page.

Itinerary

Take a self-guided short break to North Norfolk’s Deep History Coast for a satisfying shot of hiking, history and heritage. The seaside town of Sheringham, accessible by train, makes an ideal base for forays along the Norfolk Coast Path and to the hills inland.

Day 1 Arrive in Sheringham

Head to the seaside the town of Sheringham, accessible by train. A crab and lobster fishing town, and popular Victorian holiday retreat, it has buckets-and-spades of charm, with a long promenade, a sand-and-shingle beach and plenty of little shops and tearooms.

Overnight in Sheringham.

Day 2 East from Sheringham

Strike out east from Sheringham to tackle some of Norfolk’s most undulating – and history-rich – terrain. The route leads past an old Second World War Wireless Interceptor station and up through woodland to the highest point in Norfolk – a mighty 105m!

Descend along the heathland of Incleborough Hill, where there are sweeping views to Cromer and beyond. Then rejoin the coast at the village of West Runton – the cliffs in this area are rich in fossils and a major dig here in 1995 revealed the most complete mammoth skeleton ever found in Britain. Finish the day by walking a bracing stretch of Coast Path to return to Sheringham.

Walk: 13km. Overnight in Sheringham.

Day 3 West from Sheringham

Today, wind out of Sheringham via the ruins of 11th-century Beeston Regis Priory – a serene spot – and carry on up through woodland to enter Sheringham Park. This landscaped swathe of grassland and gardens is a delight – follow the trails around the blooming rhododendrons and azaleas, and pass the small temple and the Gazebo (worth climbing for the views). Pop into the Visitor Centre and grab a snack from the cafe before continuing along the cliffs and following the Coast Path back to Sheringham.

Walk: 10.4km. Overnight in Sheringham.

Accommodation

The accommodation can be found in B&B’s in Sheringham, a few minutes’ walk from the centre and the promenade. It’s also close to the railway station.

Food & Drink

There’s plenty of choice along the North Norfolk Coast: expect excellent seafood. Sheringham has a selection of pubs, cafes and tea rooms – we can make recommendations.

Activities

This grade of this tour is easy to moderate. Most of the walking is relatively gentle, though there are a few climbs.

Walks

East from Sheringham, 13km
West from Sheringham, 10.4km

Experiences

Mix walks with other experiences along the Norfolk Coast Path.

North Norfolk Railway – Steam railway running between seaside Sheringham and the Georgian town of Holt.
Sheringham Park – Glorious countryside landscaped by Humphrey Repton in 1812.

Coastal England

The Norfolk Coast Path stretches around most of the county’s coast line, and will be part of the England Coast Path.

Travel

Sheringham is situated on the North Norfolk Coast about 55 minutes north of Norwich by car, via the A140/A149.

Sheringham has a railway station served by the Abellio Greater Anglia network. Trains run to and from Norwich via Cromer. To reach London you would need to change at Norwich for onward travel.

Sanders Coaches operates a local bus service, CH4, from Wells to Cromer