Norfolk Slow Travel

Slow Norfolk, although selective, includes the whole of Norfolk from Great Yarmouth and the Broads to the east to the Fens of the far west, from the iconic North Norfolk coast to the Breckland region to the south. The Norfolk landscape is far more variable than many imagine and not quite as flat as it is usually reputed to be. The North Norfolk coast, considered to be one of the most beautiful stretches in England, is also a hugely important habitat for wildlife especially migrating birds. The interior of the county tends to be more overlooked yet also much to offer, especially in terms of landscape, historic monuments and characterful market towns. The county has a rich mix of architectural variety, with numerous country houses, medieval churches, Roman forts and Norman castles. The county capital Norwich is an important centre for art and culture, with its acclaimed Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts and the annual, highly rated Norwich and Norfolk Festival.

Laurence Mitchell, long-time resident of Norfolk, invites travellers to the region to take a leisurely sojourn around both the well known sights and off-the-beaten track secrets in a personal tour that takes in the coast and villages, remote marshes, beaches, shingle banks, towns and cities of Norfolk and Suffolk. Conservation projects, boat trips, cycle and walking tours, wildlife and bird watching and distinctive vernacular architecture are just some of the attractions which Laurence describes in his distinctive voice, as well as all the practical details you need for an easy relaxing break. What's more, the unique accommodation descriptions from Alastair Sawday mean that you can be sure of a truly 'slow' visit.

This new, thoroughly updated second edition of Bradt's Norfolk, part of the distinctive 'Slow travel' series of guides to UK regions, remains the only full-blown standalone guide available to this county of contrasts, from the fine medieval city of Norwich to the watery wilderness of the Broads and the sweeping beaches of the superlative north Norfolk coast. As well as featuring all the main sights, Bradt's Norfolk covers places and aspects of the region not detailed by other guidebooks and has a special emphasis on car-free travel, walking, local food and pubs. It also includes personal anecdotes and the views of local people as well as tapping into the Norfolk-based author's considerable knowledge of the region. Making a virtue of being selective, the guide points visitors to the cream of the area, but includes the whole of Norfolk from Great Yarmouth and the Broads in the east to the Fens of the far west, from the iconic north Norfolk coast to the Breckland region to the south. Places to eat and drink are selected by the author based upon long-standing knowledge of the area, in particular delving into aspects of local distinctiveness and character. Flora and fauna are also covered, detailing the many wildlife sites within the county that are home to rare species, including the iconic Swallowtail butterfly, and information is provided on many of the best birdwatching spots. Hiking and biking, literary and artistic connections, canoeing and water-based activities, local food and drink, and all the practical information you could need are included, helping to make this the must-have guide for all visitors to this beguiling county. Written in an entertaining style combining personal narrative with authoritative information, Bradt's Norfolk has all the most up-to-date information you could need for a successful visit.

This new, expanded and thoroughly updated third edition of Suffolk (Slow Travel), part of Bradt’s award-winning series of Slow travel guides to UK regions, remains the only full-blown standalone guide to this gentle but beguiling county. Expert local author Laurence Mitchell helps visitors discover what makes Suffolk tick, combining personal insights, enjoyable anecdotes and up-to-date information on the best places to visit, stay and eat. Covering both popular sights and places beyond the usual tourist trail, he caters for walkers, cyclists, families, foodies, culture vultures and wildlife lovers alike. Helped by its proximity to London and Cambridge, Suffolk is a popular holiday destination. Events such as the Latitude festival and the Aldeburgh Music Festival at Britten’s Snape Maltings keep the county’s profile buoyant. Despite being comparatively low-lying, Suffolk boasts varied landscapes, from undulating farmland and sandy heaths to extensive forests, important nature reserves (including Minsmere, for three years the base of BBC Springwatch) and soft, dreamy coastal landscapes comprising river estuaries, remote marshes, reed-beds, shingle beaches (notably Shingle Street, with its myth of World War II invasions) and dunes. Suffolk’s coastal towns and villages – Southwold with its old-fashioned pier and colourful beach huts, but also Aldeburgh, Orford, Walberswick and Dunwich – are steeped in art heritage, with links to artists including Maggi Hambling, John Piper, Philip Wilson Steer and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Venturing inland, you can make for Constable Country and the Stour valley, Bury St Edmunds, Framlingham, Bungay, Beccles or Halesworth. Alternatively, you can visit some of Suffolk’s wealth of medieval churches, learn of Rendlesham’s UFOs or revere Suffolk’s Anglo-Saxon heritage, notably the medieval ceremonial burial site at Sutton Hoo (whose discovery stars in the 2021 film The Dig) and the reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village at West Stow. This guide makes a virtue of being selective, pointing readers to the cream of the area. It is organised into locales to encourage ‘stay put’ tourism and thorough exploration. It suggests options for car-free travel: walking, cycling, river boats, buses and trains. Written in an entertaining yet authoritative style, Bradt’s Suffolk (Slow Travel) is the ideal companion with which to discover this county.

This new, expanded and thoroughly updated third edition of Suffolk (Slow Travel), part of Bradt’s award-winning series of Slow travel guides to UK regions, remains the only full-blown standalone guide to this gentle but beguiling county. Expert local author Laurence Mitchell helps visitors discover what makes Suffolk tick, combining personal insights, enjoyable anecdotes and up-to-date information on the best places to visit, stay and eat. Covering both popular sights and places beyond the usual tourist trail, he caters for walkers, cyclists, families, foodies, culture vultures and wildlife lovers alike. Helped by its proximity to London and Cambridge, Suffolk is a popular holiday destination. Events such as the Latitude festival and the Aldeburgh Music Festival at Britten’s Snape Maltings keep the county’s profile buoyant. Despite being comparatively low-lying, Suffolk boasts varied landscapes, from undulating farmland and sandy heaths to extensive forests, important nature reserves (including Minsmere, for three years the base of BBC Springwatch) and soft, dreamy coastal landscapes comprising river estuaries, remote marshes, reed-beds, shingle beaches (notably Shingle Street, with its myth of World War II invasions) and dunes. Suffolk’s coastal towns and villages – Southwold with its old-fashioned pier and colourful beach huts, but also Aldeburgh, Orford, Walberswick and Dunwich – are steeped in art heritage, with links to artists including Maggi Hambling, John Piper, Philip Wilson Steer and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Venturing inland, you can make for Constable Country and the Stour valley, Bury St Edmunds, Framlingham, Bungay, Beccles or Halesworth. Alternatively, you can visit some of Suffolk’s wealth of medieval churches, learn of Rendlesham’s UFOs or revere Suffolk’s Anglo-Saxon heritage, notably the medieval ceremonial burial site at Sutton Hoo (whose discovery stars in the 2021 film The Dig) and the reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village at West Stow. This guide makes a virtue of being selective, pointing readers to the cream of the area. It is organised into locales to encourage ‘stay put’ tourism and thorough exploration. It suggests options for car-free travel: walking, cycling, river boats, buses and trains. Written in an entertaining yet authoritative style, Bradt’s Suffolk (Slow Travel) is the ideal companion with which to discover this county.

Norfolk is a very distinctive county, the most easterly in the British Isles. With the North Sea and The Wash to the east and north it is relatively close to the Netherlands, but Norwich is only a couple of hours by train from London. It has been a center of great political power, but is on no major transport routes, so has no motorways and has been largely bypassed by the Industrial Revolution. As a result, many of its towns and villages are relatively unspoiled, so have kept their old buildings and character and are a delight to visit. Although known for its wide open landscapes, of which there are many, Norfolk has an abundance of delightful corners and beautiful gardens where it is the miniature that charms and tranquillity reigns. This beautiful photo book captures the essence of Norfolk's varied landscapes in sumptuous images and an informative text that gets underneath the surface of why things look like they do. The Norfolk Broads, Breckland, The Waverley Valley, The Fens and the coastlines are explored in turn along with the wildlife you can encounter on the way. In addition, Norfolk's lovely churches that punctuate every view, and the distinctive traditional buildings that give each area its special flavor are featured. Doug Kennedy has roamed the County on foot and by boat, seeking out what makes each place special and applying his photographer's eye to capture the scene perfectly. It is a book for everyone who loves the Norfolk to treasure, and a splendid introduction to its landscape for those less familiar with a classic corner of England.

This new, thoroughly updated third edition of Sussex (Slow Travel), Bradt’s much-praised guide, features the South Downs, High Weald and coast, and offers a greater, more personal selection of places to explore than any other guide. Author Tim Locke and updater Emma Gregg, both expert residents, take a leisurely, detailed approach that teases out Sussex’s special qualities. The result is highly personal and honest, encouraging you to slow down and gain a deep understanding of what makes this stunning region tick and why it deserves repeat visits. Sussex may be less than 50 km from the fringes of London (and easily accessed from the capital), and only minutes from Gatwick’s international airport, but is a very different world thanks to its irresistible blend of history, archaeology, seaside towns, thatched villages, centuries-old buildings, world-class gardens, literary connections and quintessentially English scenery. Sussex offers much scope for ‘Slow travel’ with or without a car, including ten meticulously described walks, pottering around on bikes, steam trains, volunteer-run buses, or on small boats (including a solar-powered craft in Chichester harbour). The writing team directs expert eyes on places and experiences that deserve savouring to the full – the very best (if sometimes delightfully obscure) sights. Their choices take in the heights of the South Downs, encounter the primeval landscapes of the High Weald and pick out the best of Sussex’s long coastline. Their selection includes easily-to-miss gems, from a full-size replica of the Sistine Chapel ceiling in an obscure modern church to a unique Hastings factory providing cloth flowers for movies and theatres. New or expanded coverage in this edition includes the Tolkein-like ancient yew forest of Kingley Vale, stoolball (a Sussex-special alternative to cricket), Sussex viniculture (particularly champagnes), Roman baths and mosaics, the world-class gardens of Leonardslee, the painstakingly restored saloon in Brighton’s Royal Pavilion, the WWII Wings Museum, renovations on East Brighton beach, and Knepp’s groundbreaking rewilding project. From beaches to castles, cathedrals to modern art, restored mansions to vernacular architecture, Bradt’s Sussex (Slow Travel) is the essential guide for discovering this popular region.