Route to Great Yarmouth

[Ramblingrose]

Hi there, Im hoping one of you lovely folks can help with my request.

Normally we stick to Wales or Devon/Cornwall but we are off to Great Yarmouth for the first time this year at Whitsun and as I am the resident satnav for our outfit, can anyone help me decide the best route please? Never been out this way ever so need some help navigating the route for the husband.

We will be approaching East Anglia from the Midlands, down the A14 as far as Huntingdon, and then is the route by Cambridge the best option? as I have heard its a nightmare at Bank Holiday time.

I have identified an alternative route up past Ely to Downham Market then across to Norwich and Great Yarmouth but it does look a bit further around.

 

[ThePlotter]

The route via Downham Market (not Ely) is fine with generally quiet roads,however when we go over that way to friends we go A14 (watch the speed cameras there are masses of them)then off to Thetford then to or I should say around Norwich and off to Gt Yarmouth.The only slowish bit is that from the A14 to Thetford as it is not dual carriageway but is not far.Look out on this road for Muntjack.

 

[David.O]

Ramblingrose.

You do not say which day you are traveling, but if its from Thursday pm you will be in the Huntington area then I would look for an alliterative route. Both A14 and A11 can be slow from Huntington to Thetford. but the alternative is a long way round.

At Huntington take the A1123 to Stretham A10. Keep on A10 to Downham Market then A1123 to Swaffham then A47 to Yarmouth.All of the main roads will be slow but you will see the fens and breckland countryside if you take the alternative route

David from Suffolk

 

[KeithandSuefromNorwich]

In my opinion, anyone who books a holiday in GY deserves all the help they can get with the route.

The route David has given you, through Downham and Swaffham and the A47, is fine. Alternatively, stay on A14 to Bury St Edmunds and pick up the A143 all the way to GY. The A143 is single carriageway, but virtually free of traffic most of the time.

What on earth possessed you to book at GY? It's the one place in Norfolk to avoid like the plague. Please don't judge our beautiful county by it.

Good luck

Keith from Norwich

 

[Ramblingrose]

Thanks for all your helpful replies to my question of the best route.

In answer to Keith's question as to why Great Yarmouth?

We have holidayed so much in Wales and Devon/Dorset/Cornwall that we are running out of new things to do in these places so thought it was time to go East.

We've not been over that side of the country before, so this is going to be a bit of a tester trip to suss out the best places. I had already worked out that Great Yarmouth could be a bit like Blackpool( all beer and chips etc)but Im hoping the surrounding countryside will have loads to offer.

There are a few National Trust places to go see that are too far away from Herefordshire to do as a day trip plus the Norfolk Broads, and all the coastline to explore.

We are not actually staying right in Great Yarmouth but at the Haven, Wild Duck site nearby. Being a Haven site, hopefully it will be a reasonable standard but will probably be noisy until all the weekenders go home.

 

[jacky3]

have to agree with keith,not that i like to slag places off,but!!!.

yarmouth was the worst place, and holiday we have ever had.

admittingly it was some years ago(room i suppose for a LOT of improvement)the site we were on was dirty,crowded and you literally had to hide and tie things down as the locals just theived everything(bikes especially).consequently we have never been back or are likely to do so.yes i agree it's probably a minority who spoil it for everyone but until that minority is eliminated the rot stays in.

 

[JD6620]

My wife and I love Norfolk, but I have to say we avoid Great Yarmouth like the plague, and would certainly not stay there. We always stay at Broadlands CC Site (Members only) between Potter Heigham and Wroxham. A nice peacfull site, out in the country and in the midst of the Broads (200yds from river). Great Yarmouth is just way to commerciallised for our liking. Norfolk is a beautifull county and the coast north of GY is wonderfull. My advice is to find somewhere else to stay, but where ever you stay I hope you enjoy Norfolk.

 

[KeithandSuefromNorwich]

I actually feel sorry for Great Yarmouth and the people who live there. I believe that it is officially one of the most deprived areas in the EU. The place must generate millions of pounds in income from the mass of visitors, yet very little of it funnels into making it a nice place to live in or visit.

On my rare excursions there, I feel embarrassed that people have been enticed there under what can only be false advertising.

The chips on the market are good, though!!

Keith from Norwich

 

[markemall]

hi someone has already mentioned speed cameras on the A14 just a word of warning on these they are now changing them to the SPECS (average speed cameras) by far the worst part of the A14 is going to be the stretch from Huntingdon to Cambridge some one mentioned the A1123 to Stretham this road is in places extreamly bumpy.

Your best bet is to get off the A14 at Godmanchester pick up the A1198 towrds Papworth Everard then turn east on to the A421 towards cambridge they are doing road works along the A421 but it is the lesser of 2 evils !!

We in the huntingdon area are really up against it when it comes to getting around.

Good luck. Tony

 

[Ramblingrose]

Just thought I would update this thread now I have been to Great Yarmouth for Bank Holiday week.

I must admit I was a bit apprehensive of what it would be like after reading some of the more negative replies to my original query.

Yes Great Yarmouth is a bit big and brash, but the overall impression I got was that it was very similar to Weston Super Mare. Very similar for cleanliness and facilities.

We were stopping at the Haven Wild Duck campsite which is 4 miles out of town so could escape back to the countryside each night. The surrounding countryside is lovely, particularly around Cromer.

With the weather being so awful over the Bank Holiday it was good to be somewhere where you could do indoor things like the Sealife centre, and the museums in Great Yarmouth.

We did get some sun on Wednesday and Thursday and I even got sunburnt sat outside the caravan so it was a week of extremes for the weather.

The Wild Duck campsite is quite good, but I must admit I did not like their unmarked pitches and it was all a bit higgledy-piggledy in the section we were in. Shower block was kept clean. I think if we go that way again we would try a campsite near Cromer.