Tucked away at the very top of Norfolk, Cromer is a quaint seaside town that time seems to have forgotten. As remote as you can get in Norfolk, it sits proudly on the headland, a solid 50-minute train journey from Norwich. Over a century since its heyday as a retreat for wealthy Victorian beach-goers, the town has managed to retain much of its original allure that drew prominent figures like Arthur Conan Doyle.
Guest houses perch on the cliffs; fishing boats come and go; life unfolds at a delightfully slow pace. Cromer is perfect for a mini getaway where you can discover all the joys the town has to offer. At the heart of the seafront lies Cromer's jewel - the pier. The 151m long Victorian structure boasts a sign at its entrance declaring it '2024 Pier of the Year', having clinched the title for the third time at the National Piers Society awards.
The pier stands as a symbol of resilience with some parts of its structure dating back to 1391. During WWII, the British Government blasted a hole in the pier's centre to stop invading forces from using it as a landing strip, inadvertently using so much dynamite that debris landed in the town centre.
The repaired pier nearly found itself submerged in the North Sea eight years post-war, when a fierce gale caused significant damage. Further storms have resulted in seven major repair jobs since then. The Cromer pier has shown commercial resilience too, remaining open while half of the British piers from the early 20th century are now closed. The pier bar scene is bustling and the side rails are filled with crab fishers dangling bacon into the sea. The end-of-pier shows are another highlight with the next one set to return next June for another three months of dazzling spectacle.
