Hickling Campsite
Cycling UK Louth
Date: Monday 25th September till Thursday 28th September 2023
Venue: Hickling Campsite OS Grid Reference TG 40204 22432
Hickling Campsite, Heath Road, Hickling, Norwich, NR12 0AU
Cost: Car+Tent £16 per person per night
The site has access to many facilities: showers, toilets, washing up points, a small shop and cafe.
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In addition to the campsite shop and cafe, the 'Greyhound Inn' is less than a mile to the north. Food is served 12pm to 2:30pm for lunch, and 6pm to 9pm for dinner, everyday except Thursday. In the neighboring village of Catfield, there's 'The Crown Inn'. Closed on Monday but open for food and drink from 6.00 pm on Tuesday onwards.
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*For those wanting B and B there are several choices in the village and local area including Lawson Cottage and 'Meadow Farm' right alongside the campsite. Some may like to share self catering accommodation.
We'll leave bookings to individual members.*
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ACTIVITIES
There's no requirement to do anything other than relax and enjoy the facilities and countryside.
Nearby there's Norfolk Wildlife Trust's Hickling Broad Nature Reserve where the elusive Common Crane can be seen (if you are lucky). To the west there's Wroxham, the capital of the Broads, whilst to the east a variety of coastal villages in part connected by the scenic Sustran's NCN Route 30 which runs between Cromer and Great Yarmouth.
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In the past we've visited the National Trust Horsey Windpump on the far side of the Mere (which has a tea room), Stalham with its Museum of the Broads, How Hill Trust Gardens (which has a tea room), RAF Neatishead Radar Museum (which has a tea room) and St. Benet's Abbey to name just a few of numerous attractions.
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There are a number of suggested rides, some which are detailed below:
1.
STALHAM - 28 miles
A shortish ride to Stalham via Sea Palling and Happisburgh. Refreshments available at Sea Palling and Stalham.
2.
THE COAST AND BROADS - 35 miles
A ride to Stalham via Sea Palling and Happisburgh with options of visits to How Hill Gardens on the River Ant and St. Benet's Abbey on the River Bure. Refreshments available at Sea Palling, Stalham and How Hill.
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3
HORNING AND THE BROADS - 25 miles (3 miles on main road)
A shortish ride to Stalham and Horning through the Broads with an option of a visit to St. Benet's Abbey on the River Bure. Refreshments available at Stalham and Horning.
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4
CAISTER ON SEA AND THE BROADS - 33 miles
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5.
OVERSTRAND - 49 miles
A ride to Overstrand via Mundesley then a return via Sea Palling. Refreshments available at Mundesley, Overstrand and Sea Palling.
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6.
CROMER - 45 miles
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Hickling Broad Nature Reserve
Many of the Broads were formed in the 13th or 14th century by the digging out of the peat. In the 1760's and 1770's Admiral Horatio Nelson spent time in the nearby Barton Broad in his youth. His sister rented Barton Broad, and Horatio visited her when on leave from the navy.
Hickling Broad is the largest area of open water in the Norfolk Broads and is a vast expanse of reed beds, meadows, and of course, waterways. The Broad was used as reserve station for sea planes by the RNAS, in the period 1916-1918, as an escape for RNAS South Denes. It was known as RNAS Hickling Broads.