North Norfolk Cycling.............No Thank You (but also a question).

[Dave7]

Just enjoyed 2 weeks in North Norfolk (Weybourne, between Wells & Cromer).
The ONLY real road is the "coast road"............A149.
You have to have a death wish to cycle on that. As I say, it is THE main coastal road and is so narrow and winding that it will not fit 2 cars plus a bike e.g. any time a car wishes to overtake a cyclist.......it cannot do it if there is a car coming the opposite way.
As it is the ONLY road it was busy and most of them are going at speed.
I had planned to do some cycling but decided against it.

We are thinking of having a week on or around the broads.............are the roads better/quieter/safer ?

 

[raleighnut]

Just enjoyed 2 weeks in North Norfolk (Weybourne, between Wells & Cromer).
The ONLY real road is the "coast road"............A149.
You have to have a death wish to cycle on that. As I say, it is THE main coastal road and is so narrow and winding that it will not fit 2 cars plus a bike e.g. any time a car wishes to overtake a cyclist.......it cannot do it if there is a car coming the opposite way.
As it is the ONLY road it was busy and most of them are going at speed.
I had planned to do some cycling but decided against it.

We are thinking of having a week on or around the broads.............are the roads better/quieter/safer ?

Didn't you find this.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...ing/78&usg=AFQjCNH9NtJtf7-AxqlcW9UGj8gXk3mawQ

 

[Dave7]

Didn't you find this.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiHrsT9q4zOAhXBWBQKHTiwC4sQFggeMAA&url=http://www.norfolkcoastaonb.org.uk/partnership/cycling/78&usg=AFQjCNH9NtJtf7-AxqlcW9UGj8gXk3mawQ

Cant say I read that.
Where I was the coastal path (Peddars way) had clear "no cycling" signs.
I was looking forward to some of the inland roads but e.g. the Weybourne-Holt road was even more narrow than the coastal road.
I decided that..........its only 2 weeks.......I wont bother.
BTW....where I live, the roads are busier but wide enough to ride in relative comfort.

 

[vickster]

Go further south to Suffolk, looked to be some lovely cycling around Aldeburgh, Snape etc

 

[midlife]

I've been on holiday around the broads (not on a bike) , if you find a quiet road away from the cars the hedges are soo high you can't see anything!

Shaun

 

[mjr]

Shame you didn't ask before you left. Once you get south or west of Wells, there's good roads inland from the coast road, including part of National Route 1 which is on hilltops south of and above the coast road.

While you can't cycle parts of Peddars Way and other parts are uninviting dirt tracks, there are pretty good quiet lanes paralleling most of it between the coast and Watton.

Oh well. Missed opportunity. IMO neither North Norfolk council nor Norfolk tourism groups are serious about cycling yet.

 

[mjr]

Oh and the coast road is mostly safe but stressful, except for the high summer season when it's full of cars driven by tourists who see speed limits as targets.

 

[Dave7]

I've been on holiday around the broads (not on a bike) , if you find a quiet road away from the cars the hedges are soo high you can't see anything!

Shaun

I found the same where we were.

 

[Dave7]

Oh and the coast road is mostly safe but stressful, except for the high summer season when it's full of cars driven by tourists who see speed limits as targets.

Emphasis on "stressful"
When you say "mostly safe"........I met a local cyclist who told me "if you cycle the A149 your life expectancy goes down 90%)

 

[mjr]

Emphasis on "stressful"
When you say "mostly safe"........I met a local cyclist who told me "if you cycle the A149 your life expectancy goes down 90%)

Probably from the stress! West of Wells, cyclists deaths tend to be on restricted-visibility crossroads or urban areas, neither of which are common on the A149. But it's just no fun riding with a queue of cars on your back wheel when there's so many quiet country lanes IMO.

 

[MichaelW2]

While you can't cycle parts of Peddars Way and other parts are uninviting dirt tracks, there are pretty good quiet lanes paralleling most of it between the coast and Watton.

I cycled Peddars way from around Brandon up to Hunstanton on a touring bike with 32mm tyres. Probably best done during a dry spell.
The small lanes parallel to the coast road are good cycling.

 

[MichaelW2]

J
We are thinking of having a week on or around the broads.............are the roads better/quieter/safer ?

The broads have a few issues for cyclists:
The main road looping around, A1159/A149 is quite fast. make use of small lanes where possible. The A1062 is not as bad.
The best roads are often dead ends terminating at water. Carry and inflatable canoe or readjust your mindset to backtrack a lot.
Norfolk is still full of quiet country lanes and excellent routes. You need an OS map to really figure them out. Navigation requires making decisions every hundred m or so. Use a handlebar map case and carry a small button compass for cloudy days.

 

[snorri]

e.g. any time a car wishes to overtake a cyclist.......it cannot do it if there is a car coming the opposite way.

That would be a normal road for me.

 

[mcshroom]

That would be a normal road for me.

... and me. In fact in both our cases I think a lot of the time cars can't overtake whether or not there's a car coming the other way

 

[Goldenretriever]

Been ages since I have posted due to work and the usual family commitments etc. Keep an occasional eye on things and just came across this thread. I like the coast road! Left home 7.30 saturday morning and hit the front at Cromer at 8.20. Had a lovely ride up to Wells with quick stop at Stiffkey for drink. Thought road was quiet no wind and sun not to strong. Came back via lots of lanes and the A1067 which isn't great. In Norfolk you have to choose smoothish busy roads or potholed and chipped quietish lanes, some with grass down the middle. Apart from one phyco about 5 years ago chasing me through Runton I don't seem to have many problems on the coast road. The A140 is another story but since moving house I can't get to Cromer without first going about 4 miles on it.