Norwich is a city in Norfolk, the largest in East Anglia and was built on the river Wensum which flows through the centre of the city.

Norwich railway station which was built in the 1800’s is a short Walk from the city centre making it an easy choice for arriving in the city.

Direct trains to Norwich from:
London Liverpool Street – 2 hrs / Nottingham – 2.5 hours /Peterborough – 1.5 hours

Arriving by car:
London – 110 miles / Cambridge – 66 miles / Nottingham – 121 miles / Birmingham – 159 miles and
Oxford – 170 miles
The main routes into the city are the A47 / A11 / A140 and the A146

Parking charges are reasonable, we paid £7 / 24 hours at our hotel.
You can park all day for £6 in a public car park (£2.20 evening charge).
Motorcycles can park for free in all council surface car parks (if you park in a designated bay)

By Air:
There are direct flights from several UK airports to Norwich, the airport is less than 5 miles from the city centre.

The city is divided into ‘Areas’:

A Weekend in Norwich

We stayed at the Premier Inn Norwich Nelson City Centre, the hotel chain has several properties in Norwich but this one is in a lovely setting on the riverside, with a restaurant attached and a car park. If you are arriving by train, it is directly opposite the impressive 19th century main railway station.All the attractions, places of interest, restaurants & bars are all within easy walking distance.

The only time we used the car was to visit the Norwich Aviation Museum which is just 6 miles from the city centre near Norwich airport.

Riverside Walk
From our hotel we climbed a few steps up to the main road, crossed the road, walked down the steps through the Compleat Angler pub garden on the other side and we were on the riverbank. To avoid the steps, you can also access the main road from the hotel carpark, cross the road and walk down the opposite side of the river. The riverside walk is flat and accessible.

River Wensum is beautiful with its overhanging weeping willows reflecting in the water framing the yachts and boats moored on the opposite riverbank, a great place for the photographer to capture the beauty of this part of the river.
There are lots of places along the walk where you can sit and soak up the peace & tranquillity of it all whilst watching the boats, canoes & yachts gliding along. We also saw several geese and a pair of swans with five cygnets.

Some points of interest we encountered on this lovely walk:

Pull’s Ferry –

The medieval water gate takes its name from the ferryman who was called John Pull, the house which was added in the 17th century is now a private residence. There was a ferry operating across the river until the 1930’s. It’s probably true to say that it is one of the most photographed sites in the city.

Between Pull’s Ferry and Cow Tower there is a gap in the hedgerow which looks onto a sports field, from here you get a fabulous view of the cathedral.

Cow Tower – Is an artillery blockhouse, being built in the 14th century it is one of the earliest in England. To find it you walk around the back of the Red Lion pub (it is signposted). If you followed the riverside walk from the opposite side of the river you will need to cross over at the medieval Bishop Bridge. There is seating in the grass area at the tower to rest a while and take in the scenery.

You can continue to walk along the river making your way into the Creative Quarter, head into the city or retrace your steps along the riverside.

We walked a little further along the river then headed into the city near Jarrold Bridge down Palace Street into the Cathedral Quarter to explore the city itself.

The Cathedral

The Cathedral is a prominent building with a spire rising above the city some 315 feet, the building is an impressive 461 feet in length. It is the most complete Norman Cathedral in England. We wandered around the close which covers an area of 44 acres, lots of people were enjoying a picnic in the peaceful surroundings. The cloisters are the largest in England, you can walk all round the cathedral through the amazing arches, simply beautiful. It’s a fascinating area to explore.

Entrance to the cathedral is free, donations welcome.

Edith Cavell is buried at Norwich cathedral, she was born on the outskirts of the city, trained as a nurse, moved to Belgium and started the first professional school of nursing there in 1907. When the first world war broke out, she worked with the Belgian and French resistance helping soldiers to escape from the German forces, she helped over 200 of them to flee into Holland, a neutral country. She was executed in October 1915 after she was betrayed and was buried in Belgium. Following the end of the war her body was exhumed and brought to Norwich. Her grave was re dedicated in 2016 and a new gravestone erected.

Peregrine Falcons

Breeding Peregrine Falcons have fledged their chicks at the cathedral every year since 2012. The Hawk & Owl Trust have set up a nesting platform along with a webcam and we have followed the falcons rearing their chicks for a couple of years now. On a previous short visit to Norwich, we were lucky enough to see them flying to and from the nesting platform which made for a great photo shoot!

Tombland – 

next to the cathedral was not named for the reasons you may imagine, it is a merger of two Old English words meaning open ground, it was used as a marketplace and was a busy centre of the community. Tombland is now where you will find some of the best eateries and bars, it is still a busy but modern hub of city life.

Elm Hill

This is the most complete medieval street in Norwich with its cobbled streets, historic houses, cafes and speciality shops. It is the most famous street in the city. It would have been a shame to have missed this quaint area, most enjoyable.

Norwich Castle

This medieval fortification may not be the most magnificent looking building, but it is worth a visit. Entrance fee £7.00 adults. £6.70 concession. The 900-year-old building houses a museum and art gallery. The castle is currently undergoing a major redevelopment so it would be prudent to check their website to see what is open.

Norwich Market

With its many coloured canopies, the market is one of the largest and oldest outdoor markets in the UK. Situated on Gentlemans Walk it is a criss cross of stalls selling locally produced foods, fresh fish, fruit & veg, cheese, clothes, toys, fashion and a whole lot more, it is open daily Monday to Saturday. My go to place here is the fish stall that sells amazing Cromer crab!

Riverside Entertainment Centre

Here the river flows west into the river Yare and then into the Norfolk Broads. This is a modern entertainment hub with bars, restaurants, bowling, cinema and a multistorey carpark. It is conveniently located next to the railway station. If you walk through Riverside, you will come to the Riverside Retail Park.

With its castle, magnificent Norman cathedral, cobbled medieval streets, ancient waterways, one of the oldest and largest surviving outdoor markets, restaurants, bars, cafes, an abundance of independent and high street shops Norwich has something for everyone and is an amazing city for a weekend break.

Look out for my Blogs on The Norfolk Coast and The Norfolk Broads