Head east to enjoy good weather, quiet roads and plenty of interesting stops

Norfolk is England's driest county. Visitors might still need their waterproofs in winter, but the statistics say there will be less call for them here in summer than anywhere else in the UK. To enjoy these ideal riding conditions, we’ve plotted a ride based around the smart, historic city of Norwich. It sweeps out through the Norfolk Broads to Happisburgh, where the sea is dramatically eating away at the cliffs. Hugging the coast, it then loops back to a traditional chain-ferry river crossing, before returning to the city.

STAGE 1

Norwich to Happisburgh 25 miles
Leave Norwich on the A1151 to Wroxham. Go through Wroxham town centre and, at the double mini-roundabout, turn right on the A1062 to Horning. In Ludham, turn left by the pub on the back road to Catfield. When this road meets the A149, turn left to Cromer. After two-and-a-half miles, turn right on the B1159 to Bacton. Turn left at the T-junction to stay on this road and after four miles (just before a 40mph speed limit), turn right to Happisburgh. Follow the road through the village and, after another two-and-a-half miles, turn left towards Eccles-on-Sea and the lifeboat station.

Coffee stop: Smallsticks Café: The comfy, welcoming Smallsticks Café is on the road to the lifeboat station. Lots of outside seating for sunny days and good breakfasts too.

STAGE 2

Happisburgh to Reedham Ferry: 30 miles
Return to the main road and turn left, continuing south through Sea Palling, Horsey and Winterton-on-Sea. Go straight over the first roundabout on the Caister bypass, then turn right at the next one on the A149 to Potter Heigham. Go straight over the next roundabout on the A1064 to Acle. At the Acle roundabout, turn right to go through the town centre. Turn left opposite the church on Reedham Road. Stay on this road, past Reedham Station, to Reedham Ferry.

Lunch stop Reedham Ferry Inn: Lunch is a treat (great fish and chips) before the crossing. The ferry carries only three cars at a time, so there may be a short wait. Bikes cost £2.

STAGE 3

Reedham Ferry to Long Stratton: 35 miles
Follow the road to Thurlton. Turn right where the road bends sharply left, on Loddon Road. At the T-junction in Loddon, turn left on the larger road and, at the A146, go straight on (effectively a left turn) towards Beccles. After just half a mile, turn left by the garage on the B1136 to Great Yarmouth. At the A143 T-junction, turn right to Diss. At the first roundabout turn left on the A146 to Beccles and at the next roundabout, turn right to go into the town. Follow signs for the A145 until you reach the traffic lights, then go straight over on the B1062 to Bungay. Turn right on Bungay high street. Go straight over the A143 roundabout on the B1332 to Wainford Maltings. After four miles turn left on the B1527 to Tasburgh. At the A140, turn left to go into Long Stratton.

Afternoon tea: The Tudor Bakehouse: Traditional bakery with a good café (nice cakes). Turn right just past it for plentiful parking.

STAGE 4

Long Stratton to Norwich: 40 miles
Retrace your steps north from Long Stratton on the A140, turning left on the B1135 to Lower Tasburgh (if you didn’t want to stop for a cuppa, you’d have gone straight across here). At the B1113 T-junction, turn left to New Buckenham. After leaving New Buckenham, take the right for the B1077 to Attleborough. Follow the one-way system, staying on the B1077 to Watton and passing under the A11 flyover. After six miles, turn right to stay on the B1077 (if you go into Caston, you missed the turn). At the T-junction, turn right on the B1108 and this will take you all the way back to Norwich

See

RAF Air Defence Radar Museum: Open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April to November (the roads are quieter mid-week anyway), plus the second Saturday of each month, the museum in Neatishead is a fascinating peek into the Cold War era of British defence. The route passes through nearby Horning so it’s only a short detour. Admission is £10.

Shop

Norwich covered market: The city centre of Norwich is great for a wander — lots of nice shops and cafés. But don’t overlook the amazing covered market, right in the heart of the city for things you never knew you needed.

Stay

The Lord Rosebery: Traditional pub with rooms and parking in a quiet area. Short taxi ride if you want to go out on the town.

Route summary

Start/finish: Norwich
Distance: 130 miles
Riding time: 4.5 hours
Download the GPX file

Please note: This page contains the motorcycle touring routes for The RiDE Guide To Great Britain which was published in October 2017. These website pages are not regularly updated, so please check all critical information before you travel. All route files are in .gpx format. Garmin and BMW users can download the main file, which contains all the routes. TomTom users can either download the individual routes or use the MyRouteApp (depending on the age of your device).