Cromer

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Perched on the North Norfolk coast between Sheringham and Mundesley, Cromer is a classic Norfolk seaside town, with a windswept cliff-top overlooking the fine sandy beaches and a traditional seaside pier. A popular holiday destination since Edwardian times, its excellent rail links to Norwich and onwards to London encouraged numerous famous holidaymakers, including the future King Edward VII, his mistress - the actress Lillie Langtry, and Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Pavilion Theatre on Cromer Pier still encourages visitors with its unique selection of end-of-the-pier variety entertainment, including its famous annual Summer Show and Christmas Special.

Cromer's most distinctive landmark is its fine 14^th century church; with the tallest tower in the county, the church of St Peter and St Paul is actually the second church to have graced the town, its less-well-appointed predecessor having long since fallen into the sea. Cromer is most famous for its crabs - and fishing and the sea are central to the history of the town. Within the church, stained-glass windows commemorate the town's links with the Lifeboat Service and coxswain Henry Blogg; and indeed, the town is justly proud to be the birthplace of Blogg, often referred to as 'the greatest of lifeboatmen'. A bronze bust on the cliff top commemorates the bravery and 53-year service of Blogg, whilst next to one of the boathouses, on the eastern seafront promenade, the RNLI Henry Blogg Museum tells his story and the history of his colleagues over the last two hundred years. The beautiful architecture of this new Museum looks out towards the pier, where the lifeboat station still launches rescues whenever needed.

Next to the dominating presence of the church, the small but perfectly formed Cromer Museum has recently been refurbished. Visitors can look around a cosy Victorian fisherman's cottage, or trace the history of the area far back 80 million years in the Geology Gallery.

For more modern fun, visit Cromer during the annual Carnival week. For over 40 years, the town has celebrated with music, competitions and events for all the family. Highlights include fireworks displays and daring aerial acrobatics by the Red Arrows.

Those in search of more historical entertainments have only to venture out to the National Trust property at Felbrigg Hall, one of the finest 17th-century country houses in East Anglia. Near to Weybourne, the Muckleburgh Collection offers a fascinating museum of military equipment, whilst excavations at the Roman Camp near West Runcton have revealed an iron-working settlement dating back to Saxon and Medieval times. Other local attractions include the Norfolk Shire Horse Centre, and the Repton-landscaped grounds of Sheringham Park.

For the more energetic, the Norfolk Coastal Path and the Weavers Way offer fresh air and exercise in the most beautiful of rural landscapes and with some of the best bird-watching opportunities in the country.