On our last visit to the woodland cabin we wanted to explore more of Fritton and the local area than is possible on foot. We’ve been pondering buying bikes, but in the meantime discovered that Somerleyton Cycles provides a rental service. We called them in the afternoon and two hybrid bicycles, one with a toddler seat, were delivered straight to our lodge the very next morning, along with a suggested route that would avoid the notorious Beccles Road.
Our first stop was Fritton Woods, which has a history of military training (including digging prototypes of trenches for the first world war) and, allegedly, UFO sightings. It’s large and beautiful – we whizzed through, but made a note to go back and explore – before hitting Sandy Lane. This lane, as its name suggests, is quite sandy. The man from Somerleyton Cycles warned us ‘Quicksandy Lane’ might be a more apt. We realised that he wasn’t joking and had to dismount and push a few times.
Before long we hit the village of Belton, and then onto Burgh Castle. The village takes its name from the impressive and well-preserved Roman fort that looks out over the Waveney and Yare rivers and across the marshes. Surprisingly little seems to be known about the fort. It may have been known as Gariannonum, it probably housed up to 1,000 soldiers in the 3rd and 4th Centuries, and it occupies a position that would have allowed it to control traffic through the estuary (which was then far bigger than it is now). But that’s about it.
Burgh Castle is a huge 6-acre rectangular site, and free to visit, though there is little do there other than to read a few signboards, admire the views and soak up the atmosphere. With three quarters of its walls remaining, it’s not difficult to imagine the site teeming with centurions. We picnicked in the shade of a turret though apparently the nearby Queen’s Head and Fisherman’s Inn pubs are both worth a refreshment stop.
For the afternoon we headed east. We traced our route back to Belton and then picked up a wide cycle path that runs all the way to Gorleston-on-sea. It’s an easy ride (especially after Sandy Lane) and before long we hit Marine Parade. We made a pit stop at Jay Jay’s beach café and enjoyed tea and cake while gazing out across the North Sea, before cycling up to Gorleston’s main drag.
Of the three resorts nearest to Fritton (Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Gorleston) the latter is the littlest known yet most appealing. It’s far less built up and busy than its neighbours, and the beach has fine, stunning sand that belongs in the Caribbean. In addition, the Pier Hotel, colourful beach huts and yachting pond all lend a touch of faded Edwardian glamour. Gorleston’s recent claim to fame was a starring role in the film Yesterday (but please don’t hold that against it).
So, Gorleston has many reasons for visiting. Ours however was for that quintessential staple of the British seaside. For the town lays claim to one of the top 50 fish and chip shops in the country. So once we’d built enough sandcastles, we headed in search of My Plaice. From the outside (and its Christmas Cracker joke name) it does not promise much, but we can vouch that it indeed does a fine fish supper and super battered sausage – and is good value. (For the area’s best chips though, head to Grelly’s in Great Yarmouth where potatoes are traditionally fried in beef dripping.)
With full bellies we headed back to the lodge where the Somerleyton Cycles van was waiting to collect our bikes. The company provides a discount for a second day’s rental, and while we were tempted, our muscles protested.