Staying near Banham (between Bury St Edmunds and Norwich) for 3 days soon.
Don’t know the area at all…not taking bike.
Going with Mrs Rascal for anniversary chill…what’s worth visiting for a day out/drive….and what’s close by? (apart from the zoo!).

Norwich is a lovely city. Bury is a very quaint town. Thetford is a great forest to wander through. Colchester is worth a visit if Roman history is your thing. The coast is lovely and uncrowded; the northern coast is especially picturesque. Loads of WW2 stuff is that’s your bag.

Cheers Pimp

Plan on going to both of those…taking walking boots/rucksack/flask to Thetford too…might venture over to the coast…any good eateries/pubs worth a look at?

Off the top of my head…

Castles – Framlingham, Orford
Forests – Thetford, Dunwich, Rendlesham, Tunstall (the first and last if you find a bike)
Seaside – Southwold (Adnams Brewery tour!), Aldeburgh
History – Sutton Hoo, Dunwich, Bawdsey Radar Trust, Orford Ness
Nature – Minsmere
Villages – Lavenham, Woodbridge

Plan on going to both of those…taking walking boots/rucksack/flask to Thetford too…might venture over to the coast…any good eateries/pubs worth a look at?

Personal preference, but I’d say Minsmere & Dunwich Heath would be nicer for walking (also on the coast).

If you watch Springwatch it somtimes filmed at Minsmere.

It’s too big an area to start recommending pubs, but if you name specific towns/villages I might be able to help 🙂

I haven’t lived there for quite a while, but if anything it’s got better since I left. Norwich certainly has no shortage of good places to eat.

I still have family in that part of the world: let me see if they have any recommendations.

Quick tip on Thetford: the FC parking is expensive. Fine if you have kids as there’s loads of brilliant things for them to do at High Lodge, but if you’re planning to walk I’d go to Brandon Country Park (it’s council as opposed to FC, but only a few miles from High Lodge) where it’s substantially cheaper. Both have good cafes and toilets etc. so make good bases to wander from.

The Broads are nice for a boat trip, more of a summer thing though. As you’re staying in Banham I assume that you’re already going to the Zoo?
I think theirs a Whisky distillery near their too.

Quick food recommendations:

Gunston Arms near Cromer is very cool but a bit expensive.
Ickworth House near Bury has a really nice restaurant and hotel.
The Organic Cafe and Bistro in Fornham All Saints is nice.
Vegetarian resturant in Taverham Norwich.

In Norwich:
Britannia Cafe at the prison: mid range
Amazing Japanese in Norwich: Shiki.
THE BEST veggie Indian EVER: namaste indian in Norwich.

Maison Bleue in Bury St. Edmunds is a lovely restaurant for a special meal,they also do good lunchtime menus as well. Bit pricey but very nice.

Holkham beach is really nice plus it has the forest behind, well worth a trip if you want a really good stroll.

If you are in Banham in late October or early November, you can watch my Land Rover being serviced and MOT’d.