Day: 202 4/4/99 Hopton-on-Sea to Great Yarmouth

Weather:  Misty, some sunny intervals

Distance:  16km (9.9 miles)    Total Distance:   2618 miles

In the morning after breakfast we went to St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church for mass.  The young priest did a good job with a packed church. I almost tripped him up as he was coming backwards around the church sprinkling the Holy water over us and I was standing in the aisle, as my legs were uncomfortable.  The kids were given a small Easter egg each on the way out. 

Margaret dropped me at Hopton-on-Sea before heading off to Caister and Horsey.  I started off along the cliff tops past a caravan site and then a golf course.  I hardly had to walk along the sand at all that section.  I had lunch – a sausage roll, coffee and piece of bread pudding (£2.50) at the first café I came to on the promenade into Great Yarmouth.  The man serving me managed to knock a big jar of coffee over just as he was taking my money. 

From Gorleston-on-Sea up into Great Yarmouth was along the quays.  This side was not too bad with some access right down to the waters edge and an interesting mix of craft including trawlers etc.

The road heading south along the quays was depressing.  The highlight was the north end where I was able to walk right up near the moored ships which included a couple of naval training boats and the Sir Winston Churchill tall ship used for young people.  After that access to the quays was blocked by buildings and the road was industrial and dusty. 

As soon as I turned the corner and started heading northwards I was expecting it to be a seaside town but in fact it was quite desolate, full of industry and deserted and derelict caravans.  There was a car park near the tip packed with cars pointing out to sea and people reading newspapers.

The first signs of crowds were at the pleasure beach with its roller coasters and water slides etc.  Even then it was like looking at the crowds from behind a screen as they were concentrated on the pavement and I was on the promenade on the seaward side of the activities. 

The front was packed with people but I kept to the lower promenade that was much less crowded as it was not exactly seaside weather. 

The police were out in force on the front and there appeared to be trouble at one of the pubs on the front. 

I got back to the Youth Hostel just 10 minutes before Margaret and the boys.  They had been travelling around north of Great Yarmouth and had climbed Horsey Mill.  I took the boys over the park next to the hostel for a half-hour run around. 

That evening we went to see the pedestrian precinct in Great Yarmouth but were not at all impressed.  It was full of cheap shops.  We bought some fish and chips and ate them back in the hostel.  I watched Great Britain make a valiant go of beating USA in the tennis’s Davies Cup and then went to bed.