Lincolnshire Norfolk or Suffolk

I live in Boston. We relocated from Lancashire 47 years ago, and although we didn`t regret it, the area isn`t as nice as when we first came. We loved all the open countryside, but many fields now have new housing estates on them, which is a shame. But it`s really lovely when you get out into the surrounding countryside.

I have lived in all three counties. I grew up in Norfolk and it is a very special county for me as a result. Certain North Norfolk resorts have been overwhelmed with second home owners and local people have had enough. As has been said, many parts of the East Coast are eroding at an alarming rate. In Norfolk, Happisburgh and Hemsby are particularly affected. Moving down the coast, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft are very depressed at the moment and l would not be looking there. It is a shame because Lowestoft is the seaside resort we visited most often when I was a child and was a lovely little town. It still has beautiful beaches. If you are hoping to live in a seaside town, Felixstowe, on the Suffolk coast, is an attractive town and more affordable than neighbouring Aldeburgh and Southwold. If you are thinking of living inland, l would choose South Norfolk rather than North Norfolk as there are better transport links the nearer to Norwich (a beautiful city) you are. The Norfolk/Suffolk border has some very attractive places, too. In Suffolk, there are some lovely places. If you can afford it, Woodbridge is lovely. Bury St. Edmunds and surrounding villages are, too. In South Suffolk, Sudbury, Long Melford, Hadleigh, East Bergholt and many villages are delightful. In Lincolnshire, l think you would be better to stay in the south of the county as transport links are better, especially as Peterborough is so pivotal with its rail links. Stamford and Bourne are lovely, as are the surrounding villages. Where are you moving from and why these three counties in particular?

Norah

Cockley Cley?

Weird place to want to live, Cockley Cley.

Germanshepherdsmum

Fringe

*Germanshepherdsmum *what area are you in Norfolk? I shall bare that in mind what you say regarding Lowestoft too and the Broads too thank you.

I’m not far from Blakeney, Cley and Holt. I’m afraid those areas are very pricy. Near the sea but not so close as to be threatened by coastal erosion, which is a very big problem to be aware of.

Snap! Same area as myself. Lived here all my life apart from 1973-85. I was born in Blakeney as were many generations of my family before me.

Primrose53

Norah

Cockley Cley?

Weird place to want to live, Cockley Cley.

We quite enjoy that area. Lovely ruins, nice cafe, nice hiking..

Each to their own.

I live in North Norfolk too, 5 miles from Holt, a lovely town but changed a lot from when I moved here 50 years ago! It is expensive to buy property, you have to accept a 45 minute journey to the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital but we have a smaller one at Cromer and we are lucky in my village as there is a bus service and we have a small choice of local shops. I think we are very lucky to live here when I see what is happening in other parts of the country and my husband and I will no doubt be here until the day of reckoning!

buffyfly9

I live in North Norfolk too, 5 miles from Holt, a lovely town but changed a lot from when I moved here 50 years ago! It is expensive to buy property, you have to accept a 45 minute journey to the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital but we have a smaller one at Cromer and we are lucky in my village as there is a bus service and we have a small choice of local shops. I think we are very lucky to live here when I see what is happening in other parts of the country and my husband and I will no doubt be here until the day of reckoning!

We are so lucky to have Cromer hospital even though it has no beds. Much easier to get to than Norwich and better parking. We always allow a good hour to get to N and N hospital.

Norah

Primrose53

Norah

Cockley Cley?

Weird place to want to live, Cockley Cley.

We quite enjoy that area. Lovely ruins, nice cafe, nice hiking..

Each to their own.

Indeed. It just always reminds me of the headless body of a woman found there in the 70s.

GSM Lowestoft is not a high crime area at all parts of it have petty crime like any town but it’s as safe as houses It’s got poor pockets in it and some quite ‘well to do’ areas and still has a beautiful beach and wildlife areas
The Broads are lovely depends how much money you have
I m a Suffolk girl Southwold is nice but very very expensive as is aldeborough and and constable country areas
Norfolk has pockets of poor areas poor old Gt Yarmouth has lost a lot Gorleston is still nice
I don’t know Lincolnshire
It really depends what you want a town, countryside, beaches
Built up or open spaces it’s very flat in east Anglia so good for older not having big hills to climb but there’s often strong east winds if you are by the sea

I would avoid Lincolnshire for all the reasons outlined above. Lincon city itself is nice though, with some nice villages not too far away but it is now a student city.
Health care and public transport is poor, newer the coast risky due to flooding as people have pointed out.
Don't know about Suffolk, Norfolk is lovely but again, quite remote.

Nandalot

We live in a pretty village south of Lincoln but a warning if you are looking at at the Anderby Creek area or any of the coastal areas, they are quite tedious to get to, Although we love going to Chapel St. Leonard’s beach, we often don’t bother because of the drive as it takes ages and the roads as you get near to the coast are tedious.

If I remember correctly, Anderby Creek is a bit 'windy' - or bracing as I was told by the locals.

And rather far from, well anywhere else, really.

Nandalot

We live in a pretty village south of Lincoln but a warning if you are looking at at the Anderby Creek area or any of the coastal areas, they are quite tedious to get to, Although we love going to Chapel St. Leonard’s beach, we often don’t bother because of the drive as it takes ages and the roads as you get near to the coast are tedious.

My daughter has a holiday let between Anderby Creek and Sutton on Sea and I go over for a few days whenever I can. It is very rural and quite remote and I wouldn’t want to live there permanently at my age even though I love it there because of the absolute dependence on a car and a journey for things which for me normally are just on the doorstep or down the road. And yes, flooding is always a risk in such low lying areas even though the sea defences seem to be well maintained,

Louth is a nice little town with lots of independent shops. I usually have a trip over there for a mooch round. Only 30 mins from the Anderby Creek area and the sea.

Dickens

Nandalot

We live in a pretty village south of Lincoln but a warning if you are looking at at the Anderby Creek area or any of the coastal areas, they are quite tedious to get to, Although we love going to Chapel St. Leonard’s beach, we often don’t bother because of the drive as it takes ages and the roads as you get near to the coast are tedious.

If I remember correctly, Anderby Creek is a bit 'windy' - or bracing as I was told by the locals.

And rather far from, well anywhere else, really.

I used to walk from Hogsthorpe to Chapel St Leonards as a child, late 40s early 50s.

When I went back to visit, both places looked rather run-down - that was in the 80s - has Chapel St Leonards improved?

Originally an Essex girl I made Mid Norfolk my home 16 years ago.
In my small market town we have access to buses every half hour,GP,Dentist, Doctors.
An hour takes us to the city of Norwich,with trains to London,30 minutes takes us oppisite direction to train staion for London,and other regions.
Lots of history in the villages and city,I love Norfolk.
Have lived in two villages can be cliquey, need to drive as buses not so frequent.
Wouldnt move back to Essex.

I think we may rule out Lincolnshire now, having never been there we was going to take a look in April but may cancel. We were dropping down to Lowestoft on the way back and may still or may relook at areas we looked at a few years ago, so really have gone round in a circle! A few years back we stayed in Attleborough, Thorpe Saint Andrew and Beyton and took a look around Stowmarket, Diss, New Buckenham and Old, Norwich, Bury Saint Edmunds and few other towns too. So back to the drawing board I think.
Musicgirlwe like Suffolk and Norfolk, its not as busy and people seem friendly. We just thought the next one up was Lincolnshire so we could see what that area was like but we come from Kent so we wouldn't want to go any further.

It depends on your budget, property in Lincolnshire is cheaper than Norfolk snd Suffolk.
We visit friends in Norfolk regularly and they always say how long it takes to get out of the county if they go away.

silverlining48

It depends on your budget, property in Lincolnshire is cheaper than Norfolk snd Suffolk.
We visit friends in Norfolk regularly and they always say how long it takes to get out of the county if they go away.

And we like it like that! 🙂 we are one of the biggest counties so it stands to reason it’s going to take a long time to get out if you live near the North Norfolk coast.

Germanshepherdsmum

Fringe

*Germanshepherdsmum *what area are you in Norfolk? I shall bare that in mind what you say regarding Lowestoft too and the Broads too thank you.

I’m not far from Blakeney, Cley and Holt. I’m afraid those areas are very pricy. Near the sea but not so close as to be threatened by coastal erosion, which is a very big problem to be aware of.

Oh you lucky lady GSM. I absolutely love visiting that area and can't resist making a beeline for Bakers & Larners in Holt

Yes, I am very lucky. We holidayed here for many years and decided to retire here, as do so many. It’s quiet and peaceful. Bakers & Larners is fabulous, but strictly for very occasional treats! They don’t nickname it Fortnums for nothing!

Spinnaker

Germanshepherdsmum

Fringe

*Germanshepherdsmum *what area are you in Norfolk? I shall bare that in mind what you say regarding Lowestoft too and the Broads too thank you.

I’m not far from Blakeney, Cley and Holt. I’m afraid those areas are very pricy. Near the sea but not so close as to be threatened by coastal erosion, which is a very big problem to be aware of.

Oh you lucky lady GSM. I absolutely love visiting that area and can't resist making a beeline for Bakers & Larners in Holt

I live here too. Born and bred in Blakeney. Very different then and we knew everybody in the village. It was an idyllic childhood swimming, playing on the sands and marshes and it was so quiet. When we got home Mum used to say “any strangers about today” because it was that quiet.

The village primary school was a delight with just 3 classrooms and 3 teachers. I will be eternally grateful that I was born here, grew up here and in those times.

Nowadays there are so many second homes and holiday cottages (though we took advantage of the latter for years). When we moved into our house the neighbours were so glad that it wasn’t going to be a holiday home.

Germanshepherdsmum

Nowadays there are so many second homes and holiday cottages (though we took advantage of the latter for years). When we moved into our house the neighbours were so glad that it wasn’t going to be a holiday home.

We also have a second home here which we let for holidays. We let it privately to locals for about 13 years then covid came, the elderly tenants moved to a bungalow and the news was that if we got bad tenants in it would be very difficult to get rid of them during the pandemic. So we decorated throughout, had a new kitchen installed and as soon as we were allowed to, we started holiday lets.

The neighbours love meeting people from different places and as they are mostly out sightseeing during the day they have no bother from them.

Primrose53

Spinnaker

Germanshepherdsmum

Fringe

*Germanshepherdsmum *what area are you in Norfolk? I shall bare that in mind what you say regarding Lowestoft too and the Broads too thank you.

I’m not far from Blakeney, Cley and Holt. I’m afraid those areas are very pricy. Near the sea but not so close as to be threatened by coastal erosion, which is a very big problem to be aware of.

Oh you lucky lady GSM. I absolutely love visiting that area and can't resist making a beeline for Bakers & Larners in Holt

I live here too. Born and bred in Blakeney. Very different then and we knew everybody in the village. It was an idyllic childhood swimming, playing on the sands and marshes and it was so quiet. When we got home Mum used to say “any strangers about today” because it was that quiet.

The village primary school was a delight with just 3 classrooms and 3 teachers. I will be eternally grateful that I was born here, grew up here and in those times.

You too are well blessed Primrose53. Isn't it wonderful to be able to look back with fondness ?

We live about 5 miles from Southwold which,together with Walberswick,has nearly 50% of the houses used as second homes. Friends who live there full time say that winter is the best time of the year as it is much less crowded!

I worked for many years in Lowestoft which has glorious beaches which are well used by local families. Of course there are pockets of deprivation but Oulton Broad has some delightful houses and oval shops,restaurants etc.

Our nearest towns are Halesworth and Beccles both on the train to Ipswich and then to London. Both these towns have good shops,pubs and restaurants with medical centres and a small hospital with inpatient provision in Beccles….Halesworth’s closed a few years ago.

We moved from London nearly 40 years ago and we and our children have been very happy here. Good luck and have fun in your investigations.

Liberty. My husband has had health issues so last year we were unable to go abroad. We did though have a couple of long weekends near Southwold, Lowestoft etc and liked it very much. Each time we had glorious weather so that helped. 🌞