Sheringham to Cromer: Cliffs, Crabs and the Victorian Pier
📍 Sheringham → Cromer📏 6 miles⏱ 2.5–3 hours🟢 Easy🚌 Bus back from Cromer
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The final CH1 walk is one of the finest short coastal walks in Norfolk. The clifftop path from Sheringham to Cromer via Beeston Bump — the highest point on the entire Norfolk coast — passes through ancient woodland, over Iron Age earthworks and along cliff edges with the North Sea stretching to the horizon. It ends in Cromer with its magnificent Victorian pier, the county's finest crab, and a bus home.
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Distance
6 miles
⏱
Walking time
2.5–3 hrs
🟢
Difficulty
Easy
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Bus back
CH1 from Cromer
Route map — Sheringham to Cromer
Start (Sheringham)
Finish (Cromer)
Point of interest
Walking route
🚌 Coasthopper CH1 — Practical Information
Start pointSheringham Bus Station (Station Approach)
Finish pointCromer Bus Interchange (Cadogan Road)
Bus backCH1 Cromer → Sheringham, approx every 60 mins
Journey time by bus~20 minutes
Train optionBoth Sheringham and Cromer are on the Bittern Line from Norwich
The Route
Stage 1 — Sheringham to Beeston Bump
2 miles · 50 mins
From Sheringham seafront, the Coast Path heads east along the promenade then climbs steeply onto the clifftop. The first major landmark is Beeston Bump — a rounded hill of glacial moraine rising to 73 metres, the highest point on the Norfolk coast. Despite Norfolk's reputation for flatness, Beeston Bump gives a genuine sense of height with views stretching west to Sheringham and east towards Cromer. The hill is covered in gorse and heathland vegetation — excellent for stonechats and linnets in summer. The path descends from Beeston Bump through Beeston Regis Common, a fine stretch of chalk heath.
Stage 2 — West Runton and the Roman Camp
2 miles · 50 mins
West Runton is a small village between Sheringham and Cromer, worth a detour for its beach and remarkable geological history. The beach at West Runton is where the West Runton Mammoth was discovered in 1990 — the most complete example of a steppe mammoth ever found in Britain, dating back around 600,000 years. The bones are now in the Norwich Castle Museum. Above the village, the ancient earthworks known as the Roman Camp sit on the clifftop — despite the name, they are actually Iron Age in origin, dating from around 200 BC. The views from the earthworks are among the finest on this section of the walk.
The West Runton Mammoth
The West Runton Mammoth was the largest mammoth ever discovered in Britain — when complete, it would have stood 4 metres tall and weighed around 10 tonnes. Most of the skeleton was recovered and is on display at Norwich Castle Museum. Worth visiting if you're spending time in Norwich as well as on the coast.
Stage 3 — East Runton to Cromer
2 miles · 50 mins
From the Roman Camp, the path continues along the clifftop through East Runton — a quieter village than its western neighbour, with a fine stretch of beach below the cliffs. The clifftop path then skirts the edge of Cromer golf course before descending into Cromer along the clifftop gardens. Cromer comes into view properly for the first time from the clifftop — its church tower — the tallest in Norfolk at 160 feet — which can be climbed seasonally (check locally for current access), the Victorian pier stretching out to sea, and the handsome hotel frontage along the seafront. Descend to the promenade and walk east past the famous Gangway and up into the town for fish and chips and the bus home.
Points of Interest
1
⛰
Beeston Bump — Norfolk's Highest Coastal Point
At 73 metres, Beeston Bump is the highest point on the Norfolk coast — which may raise a smile given Norfolk's reputation for flatness, but it genuinely gives a sense of height and breadth of view. The hill is a relic of glacial moraine deposited during the last Ice Age. The gorse and heathland vegetation supports stonechats, linnets and the occasional yellowhammer. On a clear day the view west along the coast towards Sheringham and east towards Cromer is extraordinary.
📍 Between Sheringham and West Runton · Free access
2
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West Runton — The Mammoth Beach
The beach at West Runton is one of the most geologically significant in Britain. The West Runton Freshwater Bed — a layer of sediment exposed in the cliff face — dates back 700,000 years and has yielded some of the most important Pleistocene fossils ever found in the UK. The West Runton Mammoth, discovered here in 1990, was the most complete steppe mammoth skeleton ever found in Britain. The cliffs continue to yield fossil material — look along the beach base after storms for freshly exposed sections.
📍 West Runton Beach, NR27 9QX · Free access
3
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The Roman Camp, East Runton
Despite its name, the earthworks above East Runton are almost certainly Iron Age in origin — dating from around 200 BC. The camp consists of earthwork banks and ditches covering several acres on the clifftop. The misleading name has stuck since at least the 18th century when antiquarians assumed any ancient earthwork must be Roman. Whatever their origin, the earthworks are impressive and the location — on the edge of the cliff with wide sea views — is spectacular. The site is managed by the National Trust and open freely.
📍 Clifftop between West and East Runton · National Trust · Free
4
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Cromer — Pier, Crabs and Church
Cromer is the finest Victorian seaside resort on the Norfolk coast. The pier — built in 1901 — is one of only five UK end-of-pier theatres (the Pavilion Theatre). Cromer church has the tallest tower in Norfolk at 160 feet, visible from the coast path for miles. The tower is occasionally open to climb seasonally — check with the church on arrival. And Cromer crab is world-famous — smaller than most crabs but extraordinarily sweet and dense. Davies Fish Shop on Garden Street is the local institution; the crabs are caught from boats that still launch from the beach below the pier.
📍 Cromer town centre · Various attractions
Food and Drink
Sheringham Promenade Cafés
Café · Start of walk
Several good cafés on Sheringham promenade for a pre-walk coffee and breakfast. The town is well served — take your pick before heading east.
📍 Sheringham seafront
The Village Inn, West Runton
Pub · Midway
Traditional pub in West Runton village — a short detour from the coast path. Good for a midpoint stop with reliable food and ales.
📍 Water Lane, West Runton NR27 9QP
Davies Fish Shop, Cromer
Fish shop · End of walk
The best crab in Cromer — which means the best crab in Norfolk. Dressed crab, crab sandwiches and whole crabs. A tradition on Garden Street for over a century.
📍 Garden Street, Cromer NR27 9HB
No. 1 Cromer
Fish & chips · End of walk
Award-winning fish and chips on the seafront. Consistently voted among the best fish and chip restaurants in the East of England. Book ahead or expect a queue in summer.
📍 Jetty Street, Cromer NR27 9HG
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NorfolkWild
Independent guide to this section of the Norfolk Coast Path. Updated May 2026.
