The official name for this town is Great Yarmouth but by locals (and me) it's referred to as just Yarmouth; located on the coast 20 miles east of Norwich and at the mouth of the River Yare it's the gateway from the Norfolk Broads into the North Sea. It's also the nearest big town to where I camp at California. For centuries it was a major fishing port but the fishing industry suffered a steep decline in the second half of the 20th century and has now almost disappeared. It also has literary connections in that Charles Dickens stayed at the Royal Hotel while writing David Copperfield (the town featured as a key location in the book) and Anna Sewell, the author of Black Beauty, was born in a 17th century house close to the town centre.
The town centre itself has most of the well-known high street retailers located in and around the modern Market Gates shopping centre; there's also a couple of narrow arcades with quaint independent shops and tea rooms, and a market place which is one of the largest in England. Running from the main high street right down to the promenade is Regent Road, a pedestrianised street lined on both sides with gift shops, clothes shops, cafes, and all the other types of shop you find at a large seaside resort.
Yarmouth's seafront, known as 'the Golden Mile' attracts millions of visitors each year to its sandy beaches, indoor and outdoor attractions and amusement arcades. There are two piers, the Britannia Pier and Wellington Pier; the Britannia Pier is home to the Britannia Theatre, one of the few end-of-pier theatres left in England, and during the summer months it features shows by well-known personalities. The Wellington Pier is home to a large family entertainment centre which features a ten pin bowling alley with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the beach. In addition to the two piers, tourist attractions on Marine Parade include a roller skating venue, Pirates Cove adventure golf, a putting green, Sea Life Centre, model village and fairground, to name but a few.
On the outskirts of the town is a riding stables where groups are taken out for hacks around the local area, Yarmouth racecourse which includes a caravan site, and a greyhound racing stadium where banger and stock car races are held every Wednesday evening. There's also a heliport which serves as a base for the helicopters which fly supplies to and from the natural gas rigs out in the North Sea - when I'm camping at California helicopters flying over the site are a regular thing.
There's far more to Yarmouth than I could ever hope to write on here; suffice to say that if reading this sparks an interest then why not Google it, find out more, and experience it for yourself if you can?
