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Moving to Hunstanton with Hamiltons Removals
As a removal company based in Norfolk, we feel we know the area pretty well. One of our favourite destinations in the county is Hunstanton. Affectionately nicknamed ‘Sunny Hunny’, the town is a popular seaside resort in West Norfolk.
Hunstanton’s History
The town has a long history, with late Neolithic or early Bronze Age origins dating back to 1500 to 2000BC. An element of its more recent history can be found in the ruins of St Edmund’s Chapel, pictured below. The chapel was built in 1272 in memory of England’s first ever patron saint and King of East Anglia, who landed in Hunstanton in 855AD.
Despite its current popularity, up until the year 1840 there was nothing to find where new Hunstanton now stands. With the popularity of seaside holidays on the rise during the Victorian era, a man named Henry Styleman Le Strange decided to create a new one on this otherwise untouched piece of land. In fact, the very first building, The Golden Lion Hotel, is still going strong today! Hunstanton Heritage Centre is located in the centre of town and here you can learn more about its interesting history.
Beaches Old and New
Hunstanton beach faces west across the Wash, making it the only resort in the east coast of England to face west. This means that the sun actually sets over the sea, creating a truly stunning view each day and earning Hunstanton the unofficial title as the sunset capital of the UK.
The town has two beaches: Old Hunstanton and New Hunstanton. The pair are, however, only a mile apart, and easily accessible via a train which runs between the two. New Hunstanton boasts huge sandy beaches, as well as a lively promenade, Hunstanton Pier and Rainbow Park. The Pier is a family entertainment centre, built where the original 1870 Victorian pier once stood, and has many arcade and video games, as well as a bowling alley. Similarly, Rainbow Park has many great fairground rides for children to enjoy. The promenade itself has plenty of stands where you can buy food, souvenirs and unique gifts, plus you can explore the Old Lighthouse and beautiful lavender gardens, both of which are nearby.
Old Hunstanton is less busy and is surrounded by uniquely striped cliffs made up of carrstone (a type of sandstone), white chalk and red limestone. The beach itself has many dunes and rock pools, and dogs are allowed on the beach all year round. And, when you get hungry, there is the Old Town Beach Cafe, a vegan-friendly family-owned spot to eat (as well an ice cream kiosk!).
An Active Destination
Hunstanton is also fantastic for exploring outdoors, and incredibly dog-friendly with many popular walking routes such as Peddars Way, a gorgeous hiking trail around 50 miles long. There is also the Hunstanton Wolf Trail, which is a great way to learn about St Edmund and his time spent ruling over East Anglia, as well as the legendary appearance of a wolf appearing to guard over his severed head.
The town centre is bustling and lively, with more than 100 shops. For a bite to eat, there are plenty of options for fish and chips by the sea, including Henry’s of Hunstanton, Sally’s Fish’n’Chips, and Fishers of Hunstanton – all have rave reviews on Tripadvisor. For a more high-end dining experience, try Chives Wine Bar and Brasserie, or Michelin-starred restaurant The Neptune.
There is plenty to do in Hunstanton, including an abundance of water sports – kayaking, windsurfing and kitesurfing are all available. You can also hire bikes at Open Sky Cycles, or try your hand at other activities such as roller skating or adventure golf. You can also watch a show at The Princess Theatre (where Princess Diana herself brought young William and Harry to watch a performance of Cinderella) or take a stroll around the Boston Square Sensory Garden, which stimulates the senses of touch, sight, smell and sound.
Hunstanton is also one of the best places in Norfolk to go seal watching. With around 3,000 seals living around the Wash, it has one of the largest common seal colonies in the UK, perhaps even in the world. You can see the seals up close if you book a trip on one of the Wash Monsters – amphibious vessels which cruise along the coast – which makes for a brilliant day out.
Moving to Hunstanton with Norfolk Removal Company Hamiltons Removals
If you are interested in moving to Hunstanton, call us at Hamiltons Removals. We can organise commercial or domestic removals to the town, as well as all parts of Norfolk, including Cringleford, Trowse, Taverham, Wroxham and Wells-next-the-Sea. If you’d like to know more, you can call us on 01379 855203 or follow this link to find out about our video surveys and online quotes.
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