Caister Holiday 2025

Monday 5th May, 10.32 a.m. at Stratford Station, and I’m waiting for the train, due in 5 minutes, to start our holiday at Caister. Oh, I’m also waiting for Louise, who is booked on the same train, which one would arrive first? Eventually, Louise arrived, followed A MINUTE later by the train, talk about cutting it fine!

After an uneventful journey, we arrived at the holiday caravan park, signed in, tried to find the short cut to the caravan, which we eventually found and then unpacked. Sue was still to arrive so we decided to walk into Caister, have a look around the village, visit the very windswept beach and get the shopping. By the time we returned Sue had arrived. Jinan was originally coming, but sadly had to pull out, so we all had the luxury of a room to ourselves, and being the gentleman that I am, I baggsied the main bedroom and left the smaller twin rooms to the girls.

In the evening we met up with Annick and Peter, who were staying in a caravan with Frances and Parviz, for a meal at the Mash and Barrel, the camp’s traditional pub style restaurant, and it was pretty good. Afterwards we checked the entertainment at the “Live Lounge” the resort’s entertainment centre. I think it’s best described as “variable”, being largely aimed at the camp’s smaller visitors, although the last act was enjoyable

On Tuesday, we were going for a six mile circular walk along the coast into Great Yarmouth, returning along the Broads and through countryside to the camp. We met up with Frances and Parviz and headed to the beach, walking along the sand and promenade and with a bracing sea breeze. On reaching the Venetian Waterways, it started to rain slightly, so we headed for a cafe for a tea break, thinking it would be sunny when we left. Well, it might not have been sunny, but the rain had stopped.

We soon reached Great Yarmouth where Frances and Parviz left to explore and we headed to the yacht station to start back along the River Bure, with the occasional boat cruising along it. Having had lunch by the river, we continued to a lonely avenue of trees, and uphill for some good views over the Broads, before reaching Caister. It felt a long 6 miles, and arriving back at the campsite we found we had actually walked 10 miles (I’d forgotten to add on the mile to and from the walk). In the evening we all went to the campsite restaurant.

Wednesday was to be an easier day (not for me it wasn’t). Louise, Sue and I caught the bus to Great Yarmouth to visit the Time and Tide museum, which details Great Yarmouth’s history. The museum was in an old herring processing plant, and in the courtyard there was a Punch and Judy show, being enjoyed by a class of school-kids who were really loving the show. Moving on through the museum there was a lot about the old fishing industry, and the town’s history, oh and some low doorways, which weren’t always well signed, as I painfully found out (idiot!).

We then had lunch before wandering back into town and returning to the campsite. Sue and Louise went to the prize bingo, whilst I decided to check a possible walk for next day. I really should have learnt from Durham that I shouldn’t go out alone without a responsible adult. The walk looked promising, rural footpaths and quiet roads, but returning to walk along the beach to the campsite, I tripped over a semi submerged railing and twisted my knee, so had to hobble the mile back to the campsite. We’d booked a meal at a pub in town, and Sue kindly offered to drive us there, but we walked into town, albeit slower than expected, for a nice meal.

On Thursday morning we awoke to bright sunshine (about time too). After a test walk to the shops, we decided against a long walk and went into Great Yarmouth again. This time we visited the Elizabethan house, which was pretty interesting and according to legend was where the Parliamentarians decided to execute Charles I after the Civil War. After the museum we walked along the seafront to the Pleasure Beach, had lunch and headed to the crazy golf where we were joined by Frances and Parviz. I narrowly won it, beating Frances by just 1 shot with Louise and Parviz contesting the wooden spoon.

Afterwards, we returned to the campsite and all went for a game of prize bingo with a couple of us getting close to, but sadly not quite winning, the substantial jackpot of almost £180. Afterwards, we enjoyed a meal on site before visiting the entertainment in the live lounge or playing on the machines in the arcade, before returning to the caravan.

On Friday we packed, left the site and Sue dropped Louise and me off at the station for our train home. It had been a good holiday, our caravan was comfortable and spacious, and it had been a very relaxing and enjoyable break. I just mustn’t go out on my own next time!

Trev (Pathfinder Hoppity) Eley