California Road
California
Great Yarmouth
Norfolk
NR29 3QW
01943 730845
Open - March to October
Current fees - contact site for details
I've been camping at this site at least once a year since 1998, and although it's not exactly 5-star I think it's a great site in a great location, and personally I wouldn't stay anywhere else. It has three sections - static caravans, a touring field for caravans and motorhomes and a large tent field where motorhomes and campervans are also allowed to pitch. The statics are all privately owned and can be booked direct with the owners (a list of owners is available from reception) and these are nearest to the site entrance; the touring field is beyond the statics, sheltered on one side by tall trees and all the pitches have hook-up points. The camping field is on the cliff top with a limited number of designated pitches having a hook-up point - if you don't want or need a hook-up then you can basically just pitch wherever you want. It can get very windy though so take plenty of tent pegs! Steps at one end of the field take you to the path leading down onto the beach which is spitting distance away, and at the other end of the field is a long area of heath ideal for dog walking - one of my favourite early morning walks is through the heath to the end and back up the beach.
At the site entrance is a small amusement arcade and a shop which sells swimwear and beach stuff, gifts, and most things in the way of food and household stuff. Directly across from the entrance is the California Tavern, a very nice pub/restaurant which does lovely meals at reasonable prices, and almost next door to it there's a take-away with indoor seating. On the site itself is the Beachcomber Bar, a small licensed clubhouse which now serves breakfasts and has evening entertainment on at the weekends. Children and dogs are allowed in but only up to 9pm. The main toilet and shower block, which includes disabled facilities, is just across from reception, and although it's a bit dated the facilities are always very clean. The showers are hot (and free) and there are hairdryer and shaver points. Also in the same block is the laundry room with a coin-operated washing machine and dryer, iron and ironing board, a couple of deep sinks for clothes and another for pot washing - and the hot water really is hot. There's a smaller toilet block with a chemical disposal point adjacent to the tent field and another toilet/shower block and cdp in the touring area.
Site reception is open during Easter and May bank holidays then daily from the end of May to the end of September - if you have a problem and reception is closed then you only need to knock at the nearby bungalow as that's where the owner lives. He's always very pleasant and helpful and will go out of his way to deal with any problems. Calor Gas and Camping Gaz are available from reception, also various items of camping equipment, postage stamps and mobile phone top-ups. There's also a large range of information leaflets available and you can buy tickets for various Norfolk attractions for a price a bit lower than the normal admission charges.
A short walk down the lane is a chalet site with a swimming pool open to residents of other sites in the area and with a nice cafe adjacent to it. A couple of minutes drive takes you to Scratby post office and general store, the mini-market part is open until midnight so ideal if you find you've run out of milk for your bedtime brew. There's also a good garden centre there and an antique clock place housed in a separate cottage. Just over a mile to the north is Hemsby with its many gift shops, cafes and amusement arcades and a market held each Sunday and Tuesday, and if you fancy leaving your car on site it's a lovely walk along the beach to Hemsby Gap. Great Yarmouth with all its shops and promenade attractions is about five miles south, and seven miles inland is the village of Potter Heigham, one of the boating centres of the Broads. The big Latham's store there is one of those places which seems to sell everything and if you don't want anything when you go in you'll more than likely come out with something - there's also a nice in-store cafe which does the most divine cream-filled Belgian buns.
To me there's only one slight niggle about the camp site itself and that's the tv reception - it's very poor on the touring area and you'll need a reasonably tall aerial to get a picture. That could be because of the tall trees along one side, as I've previously found that reception on the camping field has been ok. Other than that, as long as you don't expect all the bells and whistles it's a good site in a lovely area, and very well placed for getting to the Broads and other Norfolk attractions.
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