Great Yarmouth’s history is stepping back into the spotlight this summer after a council unveiled a bumper programme of 14 guided heritage walks.
The 2026 line‑up mixes serious history with a generous dash of seaside eccentricity for a series of tours stretching from Gorleston to Caister.
Families can dive straight into the humourously named Crime and Yuckishment, a walk that promises to swap grim Victorian justice for something a little more mischievous.
Aimed at primary‑aged children, it uses an app to blend stories of stocks and scoundrels with interactive clues.
For slightly older children, Puzzles near the Pier turns the seafront into a quiz trail, complete with a stop at Williamson’s Old Penny Arcade.
Adults, meanwhile, may find themselves drawn to the newly expanded Sip Through Time tour, which begins at Blackfriars Tavern - CAMRA’s Pub and Cider Pub of the Year - before weaving through the ghosts of Great Yarmouth’s drinking past.
With two refreshment stops and tales of long‑lost inns, it’s a pub crawl with a PhD in local history.
For those who prefer sea breezes to beer taps, Quayside and Seaside explores Gorleston’s elegant past, including the vanished turreted hotel and the origins of the pier.
Theatre lovers get a rare peek inside the Edwardian Pavilion Theatre as part of the route.
The programme also digs deep into the borough’s more dramatic chapters.
Great Yarmouth at War charts the town’s bombardment and the impact on families and buildings, while From Romans to Rescuers traces 2,000 years of Caister history, from Roman fortifications to the lifeboat crews whose motto - “Caister men never turn back” - still resonates.
Showbiz fans can follow in the footsteps of The Who, Morecambe and Wise and other household names on Seaside Stars, a walk from Britannia Pier to Wellington Pier.
Architecture enthusiasts get their moment too with Building a Seafront, which reveals the surprising stories behind some of the Golden Mile’s best‑known buildings.
Gorleston’s Victorian cemetery takes centre stage in More Tales of the Old Cemetery, while the town’s maritime pride shines through in The Finest Quay - a title borrowed from Daniel Defoe, who once declared South Quay the best in England, if not Europe.
The medieval past is explored through Medieval Town Wall, one of the best‑preserved town walls in the country, and Rows and Red Herrings, which brings the town’s famous Rows to life and includes a visit to the Lydia Eva, the last surviving steam drifter and a recent film star thanks to Wonka.
For those who prefer their history with a shiver, Gruesome Great Yarmouth promises murders, press gangs and punishments that make modern justice look positively gentle.
And rounding out the programme, Minster Memorials uncovers the stories of sailors, merchants and circus owners resting in the Minster’s cemetery.
A Great Yarmouth Borough Council spokesman said the walks were “a unique opportunity for people of all ages to learn more about our rich cultural past”, praising the guides who “bring history to life”.
Tickets cost £5.50 for adults and £3 for children, with under‑sevens free. Family walks are £4 per person, while Sip Through Time costs £15 including two drinks and a Lacons voucher.
Booking closes 48 hours before each walk, and several free tours will be announced for Heritage Open Days in September.
More details are available at heritage-walks.co.uk.
