Exploring North Norfolk

North Norfolk is famous for its open countryside and big skies. Sparsely populated and largely unspoilt, its characteristic brick-and-flint villages are surrounded by miles of working farm land. Most of the coastline from the Wash to beyond Cromer is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, its unique saltmarsh habitat providing a haven for wildlife as well as spectacular walks, sailing and scenery.

The area has long been popular with holiday makers and is well served by good restaurants and pubs and offers endless opportunities for visitors, from quiet relaxation to traditional seaside fun.

Being a little inland, Holly Lodge has the advantage of being away from the hustle and bustle of the fashionable hotspots on the coast during the Summer while being no real distance from them... you can easily popup to the coast or stay inland to enjoy some of the uncrowded tranquility that really characterises the area.

Nowhere in North Norfolk is very far from anywhere else though both the A148 main road and the A149 coast road can be busy and a bit slow in high season. Holly Lodge is pretty much in the middle of things so you've got a full choice of what to do and where to go.

Activities

Walking

The local area is criss-crossed by quiet lanes, farm tracks and paths; there's plenty of circular walks and plenty of interesting sights and places to walk to, with the rural Thursford Church being a starting point even for those who don't normally step out in the fresh air.

A short drive away, the Norfolk Coastal Path runs from Hunstanton to Cromer mostly along the edge of the marshes and beaches. The section from Burnham Overy Staithe across Holkham Beach to Wells and perhaps back through the pine woods is probably the most popular (park at Wells Beach or on Lady Anne's Drive just North of the Holkham Estate). For the more serious walker, the Peddar's Way runs all the way from Knettishall Heath Country Park in Suffolk up to join the coast path at Holme. Much of the route is relentlessly straight having once been a major Roman Road.

Other good walks are Sheringham Park (for a full trip, climb the Gazebo viewing tower then cross the Coast Road to join the coast path into Sheringham then hop on the steam train back to Weybourne and walk back into the park), Blickling Hall, Felbrigg Hall, out to Blakeney Point to see the seals.

Sailing

North Norfolk's coastal estuaries, creeks and harbours are shallow, tidal and on occasions tricky... but immensely rewarding for enthusiastic sailors, particularly at Brancaster, Burnham Overy Staithe, Wells and Blakeney. Charlie Ward's boatyard at Morston which makes superb hand-built sailing craft is also home to Juno, a large sailing barge that offers memorable trips during the summer. Other trips boats run out of Morston, Blakeney and Wells. For lessons, there are sailing schools at Blakeney, Brancaster and Wells .

Seal Trips

The classic 'must-do' North Norfolk trip (don't let that put you off) is a visit to the 500-strong colony of wild seals on Blakeney Point. The dedicated can walk but the best way is on one of the seal trip boats that run each day on the tide from Morston or Blakeney quay... it's a lovely, sheltered trip and the seals are so used to the boats that you can get very close. Tickets can be purchased on the quayside or at the Anchor Pub in Morston but it's best to book in advance. Try Temple's (01263 740791), Beans Boat Trips (01263 740505) or Bishop's Boats (01263 740753). For a more exciting version, Safety Boat Services (01328 878579) run coastal tours including a seal visit from Wells quay using fast boats.

Cycling

Norfolk is great for cycling; it's relatively (but not completely) flat and has a multitude of quiet lanes and paths. Traffic is easily avoided if you stay off the main roads or indeed off the roads completely. A good starting point is a gentle three miles to Walsingham where, co-incidentally, National Cycle Route No. 1 passes on its way from Wells to meet the Marriotts Way, a railway track-bed that runs traffic-free all the way to Norwich.

We've usually got a couple of bikes available to borrow... if you'd like a go, please ask.

Bird watching

North Norfolk is top bird-watching territory with a huge and ever-changing range of migrant and wading birds. Twitchers from all over the country visit in large numbers often equipped with huge quantities of equipment including telescopes, binoculars and radio pagers but almost anyone can join in for an hour or two with a cheap pair of binoculars and a bird book. Good places to start are the world-renowned reserves at Cley and Titchwell or the George Washington Hide at Holkham where there's usually plenty to see and often some friendly help on hand if you ask nicely... but you will see a wide variety of birds almost anywhere in the area, including avocets, woodpeckers, marsh harriers and Barn owls.

Sports

There are some excellent links courses nearby at Brancaster, Hunstanton, Sheringham and Cromer (Brancaster can be harder for visitors to get onto, particularly in Summer and at weekends). Nearest to Holly Lodge is a very decent 9-hole course at Fakenham Race Course and a fun-to-play 9 hole course at West Runton. It's always best to phone the clubs first before setting out. For those that will seize up without daily exercise, there's an excellent new gym and leisure facility in Fakenham and Jeremy can give plenty of tips on running routes right outside Holly Lodge's front-door!

Days out

There's no shortage of local attractions for a day out or visit. The Thursford Collection, right on our doorstep, is a unique assembly of steam-powered traction engines, organs and fairground rides. It's also the unlikely venue every year for the hugely popular Thursford Chistmas Spectacular Shows which attract audiences from across the UK. On the subject of steam, there is also the North Norfolk Railway from Sheringham to Holt, the Wells and Walsingham Light Railway (the longest 10¼" gauge railway in the world) and the spectacular Bure Valley Railway (which usefully takes you to Coltishall or Wroxham for a glimpse of the Norfolk Broads). Just outside Weybourne, the Muckleburgh Collection is an unrivalled private collection of tanks and military hardware on an old army training base and well worth a visit. The Museum of Norfolk Life at Gressenhall is around 12 miles away in a former workhouse with a working 1920s farm.

Historic sites include the big estates and stately homes at Holkham, Houghton and Felbrigg not to mention the Queen's Norfolk retreat at Sandringham. Somewhat less grand but worth investigating are the working windmill at Great Bircham and the restored water mill at Letheringsett as well as historic ruins at Walsingham, Binham, North Creake and Warham Camp. The city of Norwich with its spectacular cathedral as well as good shopping is about 40 minutes drive away.

Eating Out

Not so many years ago, eating out in Norfolk was not something you would have done for pleasure but we're now blessed with a multitude of excellent places to eat. Some local suggestions are The Crawfish (1 mile), a converted pub serving terrific Thai food, The Old Forge (1 mile), handy if pricey, the Carpenters Arms in Wighton (4 miles), recently refurbished with being too 'gastropub', the Three Horseshoes in Warham (4 miles) and the Chequers at Binham (4 miles). Bigger names in the area include The Crown in Wells, the Victoria at Holkham and Morston Hall and we'd also have to mention the White Horse in Blakeney which was our favourite local for many years.