A Guide to Norfolk
A Bank Holiday Weekend to the Seaside…
Ever since we got back, I’ve been excited to write my travel guide to Norfolk. Making the most of the last Bank Holiday weekend, we packed the car and headed off to the east coast of England. Norfolk is a place that I’ve never been to, however, it is surprisingly close to where I grew up. So much so, that we have to cross through my home city to get to it. However, I’ve read many blog posts on it (these ones were my main inspiration) and decided it was worth checking out.
After a speedy 72 hours there, it’s two big thumbs up from me. Norfolk is a gorgeous place, there’s so much to discover that I’m telling my husband that we’re going again. The countryside is like nothing else I’ve seen, and the seaside and beaches truly suit my coastal grandmother vibes. I have a feeling that Norfolk is going to be our go-to place for small weekend getaways in the future.
So not wanting to keep this gem of England to myself, here’s my travel guide to Norfolk for you to devour and enjoy.
How to Get Around.
When it comes to travelling to Norfolk, I highly recommend going by car. Sure, you can go by train. However, there’s not really a direct route, especially from Yorkshire. Plus, if you want to explore small towns and coastal places, a car is really the way to go.
From Yorkshire, travelling by car is about three hours and a half, it’s a bit of a trek, especially if you’re travelling with a pet or child. However, I can recommend Lincoln or Lincolnshire as an excellent pitstop to get something to eat and stretch your legs.
Realistically, going by car is the way to go. You can pack everything you could need and explore the winding country roads at your own leisure.
Where to Stay.
When it comes to where to stay, I cannot recommend The Hoste Arms enough. It’s located in Burham Market, a great place to have a base camp for visiting the neighbouring villages. The hotel itself has two accommodation areas, a more boutique area that is not for pets, but perhaps we’ll check out another time.
Within the hotel itself, there’s a gorgeous pub, cinema, outdoor bar and gym. Literally, anything you could want within one space. It’s safe to say that the next time we’re in Norfolk, we’ll be staying here again.
For our rooms, it was a decent size and style for the basic room. The decor was perfection. I was certainly taking notes for our future home, particularly for the idea of an en-suite. I think next time, we’ll book a bigger room, especially when Dash is a little bigger.
The hotel itself is in the middle of the town, which is a 15-minute drive for Holkham, which has one of the most beautiful beaches you’ve ever been to. More on this in a moment…
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Where to Explore.
You’re going to be spoilt for the gorgeous countryside when you visit. When it can to adding places for my guide to Norfolk, there were so many little places that I really had to choose from the top places to recommend.
Firstly, Holkham is a must. It’s about 15 minutes up the road from where we were staying and has a little bit of everything. There’s Holkham Hall, which is free to enter (pay for parking) to explore the grounds. Dogs are allowed (just not in the hall) and whilst we were there, there was a food festival which was amazing.
Holkham village is equally cute, filled with quaint shops and pubs. However, what is the highlight of our trip was exploring Holkham beach. The dog-friendly side is closer to Holkham than the next town of Wells and is truly stunning. A mixture of grass and sand, with stunning woodlands behind it, has sand for the ground. Truly, it was stunning and I could have easily spent hours there.
My next suggestion is Cley, another small village that you’re going to love. Home to Picnic Fyre and that famous windmill, it’s great for Norfolk house spotting and a great walking route to the beaches.
Finally, you have to go and give Holt a visit. More modern than the surrounding villages, this town has some great little finds, including this great independent coffee shop that Lee happened to stumble upon. For me, it was the country shops that I loved visiting. In particular, it was going to see Norfolk Natural Living up close, a brand that I had admired for years. It’s fair to say I spent a pretty penny in all four of their stores (all next to each other).
Where to Eat.
When it comes to eating recommendations for my guide to Norfolk, you’re spoilt for choice. As it is close to the sea, you’ll have to try out some seafood dishes. And like many English countrysides, you’re spoilt with your choices of pubs. I’ve heard The Wiveton Bell is pretty good and the food we had at The Hoste was excellent. I’ve also heard that Number 29 is exceptional, one that we will try out next time we visit.
One thing that I found was there were many hidden little places selling fresh seafood that I wish we took advantage of more. Certainly next time, I’ll be filling up a cooler bag to take home with us to enjoy.
Until Next Time.
In case it wasn’t obvious in my guide to Norfolk, we want to go back again. Norfolk is such a gorgeous space and there’s so much more I want to explore next time.