In: north norfolk
30th September 2016
The best UK Holiday at Cranmer Country Cottages
We recently had the pleasure of welcoming guest Martin Smith and his family, including dog Tilly, to stay at our dog friendly, End Cottage. They had a fantastic two weeks with us making the most of our facilities and exploring all the many things to do around us in beautiful North Norfolk.
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| Tilly felt very at home |
Martin says:
“Staying at End Cottage. Just excellent. Welcomed with homemade cake and milk in the fridge for that well-earned cuppa from travelling. Both front and back gardens were dog proof, and large! All the beds were comfortable and we especially enjoyed the master bedroom with its double aspect. I will really miss looking out at the birds in the hedgerow each morning with my cup of coffee!
The “freshen up” service after the first week was a very nice touch, with the bedding being replaced and the house cleaned through.
The indoor swimming pool was such a bonus – a swim before dinner for the whole family after a day out was greatly appreciated. We also had a lot of fun playing tennis.
Around the cottages there was plenty of wildlife to watch. Rabbits made the kids smile, and the birdlife included kestrels, wrens, chaffinches and goldfinches, pied wagtails nesting and a pair of Tawny owls at night calling each other.”
Martin has also kindly recommended his top picks of things to do in North Norfolk:
- · Visit Fakenham Fairways for Pitch and Putt.
- · Enjoy a boat trip to see the seals.
- · Have a walk around Holkham Estate to see the house and the deer.
- · Visit Langham glass to blow your own souvenirs.
- · Take in the beach at Brancaster
Martin is a keen bird watcher and also adds:
“I really enjoyed a couple (or 3) trips to RSPB Titchwell and was particularly pleased to be able to tick a few more rare species off the list, especially the Bearded tit and the Spoonbill. We also walked around SculthorpeNature Reserve and although not as much wildlife, we were entertained by the Nuthatches at very close quarters.
We ate out at the Mill house, Sculthorpe which wasn’t bad, the Plume of Feathers at South Creake (actually very good, and much larger servings) and the Bowling Green. Another favourite was the Café at Creake Abbey. The food, a little pricey, was very good, as was the coffee. The surrounding shops were also very tempting!
Partly due to the weather, but also the accommodation and North Norfolk coast has made the last two weeks probably the best UK holiday we can remember!”
Autumn and winter are great times of year to visit Norfolk, there tend to be less people about but an abundance of wildlife!
Call us on 01328 823135 or visit our website to check availability and book your best UK holiday!
1st April 2014
Easter breaks in North Norfolk
With Easter just a few weeks away, we are feeling rather excited that spring has arrived. We are certainly enjoying the daffodils that are scattered around the countryside, they glow like little rays of sunshine that offer promise that warmer weather and lighter evenings are on their way.
North Norfolk is definitely gearing up for the holiday season and with the Easter Holidays just around the corner we look forward to welcoming new and returning visitors to the area.
If you are still looking for a break over the Easter weekend, then look no further! Our family friendly cottages are situated in the tranquil countryside, but are only a short drive away from the coast. There are lots of Easter themed activities taking place in the area with plenty of other things to enjoy as a family during your stay too. We are even offering a 10% discount and a personalised, handmade chocolate Easter Egg if you book your stay over the Easter weekend… We promise not to nibble on the chocolate before you arrive, even though it is practically impossible to resist!
Below we’ve put together some suggested family friendly things to do over the Easter holidays and for some more ideas on what you can do during your stay, read our A to Z guide of things to do in Norfolk too.
Lamb Feeding
Cuddle and bottle feed a baby lamb at the Stow Bardolph Rare Breeds Farm. There is also the chance to hold fluffy Easter chicks and make friends with lots of farm animals including horses, pigs and rabbits.
Easter Trail
Take a special Easter Trail at one of the following locations and you may even be in with a chance of winning an Easter Egg!
You may even want to set up your own Easter Egg hunt within the grounds of our cottages.
Crabbing
Grab yourself a line, bucket and some bait (crabs seem to love bacon!) and see how many crabs you can catch from Well’s Harbour.
Geocaching
If you’ve not heard of Geocaching, it’s a worldwide, real life treasure hunting game. All you need to play is a GPS device i.e. a smart phone. Geocache has it’s own app which is available to download and from there you can search for caches near to you which you can then track down. Other than purchasing the app, it is free to do and gives families the opportunity to spend time together enjoying the great outdoors. For full details visit http://www.geocaching.com/
13th March 2014
Treat mum to some luxury this Mother’s Day
Fancy treating your mum this mother’s day? How about booking a last minute weekend break in one of our luxury cottages where she can be surrounded by her family and spoilt rotten.
There’s no better way to say thanks than to give her a bit of time to relax and unwind on the North Norfolk coast and treat her to a scrumptious mother’s day lunch at one of these popular venues.
North Creake
If you’re a fan of a traditional pub atmosphere and good food then look no further than the Jolly Farmers. The menu offers a great variety of seasonal and locally sourced meals ranging from traditional pub grub to impressive daily specials.
Holkham
The Victoria is a short stroll from the famous and very beautiful Holkham Beach. It’s a very welcoming place to stop and indulge in a delicious plate of food after an exhilarating walk on the beach. Serving fresh, local and seasonal is paramount for the chefs at the Victoria; you can enjoy beef and venison straight from the Holkham estate as well as delicious fresh fish that’s caught on the North Norfolk coast. Food is served from 8am so you can even pop in for a hearty breakfast if you don’t fancy cooking breakfast in your cottage.
Brancaster
The White Horse offers spectacular views over the Norfolk Coastal path and marsh making it a beautiful place to dine. The chefs pride themselves on cooking up fresh local produce including an abundance of locally caught fish and seafood, which is delivered by the local village fishermen. You can’t get fish any fresher than straight off the boat!
Thornham
The Orange Tree is a contemporary styled pub situated in the beautiful village of Thornham. It has won many awards including the Dining Pub of the year for two consecutive years. Their award winning food is innovative and the executive chef, Philip Milner is well known for his seafood dishes including wild seabass and razor clams. There are a variety of dishes that will suit most tastes, ranging from the pub classics to contemporary cuisine.
Titchwell, Nr Brancaster
Titchwell Manor was the winner of the EDP best restaurant of the year 2013 and we can fully understand why. The two restaurants on site offer a truly gastronomic experience. The Eating Rooms offers a more informal and relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy a selection of dishes from their large brasserie menu or book a table at the conservatory where you can savour a 7 course evening meal. On Sundays both menus combine plus there’s the opportunity to tuck into a traditional Sunday roast too. Delicious!
22nd December 2013
Exciting plans for 2014
2013 has been a very busy and enjoyable year for us at Cranmer Cottages.
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| Snowfall at Cranmer in early 2013 |
The early winter months brought plenty of snow, the whole area looked picture perfect and very tranquil.
When spring arrived, we enjoyed an abundance of snowdrops, crocus, bluebells and daffodils. The countryside was literally peppered with a good splash of colour. Guests enjoyed the spectacular snowdrop walks at Walsingham and there were plenty of Easter events planned locally for families to attend.
Then along came summer and for the first time since 2006, we enjoyed record high temperatures and long, sunny days. Our guests spent their days on nearby sandy beaches and evenings outside playing family games in our large paddock area where children also enjoyed our brand new play area.
The summer extended into the early Autumn months and now we’re in mid December we’re looking forward to the New Year ahead.
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| Late Summer Sunshine Near Holkham |
We’ve got a few exciting things to look forward to in 2014 which we’ve been planning over the past few months.
Firstly, we are delighted to launch our one-hour, on-site farm/ nature walk. This walk is only available for our guests and gives an exclusive opportunity to view our fabulous countryside and get up close and personal to the local nature. We have even created a trail quiz to encourage our young visitors to learn more about the great outdoors and the amazing wildlife we have.
We’ve also teamed up with Pensthorpe Wildlife and Gardens who have kindly agreed to offer our guests a discounted family ticket. For those who haven’t heard of Pensthorpe before, it is an award winning wildlife and conservation reserve that offers something for all ages. The reserve is bustling with birds and wildlife throughout the year, so it’s perfect for birdwatchers and nature lovers. There are also a lot of exciting activities and things to see for families, including their brand new play area, Wild Rootz, which is definitely a winner with the children.
During January, we will be carrying out some refurbishing work on our cottages. We’ll be sharing details of the work we’re doing on our Facebook Page over the next few weeks, so remember to head over and ‘Like Us’ to receive our updates.
Being an eco friendly tourism business, we have worked very hard over the last few years to lower our carbon footprint. On site, we already have a wind turbine and solar panels, which heat and power some of our facilities, but we took a giant leap this year and installed a 100kw biomass boiler. This biomass boiler now means that, other than using a little gas for cooking, we can turn our backs to nasty fossil fuels that we’ve previously had to use. The biomass boiler is fuelled by recycled woodchip, which would otherwise go to landfill. We can now proudly say that our self catering cottages are now ‘powered by nature and nurtured by us’
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| Rescued Grey Seal Pup |
Finally, we’d like to make you aware of a visitor payback scheme, which we’ve just introduced in the wake of the recent floods that affected the seal colonies at Blakeney. We are asking all visitors who book a break with us to make a voluntary donation of £1, which we will match fund, to go towards the RSPCA East Winch branch. This charity is specifically dedicated to rescuing seal pups in the area and rehabilitating them back into the wild. Blakeney is home to large colonies of Grey and Common seals, who breed and bring up their young throughout the year. It really is a magnificent sight to see and one that shouldn’t be missed when you visit the area.
If you book your break and would like to make a donation, simply tick the box on your booking form which says ‘Visitor Payback Scheme’ and our online system will do the rest for you. We will update our website with details on the progress of this scheme over the coming months.
North Norfolkreally does offer something for everyone. From coast to countryside, it is brimming with quaint market towns, extraordinary wildlife, superb visitor attractions and an indulgent selection of places to eat. Once you visit you’ll be itching to come back. Our self-catering cottages are already booking up fast for next summer, so if you don’t want to miss out check our availability and book your holiday now.
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support throughout 2013 and we hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Best wishes,
The team at Cranmer Cottages.
14th November 2013
Christmas Events in North Norfolk
The festive season is beginning to ramp up in North Norfolk. Lights are being strung up in local the towns, the shops are playing festive music and are stocked up with Christmas decorations, gifts and lots of delicious food.
We’re buzzing with the anticipation of a busy Christmas period and we have guests visiting so they can do their Christmas shopping. Our local towns are full of boutique shops with beautiful gifts to suit everyone.
We’re buzzing with the anticipation of a busy Christmas period and we have guests visiting so they can do their Christmas shopping. Our local towns are full of boutique shops with beautiful gifts to suit everyone.
We offer short breaks over during November and December, giving you the opportunity to enjoy a break away and stock up on gifts and seasonal goodies. And if shopping isn’t your thing, there are still a number of Christmas events planned that will definitely get you in the festive mood. From Christmas lights being switched, spectacular Christmas Shows to special Santa steam train rides, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
20th November 2013
Holt becomes a winter wonderland when thousands of white fairy lights glisten over the over Georgian buildings. Join in on the festivities where there will be street entertainment, food and shopping before the lights switch on with a firework display. The Christmas lights will sparkle in Holt until 5th January.
Lights Switched on 6.45pm, festivities start from 5.30pm
Burnham Market
23rd November
4pm – 8pm
This year’s Christmas lights will be switched on by the ex Norwich City Footballer and local celebrity, Darren Huckerby. In addition to this, Burnham Market will host a Traditional Christmas Market between 4pm – 8pm.
There will be over 25 art, craft and gift stalls to peruse around with gifts including jewellery, soft furnishings, artisan chocolates, Christmas wreaths and much more available to buy. Whilst you wander around the stalls you’ll have the opportunity to listen to carol singing, a brass band, Nelson’s Shantymen and a local live cover band playing on the Fairstead Green.
Father Christmas will make a special appearance for the children and there will be lots of activities including ‘Pin the Nose on the Reindeer’ to keep the children occupied.
There will also be lots of tasty food stalls where you can enjoy an array of foods including a hog roast, mulled wine, mince pies, Crepes and much, much more.
Fakenham Parish Church
28th Nov – 5th Dec
10am – 8pm
Fakenham Church hosts a very special Charity fundraiser with 90 decorated trees all trimmed and lit for over 80 selected charities. This event is free, but we recommend you take a bag of coins so you can donate a few pennies to your favourite charity trees. Last year over £22,000 was raised for charities including local schools, nurseries and the British Heart Foundation. There is also a Christmas Market selling items such as Christmas cakes and cards. Food and refreshments including light lunches and homemade cakes will also be available to buy throughout the festival.
North Norfolk Railway
1st – 24th December
Enjoy a steam train ride to visit Santa in his magical wonderland. Special services will run between the 1st – 24thDecember where you can take scenic train ride from Sheringham Station through to Weybourne Station, to find Santa waiting by an open fire to give the children a warm welcome and to ask that all important question of what they would like this year for Christmas.
Adults get to enjoy sherry and mince pies during the train ride whilst children receive a biscuit and soft drink.
Booking is recommended for this unique and wonderful North Norfolk Christmas experience.
Holkham Hall
7th & 8th, 14th& 15th December
Christmas this year at Holkham Hall will be a wonderful sight! See the magnificent state rooms beautifully decorated in traditional Victorian style, complete with handmade decorations, real greenery from the park and candle light. A visit to see Father Christmas in our new grotto will be pure magic for the children.
Burnham Deepdale
7th & 8th December
The Deepdale Christmas Market has over 70 stalls, along with entertainment and activities. It’s the perfect place to stock up on Christmas presents, decorations and local food and drink. The weekend will be full of seasonal cheer and guarantees to set you in the festive mood for the big day itself.
Felbrigg Hall
15th December
11 – 3pm
A small number of select food and gift stalls will be at Felbrigg Hall on Sunday 15 December. Take the opportunity to do some last minute Christmas shopping and buy some gifts and goodies.
25th December
Hunstanton
For all the brave people out there, how about taking a plunge in the sea on Christmas day?
The Hunstanton Christmas Swim has now been going for over 50 years and over recent years we’ve seen record crowds watching and participating. The event raises funds for the Round Table which help to support many local good causes.
If you fancy it, you may want to think about doing it in fancy dress as there’s the opportunity to win £25 for the best dressed individual or £100 for the best group. What bizarre outfits can you think to wear?!
King’s Lynn Corn Exchange
6th – 31st December
This year’s panto is the fairytale story Beauty and the Beast, and stars Darren Day as the Beast himself.
In good old fashioned panto style, there’s a baddie to boo, the goodies with their hilarious gags and a heroine in need of being rescued. This is a rip roaring adventure full of fun and live music. True Christmas entertainment at its best!
Theatre Royal Norwich
17th December – 19th January
This year’s festive extravaganza is the most popular panto of them all – Cinderella.
There will be magic, comedy, audience participation and fun along with music and dancing to enjoy. This traditional panto will be a delight for all the family.
The all-star cast includes Shelia Ferguson (The Three Degrees) as Fairy Godmother, Christopher Ryan (The Young Ones, Absolutely Fabulous) as Baron Hardup, Matt Milburn (Hollyoaks) as Prince Charming, and Richard Gauntlett as Buttons.
UNDER THREEs FREE
9th November – 23rd December 2013
The Thursford Christmas Spectacular is the largest Christmas Show in England and is a magical experience. The show starts on the 9th November and runs until the 23rd December. Booking is essential as it’s a hugely popular event, people travel from all over the country to see it. It is well worth treating yourself and loved ones to a long weekend in Norfolk to attend this spectacular show…… and a great excuse to get into the festive spirit!
17th October 2013
North Norfolk – A Haven for Wildlife
Being situated in North Norfolk, we are extremely lucky to have a number of nature reserves nearby, making our holiday cottages the perfect destination for nature lovers. We also know that the autumn and winter months are an excellent time to visit the reserves, especially for keen bird watchers. Not only do we have a great variety of resident birds including Marsh Harriers, Bitterns, Avocets and Oyster Catchers, the reserves also become packed with winter migrants including Brent and Pink Footed Geese, the Black-tailed Godwit, Fieldfares, Redwings and Bramblings.
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| Marsh Harrier hunting over local arable land |
There isn’t a day that currently goes by where we don’t see or hear a flock of geese flying over us and we know, from reading updates via the social network sites, that the migratory birds are arriving and settling into the reserves on a daily basis.
We offer the perfect sanctuary after a long day outside, braving the elements. Our warm, cosy, open plan cottages have been designed to make you feel at home the instant you walk through the door. The living room space invites you to put your feet up and relax and our large beds are so comfortable, we guarantee a good night’s sleep. We also have a heated, indoor swimming pool on site, which is always a welcoming place to thaw out those frozen, numb toes!
So, dig out your thermals and waterproofs, scrub down your walking boots, clean up your binoculars and rummage around in the back your kitchen cupboard for that Thermos flask. It’s time to book into one of our luxury cottages and explore the Great British Wildlife at some of these popular spots.
Sculthorpe Moor
We had to start with our neighbour, Sculthorpe Moor, which is situated approximately 2.5 miles from our cottages. This reserve is owned by the Hawk and Owl Trust, a charity that’s dedicated to conserving owls and other birds of prey, in the wild.
The 45 acre reserve has woodland, fen and reedbed habitats and offers a rich variety of wildlife. Throughout the year you can enjoy spotting wildlife such as tawny and barn owls, willow and marsh tits, kingfishers, tree creepers and water and bank voles. During the autumn and winter months you can find bramblings, water rails, siskins and roosting harriers too.
Between October and March the reserve is open from 8am – 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday. All families are welcome to enjoy the reserve – a voluntary donation of £3.50 is suggested from adult visitors.
For full details visit http://hawkandowl.org/sculthorpe/about-sculthorpe/
Pensthorpe Wildlife & Gardens
Okay, so Pensthorpe could possibly be seen as more of an attraction, but we had to include it for the work this place does. This fabulous reserve covers over 200 acres and is nationally renowned for it’s conservation projects on Red Squirrels, Corncrakes, Turtle Doves and Cranes and is also nationally recognised as a breeding site for several species of birds, butterflies, insects and mammals.
Pensthorpe also works extremely hard to encourage children to discover nature and how they can respect and protect our natural surroundings and wildlife for their future. Interactive activities such as pond dipping, den building and going on an interactive bug walk, all educate the children and help them experience nature first hand.
This year, Pensthorpe also opened up their new adventure play area WildRootz. This adventure play area has been designed to encourage children to play and explore in natural habitats such as woods, fields and streams. It’s adventure play, nature’s way!
For full details of opening times and admissions visit www.pensthorpe.com
Cley Marshes
Cley Marshes is owned by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and is their oldest (it was purchased in 1926) and best known nature reserve. In fact, it actually provided a blue print for nature conservation, which has now been replicated across the UK.
The reserve includes a shingle beach and several lagoons, along with a grazing marsh and reedbed. It supports large numbers of wintering and migrating wildfowl and waders and is home to residents including the bittern, marsh harrier and bearded tit.
The visitor centre looks across the marsh to the sea and the views are truly breathtaking.
For more details visit http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/cley.aspx
Titchwell Marsh
This popular RSPB reserve takes you past reedbeds and shallow lagoons, before you reach a sandy beach.
There are four birdwatching viewing points, all of which are wheelchair accessible, where you can watch an array of birds including Water Rails, Bitterns, Bearded Tits, plus variety of Waders, Terns and Ducks.
There is something for everyone at this reserve, even the children are encouraged to find different species of birds, insects and animals during their walk and if they find everything on their list, there’s a little prize to collect from the visitor centre.
Titchwell Marsh is open all year round and full details can be found at http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/t/titchwellmarsh/index.aspx
Blakeney Point Nature Reserve
One final thing we must mention before we go, is the seal colonies around Blakeney Point.
Blakeney Point is a four-mile-long sand and shingle spit and is home to colonies of Grey and Common Seals. It is also one of the most important sites in Europe for breeding terns.
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| Grey Seal Pup basking in the winter sun |
Although the seals can be seen throughout the year, Grey Seals have their pups between November and January and Common Seals have their young between June and August. The best way to view the seals in their natural habitat is by taking a boat trip either via Morston or Blakeney Quay. This is a fantastic experience for all the family as it allows you to enjoy a close view of the wildlife without disturbing it.
Blakeney Point sits within the Blakeney National Nature Reserve. The reserve itself is made up of saltmarsh, mudflats and fresh watermarsh and hosts a diverse range of special wildlife.
More details about boat trip operators and the reserve itself can be found at http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blakeney/visitor-information/
3rd October 2013
Autumn Half Term Fun
After a very busy summer period, September seemed to pass us by in flash, now it’s the beginning of October it means that the half term hols aren’t very far away. Halloween falls over the half term period this year so we thought we’d share some of the spooktacular events that are taking place in North Norfolk for families to enjoy!
Take a spooky self-guided trail around the nature reserve, playing games and learning about the local history and natural world at this time of year. Also explore the brand new WildRootz adventure play area where there’s over 30 individual pieces of play equipment to play with and enjoy.
Creep through the bygone museum trying to avoid the spiders and creepy crawlies to find mad scientists at work creating spells and potions. Get involved in the weird and wonderful craft making and you can take home a spine-chilling memento.
Visit our walled garden to take a creepy spider hunt, you will also have the opportunity discover lots of spooky facts about these eight legged creatures.
There will be a daily fancy dress parade in the courtyard so make sure you come dressed up for the occasion, gory face painting and carving pumpkins will also be taking place too.
Are you brave enough to ride on the ghost train? Take a daring trip on the North Norfolk railway over half term and you’ll be in for a treat and a few tricks too!
For an extra spooky experience, stop off at Weybourne Station and enter the spook-laden Halloween Hall, a hellish haunt of witches, warlocks and shuddering spiders……. It’s not for the faint hearted!
This magical and enchanting event will celebrate the Halloween festivities with an array of workshops and activities to entertain children and parents alike.
Children will have the opportunity to make a magic wand, a witches pet (a bat!), a wizard shield, a magic potion or a witches messenger (an owl!) in one of the bookable workshops.
There are plenty of other free activities including a walk through the woods to discover the magical power of trees and children can also help make the fairy banquet or some special brew in the witches’ kitchen.
Ghostly Gressenhall
30th & 31st October
http://events.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/public_events.aspx?page=1&event_venue_id=2
30th & 31st October
http://events.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/public_events.aspx?page=1&event_venue_id=2
Don your Halloween costumes and prepare for a spooky evening at Gressenhall where there will be plenty of activities to get involved with.
Help track down a howling hound that’s on the loose and take a ghostly tour of the workhouse. There’s also a shadow puppet show to enjoy, face painting and lots of arts activities to get involved in too.
AND A LITTLE FURTHER AFIELD…..
PrimEVIL
Dinosaur Park, Lenwade
25th October – 2nd November
www.primevil-scare.com
PrimEVIL
Dinosaur Park, Lenwade
25th October – 2nd November
www.primevil-scare.com
Head to Norfolk’s biggest Halloween experience and enjoy 5 frightening attractions including the screaming woods and the maze of mutants! Take the opportunity to carve your very own pumpkin and get up close and personal with an array of creepy crawlies if you dare!
BeWILDerwood will be feeling a little spooky over half term week so come dressed up in your best Halloween gear and take the opportunity to build your own lantern and join in with Snagglefang’s end-of-day Luminous Lantern Parade – it’s a magical way to finish the season!
29th August 2013
Christmas at Cranmer
Christmas at Cranmer is one of out most favourite times of the year. We thrive on the vibe and excitement that families bring when they stay and it’s something we look forward to when the winter months start to creep up on us.
If you’ve considered getting away over the festive period but haven’t quite made up your mind whether to do so or not, here’s a few reasons why you should spend your Christmas with us:
1) Home from Home
Our cottages are family friendly and give a warm and friendly feel that makes you feel instantly at home. Over the festive period, all of our cottages are trimmed with Christmas trees and other decorations to give you that truly festive feel.
2) Lots of Space
Each cottage has been designed with an open plan living space which is perfect for families who want to enjoy time together. We also have cottages with inter-connecting doors, meaning we can accommodate groups of up to 12 people. In addition to this, our fantastic Green Room is available to hire if you are in need of a large dining space to get everyone around a table for a Christmas Day feast!
3) The Great Outdoors!
North Norfolk is famous for big skies, beautiful countryside and a rugged coastline, and on a cold winter’s day there’s nothing more invigorating than a brisk walk and a good blast of fresh air. Seeing as we all have a tendency to over indulge in rich foods over the festive period a good walk is the perfect tonic to pep you up. Our heated indoor pool is always a very warm and welcoming retreat if you are the kind of person who isn’t keen on braving the elements!
4) Festive Activities
From early December the area becomes a hive of festive activity with lots of events and things to do. There are festive markets to browse around, the Christmas spectacular at Thursford is always popular as is the special Santa steam train trips. The local panto in Norwich is fun for a day out, plus there are plenty of places for children to meet Father Christmas too.
5) Festive Feasts
There are a large number of local food suppliers in the area to help you create the ultimate Christmas gourmet experience. Order yourself a famous Norfolk Black or Bronze Turkey for your Christmas Dinner and try out a variety of local cheeses, our favourite being Mrs Temple’s Binham Blue. We are lucky to have a number of local farm shops which stock an array of other local delights including the famous Bray’s Cottage Pork Pies, Gnaw Chocolate and the very delectable Norfolk Cordial.
Alternatively, if you’d prefer not to slave over a hot stove on Christmas Day, there are plenty of local pubs and restaurants you can book instead, or, we can help you organise caterers who can do the cooking for you in the comfort of your own cottage.
Whatever your needs are, we can help you arrange a very memorable Christmas away from home.
18th July 2013
Summer fun in North Norfolk
It won’t be long until the schools break up for the summer meaning it gets busier than ever in North Norfolk and we are hoping that the warm, sunny weather we are currently experiencing is set to stay for the holiday season.
We always boast about how lucky we are to be in such a beautiful part of the UK, North Norfolk really is a unique place to live and seems to have something for everyone to enjoy. Our unspoilt, golden beaches are a great retreat on hot sunny days. There’s nothing better than packing up a hearty picnic full of delicious local produce and spending the day with the family, swimming in the sea, building sandcastles, flying kites and exploring the coastline. If sand and sea isn’t your thing, then we have some great open parks to also stroll around and picnic at. There are also plenty of quaint market towns and villages to visit, all of which are full of fabulous shops and places to eat too.
On top of all of this, there are plenty of attractions to visit from famous stately homes such as Sandringham and Holkham Hall, to unspoilt nature reserves where you can learn about the fantastic wildlife that makes North Norfolk its home in the summer. There are also several places to take the children for a packed day of entertainment and fun too. Our fantastic new interactive map on our website highlights some of the great places to visit in the area.
We can’t also forget all of the exciting events taking place over the next few weeks, from carnivals and craft fairs to children’s activity weeks. You really are spoilt for choice. The most stressful part of your holiday this year will be deciding on what to do first!
JULY
11th – 27th
Fakenham Arts Biennial
Fakenham Arts Biennial
27th July – 1stSeptember
Curious Crocklebog Capers
BeWILDerwood
www.bewilderwood.co.uk/plan-your-visit/events/curious-crocklebog-capers-2013
Curious Crocklebog Capers
BeWILDerwood
www.bewilderwood.co.uk/plan-your-visit/events/curious-crocklebog-capers-2013
10th – 11th
Charity Lego Weekend to raise funds for the East Anglian Air Ambulance
Holt Hall
www.holthall.norfolkedunet.gov.uk/events.html
Charity Lego Weekend to raise funds for the East Anglian Air Ambulance
Holt Hall
www.holthall.norfolkedunet.gov.uk/events.html
10th – 18th
Bug Week at the Dinosaur Adventure Park
Lenwade, Norwich
www.dinosauradventure.co.uk/general-information/events.php
Bug Week at the Dinosaur Adventure Park
Lenwade, Norwich
www.dinosauradventure.co.uk/general-information/events.php
24th
Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra
Holkham Hall
www.holkham.co.uk/html/concerts_park_2013.html
Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra
Holkham Hall
www.holkham.co.uk/html/concerts_park_2013.html
31st August – 1stSeptember
North Norfolk Food & Drink Festival
Holkham Hall
www.northnorfolkfoodfestival.co.uk/
North Norfolk Food & Drink Festival
Holkham Hall
www.northnorfolkfoodfestival.co.uk/
21st February 2013
A flexible events venue with a green twist
The Green Room was the final barn to be fully refurbished at Cranmer and opened in October 2012. The aim of this room was to offer a fully functional events venue that’s available to local businesses to book and use for meetings and events whilst also being an intimate venue to host yoga classes, showcase holistic therapies and exhibit local artwork and photography displays.
In addition to this, the Green Room is also available for our cottage residents to use, to hold celebrations and parties. It’s even a great private dining area which can be utilised when large group bookings can’t all fit in one cottage dining area and they need some extra space.
This flexible venue combines traditional and contemporary features and can accommodate up to 25 people. It’s equipped with state of the art technology including a large flat screen TV, AV equipment & WIFI internet connection. Specialist lighting has also been installed to offer ambience lighting to suit any occasion.
The venue is self-contained with toilet facilities and a small galley kitchen and all facilities are situated on the ground floor making it wheelchair accessible.
As part of our Green Tourism Gold Award and to support our green ethics, the venue is eco-friendly and powered from our on-site wind turbine and solar panels. In addition to this, we offer recycling facilities, supply recycled pens, pencils and paper, ensure that any unused water is used to water our plantsand only serve fairtrade tea and coffee.
If you’d like to learn more about using the Green Room to host an event, class or party, we’d be delighted to discuss your requirements and organise a venue viewing. Contact us by calling 01328 823135 or drop us an email to bookings@norfolk-luxury-cottages.co.uk