IMAGE: VISIT NORFOLK
Why go
Strung with vast and often-deserted beaches,
the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty (AONB) is one of the county’s
primary draws. Base yourself in the heart
of the AONB and you’ll find plenty to while
away a weekend: flint houses and medieval
churches in villages like Wells-next-the-Sea
and Burnham Market, bracing walks by the
sea, and a fantastic food scene, with fresh,
locally caught fish popping up on menus all
along the coast. visitnorfolk.co.ukWhat to do
Thanks to the Norfolk Coast Path, you can
explore a large part of the coastline on foot.
The nine-mile stretch from Salthouse to
Cromer is perhaps the most dramatic section:
the path snakes through marram grass,
shingle beach and up onto windy bluffs, with
the North Sea as a backdrop. Birdwatching
opportunities are plenty and, in the spring,
it’s common to see thousand-strong skeins of
pink-footed geese. nationaltrust.org.ukWhere to stay
On the Holkham Estate, five minutes from
the beach, The Victoria Inn brims offers an
initimate 20 rooms that are all bright andhigh-ceilinged, with views across the open
parkland. In the drawing room, guests can
help themselves to port and whisky before
sinking into armchairs — a welcome end to a
long day’s walk. holkham.co.ukWhere to eat
The White Horse Inn looks out towards
the lobster pots and saltmarshes of Scolt
Head Island, so it’s little wonder the likes
of scallops and mussels are the main event
at this restaurant in Brancaster Staithe.
For a slightly more relaxed setting, head to
The Globe Inn in Wells-next-the-Sea for a
huge bowl of king prawn squid ink linguine.
whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk
theglobeatwells.co.ukDon’t miss
Taking a sailing boat into Norfolk’s salt
marshes, which feels like one of the UK’s
last true wildernesses, with the Coastal
Exploration Company. As you navigate
the maze of tiny waterways, keep an eye
out for the seals around Scolt Head Island
— Norfolk has the biggest colony in the
UK, with pups born around November.
coastalexplorationcompany.co.uk
CHARLOTTE WIGRAM-EVANSWE LIKE
Holkham Hall is a
magnificent example
of 18th-century
Palladian architecture.
Home to the Earls of
Leicester for more than
400 years, the house
is decked out with
artworks by the likes of
Rubens and Van Dyck.
It also sits in a 25,000-
acre agricultural estate
complete with boating
lake and sweeping
parkland, where herds
of fallow deer roam
freely. holkham.co.ukWith seaside towns and miles of windswept coastline, the north
Norfolk coast offers a wild escape on the edge of EnglandNORFOLK COAST
STAY AT HOME
ABOVE: Remains of an ancient wooden
pier at high tide, Thornham HarbourSMART TRAVELLERMay/Jun 2020 33