Back Roads Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

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EAT AND DRINK

WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

Crown Hotel moderate

The emphasis here is on local produce,

seasonality and sustainability. The result

is good, inventive but unfussy cooking.

The Buttlands, NR23 1EX; 01328 710

209; http://www.thecrownhotelwells.co.uk

BURNHAM MARKET

Hoste Arms moderate

Eat in the bar or in comfortable dining-

rooms from an imaginative menu of

local produce – Brancaster oysters,

Cromer crab and Norfolk pork. There

are also plenty of good rooms – Horatio

Nelson is said to have stayed here.

The Green, PE3 8HD; 01328 738 777;

http://www.hostearms.co.uk

AROUND HEACHAM

Rose and Crown moderate

Family-friendly, 14th-century beamed

inn with walled garden– try the beef

or lamb grazed on the salt marshes at

Holkham, and fish and shellfish landed

off the Norfolk and Suffolk coast.

Old Church Rd, Snettisham,

PE31 7LX; 01485 541 382;

http://www.roseandcrownsnettisham.co.uk

e Heacham

Norfolk; PE31

This seaside village is a popular holiday

destination with accommodation of

all kinds, and the wide open sands

attract kite-fliers and windsurfers. Like

Hunstanton, Heacham looks west

across the vast bay and enjoys the

evening spectacle of a “highway to

heaven” – golden sunsets reflected in

the water. In 1614, the Algonquin

Indian princess Pocahontas married

the Heacham local John Rolfe –

commemorated by a carving in the

13th-century Norman St Mary’s

Church. Just outside the village,

located in an old watermill, is Norfolk

Lavender (open daily; 01485 570 384;

http://www.norfolk-lavender.co.uk), with

fragrant meadow garden, plant

centre, herb garden and shop. Try

lavender and lemon scones in the tea

room or take a minibus tour of the

blooming lavender fields in July.

Above left Local produce at Burnham Market

Above centre Resident of the popular Sea Life

Sanctuary, Huntstanton Right Bronze lioness,

Holkham Hall, near Wells-next-the-Sea

DRIVE 11: The Broads and the North Norfolk Coast

DAY TRIP OPTIONS

There’s lots of choice here for history

buffs, nature lovers, families, and even

those who like life a little slower.

Norwich and the Broads

Staying at Nowich 1 , explore the

town in the morning – see the castle,

cathedral, historic centre and shops,

then head for Horning 2 , to buy a

picnic and spend the afternoon on the

Broads in a canoe. Finally, enjoy a fish

supper at Mundesley 3 by the sea.

Follow the instructions in this drive.

Wildlife Adventure

From Hunstanton w, visit the Sea Life

Sanctuary to learn about the animals

up close. Then drive over to Blakeney

9 for a boat trip to see the sea birds

and seals in their natural environment.

Finish up at Cley-next-the-Sea 8

birdwatching in the salt marshes.

Take the A149 there and back.

Family Fun

Starting at Cromer 4 , enjoy the

traditional resort atmosphere then set

off for West Runton 5 , to see the farm

animals at the sanctuary. Stop off at

Sheringham 6 for a railway ride and

then head to Weybourne 7 for the

amazing collection of military vehicles.

Take the A149 there and back.

A Genteel Day

Take a tour the grand hall and estate at

Holkham. Then drive to Burnham

Market q, for some quaint village life

and a spot of shopping, before

heading for Heacham e and a visit to

the lavender farm.

Take the A149 there and back.

Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under £25; moderate, £25–£50; expensive, over £50

w Hunstanton
Norfolk; PE36 6BQ
An old-fashioned, bucket-and-spade
sort of resort, “Sunny Hunny” has two
distinct geographical features. Its
award-winning sandy beaches are
overlooked by cliffs striped red, white
and brown and, although an east
coast town, it looks west, into glorious
sunsets over the Wash. History buffs
might like Old Hunstanton for its
deeper roots and charm, but hidden
away among traditional amusements
on Hunstanton’s Southern Promenade,
(with pay parking), is the fascinating
Sea Life Sanctuary (open daily; 01485
533 576; http://www.sealsanctuary.co.uk)..) This is
dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation
and release back into the wild of sick

and injured seals and other marine

animals. Walk through an underwater

glass tunnel and be mesmerized by

sharks, seahorses, rays and other sea

creatures in this safe habitat.

ª Head south on the A149.

Peddars Way

The Norfolk Coast Path forms part of

the ancient Peddars Way, a scenic trail

which starts at Knetishall Heath, near

Thetford, and runs across 74 km (46

miles) of mainly flat fenland to the

sea near Hunstanton, following an

old Roman road. It hugs the coast

eastward to Cromer before turning

inland and joining the Weavers Way

and Angles Way to Great Yarmouth.