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Published by Willow Cottages Norfolk Most people who discover birdwatching in North Norfolk didn't go looking for it. They were walking on the sea wall at Holkham at dusk when the sky filled with geese, or sitting on the beach at Cley when a marsh harrier drifted low over the reeds, or standing on the terrace at Morston Quay when a spoonbill dropped into the harbour. Something happened that they hadn't planned for, and afterwards nothing was quite the same. Whether you are an

Published by Willow Cottages Norfolk Walsingham Village There are few villages in England quite like Walsingham. Set just a few miles inland from the North Norfolk coast, its narrow streets, medieval timber-framed buildings, ancient religious houses and quiet gardens tell a story stretching back almost a thousand years. For centuries, pilgrims have travelled here from across Britain and beyond. Kings and queens walked its streets. Medieval inns and shops grew up to accommodat

Published by Willow Cottages Norfolk One of the great pleasures of staying in a self-catering cottage in North Norfolk is the quality of what you can put on the table. This is one of England’s finest food counties — extraordinary seafood from the coast, exceptional cheeses made on local farms, artisan breads, game from local estates, samphire from the salt marshes, asparagus in spring, and a growing community of producers making everything from Norfolk wine and smoked salmon

Published by Willow Cottages Norfolk There is a moment in late September when North Norfolk changes. The last of the summer visitors drift away, the roads quieten, the beaches empty, and something else entirely settles over the landscape — a wildness, a stillness, a quality of light that is impossible to describe to someone who hasn't seen it, and impossible to forget for anyone who has. October and November are, for those in the know, two of the finest months to visit North

Published by Willow Cottages Norfolk North Norfolk is, by just about any measure, one of the finest pub counties in England. The combination of a working coastline, a strong brewing tradition, an extraordinary larder of local produce and a culture that takes hospitality seriously has produced a pub scene of remarkable quality — from Michelin Bib Gourmand dining rooms in ancient deer parks to award-winning village locals where the landlord knows everyone by name. Whether you'r

Published by Willow Cottages Norfolk North Norfolk has no business being this good for food. A rural coastline of salt marshes, flint villages and working fishing harbours might not suggest a dining destination of national significance — and yet here we are. Michelin-starred dining, a Bib Gourmand in a deer park, two-AA-Rosette restaurants with views over the marshes, and some of the finest seafood in England, often landed just miles from where it is served. From Michelin-sta

Published by Willow Cottages Norfolk Holkham Beach on the North Norfolk coast A week in North Norfolk is never quite long enough. This is a landscape that rewards slowness — long mornings on empty beaches, afternoons spent wandering flint-walled villages, evenings in pubs where the locals know the landlord's name. It is a place to decompress, to breathe, and to discover that the best kind of holiday doesn't need a schedule at all. That said, a little planning goes a long way.

Published by Willow Cottages Norfolk There comes a point in most people's lives when a restaurant table for twelve or a few hotel rooms scattered across a city just won't do. A milestone birthday — a 40th, 50th, 60th, or beyond — deserves something more considered. A proper gathering, in a beautiful place, where everyone can actually spend time together rather than passing in a hotel corridor. North Norfolk has become one of the most sought-after destinations in England for e

Published by Willow Cottages Norfolk North Norfolk is one of the finest walking destinations in England. The coastline alone — salt marshes, tidal creeks, sand dunes, ancient pinewoods and wide shingle beaches — offers an almost inexhaustible variety of landscapes, and the hinterland of flint villages, rolling farmland and medieval churches provides a quieter, deeply rewarding counterpoint to the drama of the coast. Whether you're looking for easy coastal walks, dog-friendly

Published by Willow Cottages Norfolk There are plenty of ways to see the North Norfolk coast. You can walk it, cycle it, drive the winding coast road from village to village, or simply sit on the beach and let it come to you. But there is one way of experiencing this landscape that stands apart from all the others — and that is from the water, aboard a traditional wooden boat, with the salt marshes sliding past in silence and a skipper who knows every creek, channel and sandb

Published by Willow Cottages Norfolk North Norfolk is, quite simply, one of the best places in the UK to holiday with a dog. Miles of wide, sandy beaches, salt marsh trails, pine woodland walks, and a local culture where four-legged guests are genuinely welcomed — in the pubs, the cafés, and on the coast — make it a destination that dog owners return to year after year. At Willow Cottages, we welcome dogs at our properties, because we know that for many families, a holiday is

10 Things to Do Near Wells-next-the-Sea