UNWINDING IN NORTH NORFOLK

When you want to unwind but don’t quite have the budget for a luxury break in the Caribbean, I can highly recommend a trip to North Norfolk. I have such a soft spot for this picturesque part of the world having visited here a lot when I was little. And last month, in the midst of sofa deliveries and phone calls to internet providers, my boyfriend and I decided to take a couple of days to unwind and recharge our batteries.

North Norfolk is just over an hour and a half from me, making it the ideal place for a short break. After perusing the internet for cute holiday cottages, White Horse Farm jumped out as having all we wanted – a quaint renovated barn in a scenic area, with a great price and an adorable labrador to boot! We headed up on the Friday, and after a disaster with a pot hole and a spare tyre (don’t ask!) we arrived early evening. White Horse Farm is situated in Gunthorpe and is just 20 minutes from North Norfolk’s famous coastline.

There are five gorgeous barns, one of which offers a B&B service. It’s so close to everything but ridiculously quiet and I felt a sense of calm as soon as we pulled up, despite the aforementioned tyre dramas! The owners John and Louisa are so friendly and welcoming too.

     

     

We unpacked, had a little wander around then cooked some comfort food, drank prosecco and binged out infront of the telly – perfect. The next morning, we awoke early to the sound of a woodpecker, and I pulled back the curtains to peer out onto the allotment that our barn faced. If that isn’t life in the country, I don’t know what is! The sun was shining which meant I didn’t really need to wear my new rain mac, but there was no way in hell I was NOT wearing it. I picked it up from Tesco on the way up and you can see me raving about it here. So, rainmac donned and rucksack packed, we took the short drive into Wells-next-the-Sea as it’s one of my favourite places in North Norfolk.

After a tasty coffee at the beach cafe – and of course the obligatory swooning over every dog in sight – we headed out onto the beach. It stretches for miles and wandering up and down it aimlessly is a great way to spend a day, afternoon or even a hour or so. Many a photo opportunity arose as I attempted to make myself look somewhat decent while posing shamelessly on every pastel coloured beach hut.

     

Afterwards we wandered into Wells itself, picking up some cute homewares for the house (including to my boyfriend’s dismay another candle because guess what hun a gal can NEVER have too many candles amiright?!) and enjoying a delicious lunch at The Globe Inn. Although there was a chill in the air, the sun was still shining so we sat outside and embraced it in true British fashion.

That afternoon we explored Burnham Market, which boasts an eclectic mix of shops, cafes and hotels. There’s also a delicious sweet shop Mable’s Paint Pot, which also holds regular craft days. It was about this time the heavens opened (knew I’d need that rainmac) so we hopped in the car and made the short drive back to the farm.

John and Louisa recommended that we try out the Anchor Inn for dinner that night, and I’m so glad we took them up on their suggestion. It has the feel of a real hearty pub; all dark blue walls, mismatched furniture and a general warmth and buzz of locals drinking and socialising. We shared a dreamy cheese soufflé and I had gnocchi for a main, with feta and beetroot which was as tasty as it sounds. After a cider or two, we retreated back to the lodge and finished off our sweets we had bought during the day.

Before we went away, I had been suffering badly with eczema and had a super sexy patch on my neck, but by the time we left it had completely cleared up. There really is a lot to be said for switching off and getting some fresh air, don’t you think?

Have you ever been to North Norfolk? I’m always looking for new recommendations, so if you have any, let me know in the comments.

If you’re looking for other weekend away ideas, check out Southwold too!