Holiday in Norfolk in august..tips please

[becaroo]

Have booked a cottage in Wells-next-the-sea in august and was wondering if anyone has been there....

Have never been to norfolk or east anglia area before and so would appreciate tips/ideas for trips/days out with a 4 year old.

We are staying near the beach so am hoping for good weather!

[PandaG]

Steam train Sheringham to Holt. Don't have to pay to ride on train, can justget a platform ticket if you like, and watch trains going in and out. Sheringham itself is quite good for a potter, and has a lovely sandy beach if you fancy a different one to Wells. Sheingham also has a soft play place very near the steam train staition, so for a wet day you could go and watch trains then go for a bounce.

Norwich is a good shopping centre, Norwich castle has some quite good hands on stuff now I think.

Don't know Wells well, but can do restaurant recommendations in Sheringahm if that is any help?

[cupcakes]

Holkham beach is beautiful and just along the coast from Wells. It's a long walk through pine trees and over dunes but it is worth it. Take a picnic. Sometimes there is a fancy burger bar and posh ice cream stand at the carpark but (mercifully) there is nothing on the beach.

[canarygirl]

Its a beautiful part of the world. Holkham beach is absolutely beautiful. The Victoria Hotel just nearby do lovely barbecues in the summer at lunchtimes. Also Holkham Hall is worth a visit. Crabbing off the quay at Wells is fun and there is a little railway to take you along to the beach as well. The Crown Hotel does good food. Little Walsingham is nearby and there is a train from just outside Wells to take you there. Sheringham is lovely too and there is a leisure centre with a good pool for young ones if the weather turns bad. Blakeney is beautiful with a lovely harbour and shops. You can do a boat trip from Morston Quay to see the seals at Blakeney point- well worth it. We took our dd1 when she was 15 months and I was heavily pregnant and its very safe. Holt is another town worth a visit. Another nice beach is Brancaster, you don't have to walk so far. Burnham Market is another nice place, more upmarket than most of the rest of Norfolk villages.

That's all I can think of for now - hope you enjoy it.

B

[Anchovy]

If you like miniature steam trains you will be in clover - Sheringham to Holt and Walsingham to WElls. My Dcs spent pretty much all of one holiday on them

There is, unfortunately a high degree of wankdom in some areas of North Norfolk. Personally I wouldn't touch Burnham Market or the Victoria at Holkham with a barge pole, but there are some lovely pubs and pretty relaxed re children. Be warned that Holkham is an extremely long walk to the beach - not good if your DCs are small.

Please be careful on the beaches - there are some terrible stories of children being swept away as th current can be unexpectedly strong.

All this sounds negative and it isn't meant to at all - its absolutely lovely up there (DH's parents live in Brancaster) and you will have a lovely time.

[Troutpout]

It's beautiful becaroo... loads to do...you'll have a fab time

[CoffeeCrazedMama]

We love Wells - great fish and chips along the front, lovely quaint pedestrian shopping street. Our children used to love the playground which is beyond the main quay (in the direction of the beach but not as far). Brancaster and Holkham are the world's best beaches and the Jolly Sailors at Brancaster Staithe has a nice garden with a small play area so you and dh can enjoy a drink in relative peace while watching them play. We also loved Castle Rising (on the road to Kings Lynne), fruit picking (great plum farm off the road between Brancaster Staithe and Burnham Market) - I could go on and on. You can tell we had many happy holidays in Norfolk when the dcs were tiny - it is a fab place to holiday with small children. Have a great time . (And well done getting somewhere - it is now totally booked up for August as far as I can see!)

[doughnuts]

Lucky things - Wells is fab - Holkham is fantastic - you'll have a brilliant time.

[Lilymaid]

Get yourself a windbreak.

[ShowOfHands]

Grew up 9 miles from Wells and tis lovely. Agree, chips on the quay, the steam train and a wander along Staithe St for quaint shops is a must. Parts of Holkham beach are still nudist so do prepare for that. The Dinosaur Park (about halfway between Fakenham and Norwich) is great for a 4yr old, also try Leziate and Bawsey sandpits which are on the way to Kings Lynn (a beautifully historical town but heinous in places). The Burnhams (7 little villages) are beautiful. I particularly like Burnham Overy Staithe- it has lots of little sailing boats and you can walk across the marshes (marsh stomping!) and pick samphire. Agree that Brancaster is worth a visit.

I love, love, love Gressenhall rural life museum- honestly not as dull as it sounds, Sandringham and a good drive along the coast road.

[Professorfilthymindedvixen]

OY! Gingerbread Addict!

[ShowOfHands]

Was just off to email you...

[bran]

I second the Dinosaur Park, we went there last week and ds hasn't stopped talking about it yet, it's a really magical place. Also the little funfair and petting zoo at Wroxham Barns are lovely, although I'm not sure it's worth a very long drive to visit (I'm a bit hazy on the geography of the UK outside of the M25 so I don't know how far from Wells it is).

[EmmieH]

Hello. There's loads to do up in North Norfolk. The beaches are stunning - try calling the Pinewoods Holday Park as they have beach huts on Wells-next-theSea beach and you can get down there on the little steam train that leaves from the harbour. My children adored it and with the weather being a bit unpredictable having a beach hut for the day was great. I found out about it on www.greatlittleadventures.co.uk which has loads of tried and tested stuff for families all over Norfolk as well as round the country and every place has some photos so you know what you're getting before you go. Hope the sun shines for you!