Local info. please: Using car park at Holkam Village, North Norfolk

[Cantabile]

This is a holiday-related question really: Does anyone know the car park for Holkham Village in North Norfolk? I don't mean Lady Anne's driveway for the beach but the one just outside the gates to Holkham Hall.

Are you allowed to park there if the gates for Lady Anne's Drive aren't open? On holiday last summer, several times we arrived very early to park at Lady Anne's Drive and although the gates for that car park were supposed to open at 6am each day, they often weren't. On one occasion, a passerby out jogging v early, told us that the gates wouldn't open till 8am. I think that might have been at a weekend.

DCs - who'd happily and intentionally got up v v early to get to the beach before anyone else - were v upset and wanted to park in the village car park further away nearer the gates to Holkham Hall estate. However, a notice there said 'no parking except if using the village shops and no parking at all if using the beach'.

Does anyone local and 'in the know' know if we could park there another time, without reprisal, if Lady Anne's Driveway isn't open by 6am? Are we likely to get wheel-clamped or a parking ticket?

Is there anywhere else to park near there? Happy to pay car parking fees - that's not the issue. We'd just like the freedom to be on the beach very early. Many thanks if anyone a help.