What to do in West Norfolk?

[ZenNudist]

Staying until Saturday. Boys are 7 and 11.

Been to Sandringham, might go back to use the play area and walk in the Royal Park get a delicious picnic.

Was hoping to make good use of national trust membership but today at Oxburgh Hall it's being renovated. I will go to other NT properties within a reasonable drive. Today I felt I was eating a scone for a good cause as the works are costing £6m!

Going to Huntstanton tomorrow but dh not fond of the sea. Dc will enjoy it. I'm hoping to find more to do than the beach. A park, or nice place for lunch.

I'm a foodie but not been too impressed with the meals out we have had.

I've just spent ages telling a mumsnetter about how to enjoy a holiday somewhere I know well and hoped some lovely mumsnetters would do the same for me.

westlexham.org/eat/

This place is nice, there's a lake to swim in too !

Holkham has a fantastic park and lake, adventure playground
Houghton Hall has lovely gardens and sculpture exhibition
Go crabbing at Wells harbour and have fish and chips at French's. Good playground there too
Dinosaur Adventure
Depending where you are, Blickling and Felbrigg NT are fab
Trip from Blakeney to see the seals

For food I definitely recommend the white horose at brancaster staithe

There’s an arts festival on at King’s Lynn, might be something there to do. The north Norfolk coast is lovely in general. If you want to travel a bit further pop down to Norwich, there loads there for kids. The dinosaur Dippy from the National History Museum is there at the moment in Norwich cathedral.

Castle Rising Castle

Nicer beaches at Old Hunstanton or Brancaster or Wells-next-the-sea

High Lodge is south Norfolk, but a good day out for children. Lots of play areas and activities and you just pay for parking. There should be walk up and pay for activities like archery and pony rides on too now some of the schools have broken up.

Keep going past Hunstanton for a start. Better beaches, great food in pretty much every pub. Well is nice for a wander, So is holkham. Castle Rising is great for kids and really interesting, as is castle acre , High Lodge at Thetford forest good for picnics and wandering. Ely is lovely and the cathedral is beautiful. Allium, Cave and Naxos are all gorgeous eateries in downham market and the sluice at Denver near the windmill is a nice walk. Depends where you’re staying. Welney wash and wetlands is interesting too. The Crown Lodge at Outwell, cobbles tea rooms kings Lynn, Worzals for breakfast and deli, inferno bbq at Ely all fab eateries.

Oh and Kings Lynn has an absolute wealth of gorgeous historic buildings, if that’s your jam, more Grade three than York or something (I feel like that’s true but don’t know how I know - google is your friend)

My favourite beach is Wells. You can go for a nice walk along the coastal path and either walk back or catch the coast hopper bus back. Holkham is a couple of miles from Wells (and the path is shady so won’t get too hot). There is a large dog beach at Wells but also a section that isn’t dog friendly. In the town you can go crabbing by the harbour, there’s an arcade and a couple of little shops. There’s a lovely little shop in the car park and they sell lovely cider (I’m reliably informed by DH, personally I don’t do cider). If you’re not really into waking or the beach, I’d go to Cromer because there are more shops there and more things to do in the town.

In Hunstanton, there is the sea life centre and quite a few little shops.

Norwich is very pretty if you like towns.

Norfolk broads - you might be able to hire a boat for the day and potter along.

Thetford forest (good for shade if you need it with the heat) has plenty of walks but you can also cycle, there is Go Ape and also Segways.

Sorry, more grade one there than York, doing too many things at once

If you're going to Hunstanton, I second the vote for Old Hunstanton.
I haven't been there recently, but LeStrange Barns used to be worth a look.
You could always nip along to Brancaster Staithe too - there's a stall there that sells the most fabulous seafood at the marina.

Now that's what I needed, thank you!

Just revising tomorrow's plan to find a different beach. And will try Castle Rising the day after. The boys love a castle.

Flaming I like the sound of the white horse.

Meg I will put Holkham Hall on the to do for Friday. Adventure playground a plus
I was considering it as I previously read a book by one of the houses former inhabitants, Lady Anne Glenconner

Not going too far to South Norfolk as I'm thinking of getting the most out of this area and coming back to a different part next year. Lots of farm stays with pools so good fun.

We are staying at Ructon Holme not too far from Downham Market. Already ate at Naxos thanks Jaqui but will try the others.

It has been blissfully hot (too hot maybe) but I don't miss Europe so much when we are only 3 hours from home splashing in a pool!

Oooh, I live in Downham Market...well just outside...fab to know people are visiting our little town! Allium (restaurant) has just opened, we haven't been yet but it looks lovely. The Hare Arms at Stow Bardolph is a couple of miles from where you are staying, decent enough food, nice pub. I don't know if the Berney Arms at Barton Bendish has reopened, but that was always good...there is a good bistro/deli in Swaffham called Coco's. Not too far away.

Definitely check out Old Hunstanton... beautiful beach, dunes, good cafe, though it was closed at the weekdn due to staff isolating, I think the sign said they would reopen today...or further along the coast. The deli at Thornham is supposed to be good but I haven't been yet. New Hunstanton is fine if you want arcardes, candy floss etc...depends what you are after.

Enjoy our area! We moved here for convenience for our jobs (train line to Cambridge/London) and I have ended up loving it here.

Agree with Jacquie about High Lodge...easy to spend a day there. Also Santon Downham...good in warm weather...not very touristy though. Lynford Hall arboretum and lake...not wildly exciting but something to do.

We are currently on holiday in the same sort of area but we love beaches! We have done some other stuff though - done Castle Rising which was good but not that much to see but lovely tea rooms. Castle Acre is fab - ruined Priory and lovely circular river walk. We’ve eaten at the White Horse, Brancaster twice - really good food and service and very child and dog friendly. We took out a boat on the Broads for a day. If it rains, we’re planning to go see Dippy in Norwich Cathedral… actually probably if it doesn’t rain too! I quite fancy the Sunday market at Holt. We’re going to Duration brewery for beers and food market. Also the Bure Valley Railway, I think…

Runcton Holme, just down the road from me! Ok def go to Allium, it’s sort of upmarket Bistro, absolutely beautiful and just opened. Cave is Mediterranean, super swish and really different. Your kids might like Arbuckles, the Angel at Watlington has just reopened and looks fab too. There is a deer park just up the road from you called Watatunga, I haven’t been but it looks beautiful. Pensthorpe isn’t too far from you and is nice too. Gorgeous part of the world.

Nene valley railway isn't far away either if you like steam trains.

Wells next the Sea is lovely, you can get a little train along to the beach. Gorgeous beach huts. Nice town. Sheringham is also really nice. If you visit the city of Norwich, Dippy is on loan from Natural History Museum, it’s free to enter.

Go to the Deer Safari in Snettisham. We’ve been going to Norfolk for years and the kids insist we go to feed the deer every year. They’re teens now but still love it.

www.snettishampark.co.uk/

This is nice for a quick trip out www.birchamwindmill.co.uk/

This is great for a full day out
norfolk.bewilderwood.co.uk/

Ah yes, we haven't been to Watatunga yet but friends went and loved it...it is a safari

My children loved castle acre priory last year, then we ate at the Ostrich pub in castle acre which was good.

If the boys are into tanks and vehicles the Muckleborough collection near Sheringham is good, apparently it’s the largest privately owned military museum in the U.K. also Nelsons church at Brancaster Staithe , it has all the flags from his ships hanging up and the pub there is good too !