Norfolk experts: stay in Wells or stay in Stiffkey?

[sellotape12]

Family with a 10 week old and a 4 year old. Where’s better to stay in July? In the centre of Wells Next The Sea, or in central Stiffkey? Both holiday cottages, both same size and price. We plan to go to the beach, the occasional pub lunch, burn off some energy in nature, potential seal trip. Assume baby will need to nap indoors some of the day.

my musings but happy to be wrong!

• Stiffkey might allow one of us a nice little walk to the cute shop with it the four year-old
• Wells might have more general amenities/ closer to beach car park.
• can’t yet figure out logistics of newborn. Assuming 4 naps, do most of on the go or some at the holiday let? Probs need to think about where we can walk with sling or push pram to force a nap whilst the other parent entertains the pre-schooler

@mimbleandlittlemy
Well, yes, the OP did originally ask for the help of Norfolk experts, but at 12.00 today, she also mentioned the issue of her accommodation, which is what I’m picking up on here. As a say, I think the advantage of a house with garden over an apartment outweighs the advantage of one village over another.

Literally there is nothing there,not sure she will get the seaside holiday she wanted.
Wells all the way.
She wont need a garden, DC will be running about on the beach

i agree with all the other comments about Stiffkey, there’s no beach (I love the marsh there but it is very muddy for small kids) and the traffic makes the village no fun at all on foot. Wells has a lot more going on but is a flat there really the only other accommodation available? If you look more in the Thornham / Holme / Old Hunstanton area you are close to very sandy beaches. In the Cromer area there are perhaps more kid friendly things to do. I love Wells and Holkham (a mile up the coast) is my favourite beach, but as you are going to need a car anyway, I’d find a cottage with garden even a little inland and drive to Wells for days out. Post here again with options and we can advise!

I've never been to Stiffkey and I've been to North Norfolk coast about 10 times. Which suggests maybe there's not that much there! I have stayed in Wells with young children and it's great. We never had a problem parking at the beach, because we're usually up really early. We normally stay in Thornham now because it's a bit quieter and more chilled and I like the beach there. But it's mostly bigger houses to rent so it's more expensive.

I live in Norfolk. The centre of both is a schlep to the beach but at least with Wells you can walk along a proper pavement or drive.

otherwise the two aren’t even comparable - Stiffkey is a tiny village with nothing much there (it’s not even a go to for locals particularly) vs Wells which has a whole lot more to see and do on your doorstep

FWIW in Wells yes parking can be tough but you always get a space in the end

Wells is a no brainer, its lovely and you'll have cafes, pubs etc on your doorstep. The pine forest area is beautiful for shady walks.
Adjacent to Wells is Holkham beach and Holkham Hall. The hall isn't NT but you only have to pay a car park fee to access the grounds which are vast and stunning with deer everywhere and a decent play area. Holkham also has one of thr best beaches in the country and a fab bird watching cafe. It's such a nice area and parking has improved in recent years imo.

Stiffkey is really salt marsh and a long way to the beach. You can get cut off as well. With little ones I would go to Wells.

I love the area around stiffkey but agree it’s not what you’re looking for.

However, I’d say Norfolk has much nicer places to stay and visit than Wells! If you’re up for more looking, I’d go north around the coast from Wells

I wouldn’t go to either with a baby and a little one. At that age, I think you want easy access to the beach from your cottage so you can nip back for all the things you have forgotten and for baby to nap. I would choose Bacton as a pp mentioned, or maybe Sea Palling or Walcott. You can get places so close to the beach and access is easy. Or if you want to be in a town, then maybe Hunstanton (Old Hunstanton end). Wells is lovely but so popular and a pain to get back to your accommodation in a hurry. You could always have a trip out to Wells or Cromer or Yarmouth if you look at the east coast. Not as pretentious but so much easier with little kids.

100% Wells! Nothing in Stiffkey. Wells is amazing!

I go to Norfolk 3-4 times a year for 2+ weeks at a time and have been going for the last 15+ years. I have a holiday let in Burnham Market, so I know the area very well.

I would absolutely not stay in Stiffkey. In rush hour in July, I've known people be stuck there for upwards of an hour - too many people with big caravans trying to get through and clogging up the roads. There are parts of the road where you can't even get two Ford KA's side by side, and that combined with nervous drivers or people who don't know how big their car is, make it a pain in the arse.

I've been stuck there for upwards of 30 minutes before (in November ffs) because two busses met in a bad location and the idiots behind me couldn't reverse their cars backwards to the wider bit to let the bus past. There's no pavement. It's all road and then brick walls - not for crap or unconfident drivers. And I absolutely would not walk a young child along that road. The little shop is really small and there's nothing to do in the village. The Red Lion is alright, but I wouldn't write home about it.

It would take you less time to 'do' Stiffkey than it would to drive through it when the road is clear.

Wells is a far better choice if you have a young child, with far more to do.

One thing with Wells - it was a sad day when they grubbed up the little train track that ran from the harbour to the beach. It was great for getting tired little legs back at the end of the day.

Isn't there a vintage bus that does the trip from town to beach in summer now?

Ive stayed in Stiffkey. There's not a lot there and as a pp said stretches of road with no pavement. I'd stay in Wells.

We’ve stayed in Wells, West Beckham, Cromer, Sheringham, Felbrigg, Hemsby, and Holt over the last 20 years (we usually go to Norfolk at least once a year), and have taken dc there from babies up to now adults. We’ve never stayed at Stiffkey, or considered it - i think we visited once, as a seal-watching boat trip set off from there. I agree with pps - Wells has much more to occupy dc. With small dc, we found Cromer and Sheringham and surrounds to be really good - lots and lots to do, great beaches, and good range of accommodation. Also, using Cromer / Sheringham as a base, you can travel to visit lots of other places. Might there be accommodation around Cromer / Sheringham that might suit better? You might get more for your money there than Wells..

We always stay in Blakeney.

I think Wells would work better but I’d be concerned about not having a garden and you would definitely need parking.
Have you considered Sheringham, Cromer or Happisburg?

Wells.

It really doesn’t - not if you know Stiffkey and Wells.

Neither options are great with kids of that age. Why not look at something else? Sheringham if youre keen on staying in a town or if actually youre going to be tied to your accommodation and need lots of space and play grounds, Kelling Heath is great for 4 year olds. Highly recommend

Kelling Heath is a great idea @Flowerfairy13 Excellent for families, lots of walks and things to do on site but also a short drive from beaches and day trips.

... but I've just checked the website and a week in July at Kelling Heath is £2000!!!! I wouldn't recommend it THAT much :)

Yes I know crazy prices but everything seems to be 2k a week in school hols now :(

Probably not helpful but we stayed in Mundesley last summer and have booked to go again this year it was lovely , great park for the kids , ice cream, cafes , pub with play area outside . Check out bewilderwood and wroxham barns for days out x

I'd go for Wells, but I'd only book accomodation that came with it's own guaranteed parking. Agree with pp that it's such a shame they discontinued the little beach train, it was so cute. I prefer Brancaster beach for beach days, Holkham for longer walks and Wells for pottering about. We sometimes walk from Holkham to wells on the beach then get the little coast hopper bus back to Holkham if our 3 year old has tired legs. Make sure you go to Blakeley to see the seals too!