Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Flip

Original poster

Holiday home on Norfolk coast

21 replies

MyBoysHaveDogsNames · 27/04/2011 20:32

Due to some unforeseen money coming in, we may invest it in property and are thinking of a holiday home in Norfolk. One we can use some weekends and let out at other times. Norfolk because it is a doable drive from London but I don't know what areas to look at.

I would be grateful for any pointers! We have young children so somewhere child friendly.

Thank you

OP posts:

ShowOfHands · 27/04/2011 20:37

How much money if that's not impertinent?

If I could choose I'd opt for the Burnhams and surrounding area but you're looking at ££.

What do you want locally? Do you like marshes or kiss me quick? Quaint villages or busier towns? Right on the coast or inland a bit?

Original poster

MyBoysHaveDogsNames · 27/04/2011 20:57

Thanks SOH. I've just googled 'the Burnhams'. Initially thought you meant a housing estate! Anyway, Burnham Market looks gorgeous. We would like somewhere like that, not too busy or kiss me quickish and don't mind if it's not right on the coast.

We are hoping to buy a place with some friends of ours, so a joint venture. Up to £300k or thereabouts.

Do you live in Norfolk?

OP posts:

ShowOfHands · 27/04/2011 21:05

I do live in Norfolk. I grew up here. The Burnhams are just lovely but so very expensive. Burnham Market is just lovely. But if you look outwards of that area you might find somewhere you just love.

Have you been here much? I'd come and mooch round for a couple of weeks. See what takes your fancy.

youretheoneformefatty · 27/04/2011 21:09

I'm in a little village to the west of Cromer. (Cromer's not what it was!) I'd look at North towards West Norfolk (Holt, Cley, Blakeney, and onwards to the burnhams, like SOH suggested.) If you were looking at more inland, there are some lovely places around the Broads.... Horning, Wroxham, Dilham.

Its all a matter of opinion, but personally I wouldn't head over to East North Norfolk (Happisburgh, Yarmouth, Hemsby etc.) JUST PERSONAL OPINION!!

ShowOfHands · 27/04/2011 21:11

You can only buy a place in Happisburgh if you can pronounce it without looking it up. It's a nice place for somewhere that's falling into the sea. I like walking there in winter. Very windswept. Not right for a holiday home though, you're right. East Norfolk coast is where you go to make yourself feel better about where you live. And your dress sense. And life opportunities.

youretheoneformefatty · 27/04/2011 21:13

My thoughts exactly!

Original poster

MyBoysHaveDogsNames · 27/04/2011 21:18

Ah right, so buy somewhere in West Norfolk then pop over to East Norfolk regularly for a bit of a tonic?! Got you. See, I knew this would be the place to ask, you get that particular angle that you just can't buy!

Thanks to everyone. Will check out places to the west and definitely feel a few weekends away beckoning. Is it Happsba, Happsbur?

OP posts:

ShowOfHands · 27/04/2011 21:21

Not. Even. Close.

When you've guessed you can have another round guessing Wymondham and Costessey. And then as a finale, have a stab at Stiffkey.

I'll give you a clue. What letters hasn't it got? You might want to throw some of them in and then disregard some of the given ones. I used to live in Postwick for example. Pronounced Pozzick.

Original poster

MyBoysHaveDogsNames · 27/04/2011 21:29

Well, naturally. Habba? Hubba hubba? I would guess Windum and Costy. Closer?

OP posts:

monstermissy · 27/04/2011 21:33

somerleyton is a gorgeous village, Johnny Depp and Twiggy think so anyway :)

MegBusset · 27/04/2011 21:38

I am an incomer to Norfolk and just getting to grips with the names, to the point where I can laugh at how my dad (also an incomer to EA) says Tacolneston. Trouble is that DH likes to tell me the wrong pronunciations for a laugh, I still don't know whether it's AY-cle or AH-cle.

youretheoneformefatty · 27/04/2011 21:39

Not bad! Just drop the t in costy. In true norfolk stylee - "Carsee". Should take approximately three seconds to say, no less.

Original poster

MyBoysHaveDogsNames · 27/04/2011 22:06

Right, will practise my drawl!

OP posts:

ShowOfHands · 27/04/2011 22:40

At be Caaaaaaarrrrrrrrsssseeee boy.

Stiffkey is Stookey and Happisburgh is Haysbru. Basically anything other than Holt is a bit of a challenge.

Acle is Aycul btw. The Acle Straight is the road where cars go to die.

MegBusset · 27/04/2011 22:47

What I like about the Acle Straight is how you can see by the flooded fields either side how the whole area really ought to be under water. Give it a couple of cm in sea level rises and Norwich will have its own coastline.

ShowOfHands · 27/04/2011 22:57

That thrilling feeling of if I veered off the road a bit I'd sink, yes?

We lived right next to the Yare for a few years (house backed onto the river and had a mooring). When the tide rose it was pretty frightening. Twice the garden flooded badly. The drowned rats were the most upsetting bit.

Norfolk is slowly slipping into the sea.

Helzapoppin · 28/04/2011 17:03

How about the broads villages? Have friends in Worstead (Wuss-ted, in case you were wondering) and Hickling which are both lovely and near the sea. My parents are in Woodbastwick, which is also lovely (and has a great Brewery with a good puc-restaurant attached).

We had a holiday home in Hingham, which is great as it's just off the A11 and so a very quick drive from London (but an hour from the coast, so no good for you) and has some lovely forests/walks/restaurants nearby.

Best of luck and happy hunting!

MegBusset · 28/04/2011 18:15

Woodbastwick, hmm. Woobazzick?

NoelEdmondshair · 28/04/2011 20:02

Wells next the Sea?

dottygamekeeper · 28/04/2011 20:58

I second Wells next the Sea - and its not as expensive as Burnham Market. Wells is brilliant for children, my in-laws have a house there and I have been taking my two since they were babies: they are teenagers now and still love it. Lovely sandy beach with lots of picturesque beach huts, pine woods to play in (good shelter for windy/rainy days), campsite with boating lake, trampolines, crazy golf etc, harbour for crabbing, lovely little railway from harbour down towards the beach, pretty village/town with proper shops ie butcher, baker, delis etc, not as posh as Burnham Market but still lots of character. Great carnival week with lots of free events for all different ages in August. We go several times a year and hardly use the car at all whilst we are there - we walk everywhere or cycle and the coast hopper bus service is brilliant. Good walks along the coast to Holkham or Cley, trips out to see the seals off Blakeney, I could go on for ages I love it so much. Also if you wanted to rent out the house to cover costs there always seems to be a good market for holiday rentals judging by the difficulty I have if ever I need to rent somewhere (when the in-laws house is otherwise occupied)

Original poster

MyBoysHaveDogsNames · 03/05/2011 13:57

Thanks for those replies. We saw Wells next the sea and it did look pretty. Is the sea actually quite a way away though? I don't suppose that matters too much if we just want the beach and good walks. Will have another look and will check out the broads villages too. Thank you everyone!

OP posts:

Flip