Sometimes you just need to pack your bags, jump in the car and escape the city for a few days. That’s exactly what we did last week, leaving London behind and heading to explore the beautiful north Norfolk countryside and coast.
The first stop was Holkham beach, which is part of England’s largest national nature reserve and is home to otters (!) among other wildlife. Following the boardwalk through the forest led us out onto the dunes and, in the gorgeous late afternoon sunshine, it was easy to forget that we were still in the UK. An afternoon spent scrambling over sandbanks, paddling in the sea and lying on the hot sand in the shelter of the dunes was heaven. Although it’s an area that’s obviously popular with tourists and families, the beach stretches for miles and it’s easy to stake out your own little sanctuary.
We stayed at the Black Lion Hotel in Little Walsingham, a cute but quirky pub where we also enjoyed some proper pub grub for dinner before heading out for a nighttime beach walk along the seafront in Wells-next-the-Sea. I’d highly recommend it if you’re looking for somewhere that will give you all the countryside cosiness.
Of course, no trip to the countryside is complete without a good, long walk (getting hopelessly lost optional). We wandered the grounds of Holkham Hall, looping through the woods, across fields and finally ending up in the grounds of the house itself where we spotted deer roaming freely in the grass – the perfect place for a picnic.
I’m no stranger to a UK holiday and definitely aim to explore more gorgeous corners of the country, where have you been lately?
