ust because it’s Winter doesn’t mean you can’t holiday by the coast! We absolutely love going to Norfolk at this time of the year. Our journey starts as we pick up the boys from school on a Friday afternoon and head off.
 Arriving late in the afternoon, we like to stop at The Ffolkes in Hillington for tea. The food is lovely and they have an outdoor play area for the kids to run around and stretch their little legs after the long journey. The restaurant’s atmosphere is warm and cosy and we enjoy sitting in the garden room, looking out at the boys playing in the garden.
On Saturday we head to Pensthorpe Natural Park (where we met Kate Middleton twice!) which is amazing. We spend the morning walking by the lovely lake trail and on to the outdoor play area for the kids.
They also have a gorgeous wooden indoor play area called Hootz House which the boys absolutely adore. We then have lunch at Pensthorpe’s courtyard cafe before making our way to Holt to browse in the shops and grab a warm drink. Once the Christmas lights are on in December, the whole town is just magical and definitely a must see. There is nothing better than a hot chocolate and cake at the wonderful Byfords. Baconsthorpe castle is also close by, which is an English Heritage site with castle ruins, where the kids love to play sword fighting. In the evening, one of our favourite restaurants to visit in the whole of North Norfolk is The Pigs, which is very original, quirky and child friendly. The Pigs has an outdoor play area and an indoor games room/play room and we have frequented this restaurant for 10 years and never had a bad meal.
Sunday mornings are for strolling through Walsingham and sometimes we visit the Abbey which is beautiful and full of snowdrops in the spring.
For Sunday lunch a favourite restaurant is The Recruiting Sergeant in Coltishall. We highly recommend their famous fish pie, it is literally the most hearty, tasty meal ever. And if you don’t like fish, the rest of the menu is just as welcoming. We like to take the coast road back home, going via the beach huts at Wells-next-the-sea. Perfect if you wrap up warm and grab yourself a hot chocolate. The kids can play on the beach and the family can breathe in the fresh sea air and relax before that drive home.
Another thing we enjoy is driving down the north Norfolk coast line from Sheringham to Hunstanton and popping in to Cookies Crabshop which serves a lovely seafood feast. Wiveton farm is also lovely and has a wonderful cafe and offers seasonal fruit picking.
Norfolk is such a magical place whether it’s spring, summer, autumn or winter and we hope you have a wonderful time there too.
Annabelle Rogers – owner of Little Walsingham Cottage
About me: I’m a creative partner of a boutique packaging and brand design agency, I’m also a mum to 2 young boys. In my spare time I love to forage for styling props, I also love travelling and Norfolk is one of my favourite places in the UK. Our Georgian property in Little Walsingham has recently been painstakingly renovated, our 7th and hopefully final renovation project.
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