Norfolk - B&B recommendations

[rezMole]

My girlfriend and I have booked a week off work in March and are looking to find a "cheapish" B&B for Monday 20 March to Thursday 23 March (4 nights).

We are looking to do the North Norfolk coast with a day down at Minsmere. Has anyone done this area and can recommend anywhere to stay?

A smoking room would be useful (but not essential!)

[Keith Dickinson]

There ain't no cheap B&B's in North Norfolk, not close to the coast anyway. I would try looking in the classifieds at the back of the RSPB's Birds magazine, there are always lots of ads for Norfolk in there.
If you leave the coast and come inland don't cross the A148 as the further South of this road the worse the drive is going to be to get to the coast.
Hunstanton and Old Hunstanton, are pretty good for birding as you can walk from Old Hunstanton to Holme Nature Reserve approx 1 Mile, Titchwell is a only 15 minute drive, Cley can be little more than 1 hour's drive dependant upon traffic. Minsmere will be a long trip from Hunstanton, if going and returning in same day.
We haved stayed in Old Hunstanton at the Lodge Hotel and the Linksway Hotel, neither cheap but they do BB&EM packages based on family rooms, this works well for us as we have a couple of kids. The food in the Lodge is very very good, at the Linksway still good food but the owners are much friendlier.
Hope this helps
My girlfriend and I have booked a week off work in March and are looking to find a "cheapish" B&B for Monday 20 March to Thursday 23 March (4 nights).

We are looking to do the North Norfolk coast with a day down at Minsmere. Has anyone done this area and can recommend anywhere to stay?

A smoking room would be useful (but not essential!)

[Keith Reeder]

Rez,

I usually sort my accommodation out with this site (http://www.smoothound.com).

[delia todd]

Here is another good site Rezmole. I have stayed at many of the houses using it and they have always been good.

http://www.bedandbreakfastnationwide.com/bbnMainMap.cfm

Moat House Farm at Saxmundham was excellent and close to Minsmere.

D

[Karl J]

Stay in Norwich somewhere ? ... its half way between north Norfolk and Minsmere with reasonable roads

[snapper]

My girlfriend and I have booked a week off work in March and are looking to find a "cheapish" B&B for Monday 20 March to Thursday 23 March (4 nights).

We are looking to do the North Norfolk coast with a day down at Minsmere. Has anyone done this area and can recommend anywhere to stay?

A smoking room would be useful (but not essential!)The Dochu La,Coast Road,Cley-next the sea, NR25 7RY. Tel 01263 740862 you will find this on the website www.cley.org.uk they are two retired school teachers both very knowlegeable birders. The B & B is 250 yards from Cley Marshes Nature Reserve and 10 minutes drive to Titchwell. Local pubs and restaurant, George Hotel and Three Swallows, we stayed here a couple of weeks ago and added 19 new species to my life list. Only drawback is this B & B is no smoking. Regards Snapper.

[Keith Reeder]

I was going to suggest that too, Karl.

Norwich is smack-dab in the middle, and is also only a short drive (or even train journey) from Strumpshaw Fen.

I'm doing exactly that myself some time this year, as a matter of fact, if I can't find accommodation in Brundall itself.

[MSA]

Snapper mentions The Three Swallows at Cley - this is where I've stayed before, breakfast watching Barn Owls hunting outside the window, but there's a temptation to overdo the booze with only a stagger upstairs at closing time! Ask for a room in the pub rather than the outbuildings, which can be a little cold and far less homely.

[Tim Allwood]

wells good

norwich has plenty

denmark house in weybourne is run by a birder

i'll put you up 4 a night for a resident's bootleg B (: ;)

[Bubbs]

The Dochu La,Coast Road,Cley-next the sea, NR25 7RY. Tel 01263 740862 you will find this on the website www.cley.org.uk they are two retired school teachers both very knowlegeable birders. The B & B is 250 yards from Cley Marshes Nature Reserve and 10 minutes drive to Titchwell. Local pubs and restaurant, George Hotel and Three Swallows, we stayed here a couple of weeks ago and added 19 new species to my life list. Only drawback is this B & B is no smoking. Regards Snapper.

10 minutes to Titchwell if Jensen Button is driving!

John.

[dan pointon]

10 minutes to Titchwell if Jensen Button is driving!

John.

LOL!! Was thinking very much the same thing myself. I've also heard that the Three Swallows runs an excellent B & B on top of being a good pub.

[Bubbs]

10 minutes to Titchwell if Jensen Button is driving!

John.

But there again... I have heard that Lee Evans is quicker than Button and Scumacher :t:

John.

[martin kitching]

Some excellent B&B in North Norfolk;

Mole Lodge - Stiffkey. Easy access to stunning birding and also the best pub in the world B (:

Abbot Farm - Binham. Where we once listened to 5 Tawny Owls at the same time and then, as we drove into the village, watched a Barn Owl as it sat on a signpost.

Old Post Office - Warham. Easy access to lots of excellent birding close by and another very good pub.

martin

[Bubbs]

Some excellent B&B in North Norfolk;

Mole Lodge - Stiffkey. Easy access to stunning birding and also the best pub in the world B (:

Abbot Farm - Binham. Where we once listened to 5 Tawny Owls at the same time and then, as we drove into the village, watched a Barn Owl as it sat on a signpost.

Old Post Office - Warham. Easy access to lots of excellent birding close by and another very good pub.

martin

DO TELL...which is the best pub in the world??

John.

EDIT...or is Mole Lodge a pub??

[rezMole]

wells good

norwich has plenty

denmark house in weybourne is run by a birder

i'll put you up 4 a night for a resident's bootleg B (: ;)

Which bootleg do you want - i have about 60 (including the unreleased 1st album!).

Actually, thanks for the advice from everyone - but, to be honest, most are a little above what we were hoping to pay. I think we'll end up doing a few travelodge's in the area (Kings Lynn, Norwich), some for a tenner a night, and all with smoking in the rooms!)

Norfolk does seem overly expensive, considering the time of year - there doesn't seem to be an "off-peak" season in Norfolk. Must be because of all the birders!

[Karl J]

the Travelodge at thickthorn services might be handy - can't be more than an hours drive in each direction

[martin kitching]

DO TELL...which is the best pub in the world??

John.


The Red Lion at Stiffkey. Excellent ale, excellent food and very atmospheric. I once used the 'best pub......' description when a colleague was about to visit Norfolk for the first time. He commented that there could be no such thing as there are lots of pubs which are excellent in different ways. And, as he seemed to spend most of his life in country pubs.........

So, after the half term holiday he returned to school and conceded that the Red Lion could well be the best pub in the world.

Whenever we visit Norfolk (generally twice a year) we always make sure that we go to the Red Lion on at least one evening. The last time I led an organised group in Norfolk we also went there one evening even though we were stopping in Burnham Deepdale. And that led to an extremely funny episode on the way back from the pub. But that could be a thread in itself.

martin

[Geoff Pain]

The Red Lion at Stiffkey. The last time I led an organised group in Norfolk we also went there one evening even though we were stopping in Burnham Deepdale. And that led to an extremely funny episode on the way back from the pub. But that could be a thread in itself.

martin


Oh go on do tell.

[spoony]

Camping on the heath behind Cley (although illegal), is very pleasant when you have someone warm and comfy to snuggle up to!!!!