The best places to eat, stay and explore in Norfolk, England
In this peaceful county, the demands of modern life seem a world away.
Hugging England’s east coast, Norfolk is a haven for those seeking a more leisurely tempo.
For Sydney-based interior designer Sibella Court, it was the myriad salvage yards and historical homes which initially drew her to spend a long weekend exploring the county during her recent sojourn to the UK.
She discovered, however, that the region’s true charm lay in its ability to help ease the foot off the pedal and embrace a slower pace.
“Because it was the summer period, the Cotswolds and Oxfordshire were pretty busy, and Norfolk isn’t as well a trodden path as such,” she explains.
Here are Court’s favourite ways to embrace slow living in and around the picturesque English county.
Stay
The worries of the world melt away as you get closer to Settle.
Nestled down a country road in flanked by sunny wheat fields and shaded forest, the eclectic collection of lodgings in Breckland gives the feeling of privacy, space and a return to a more natural rhythm.
Owned and run by Jo and John Morfoot, the 30-acre property is crisscrossed with paths to be explored, leading guests to naturally discover perfectly-placed chairs, resident farmyard animals and the eclectic accommodation options.
Follow one of the leafy winding paths and you’ll discover three converted railway carriages, which have been expanded and modified to house a bed/sitting room, generous kitchen and bathroom.
I stay in the cosily restored Carriage One, with its curved roof of perfectly imperfectly salvaged timbers patch-worked together for the just-right patina of a wooden cabin.
A pot belly stove ready to be lit sits in the corner, while a fire pit outside offers warmth enough to spend the early evening star gazing and enjoying the sounds of hopping hares and grazing roe deer.
Vintage canvas camping tents and a wooden cabin also dot the property, giving guest the freedom to self-manage their stay with little staff interference unless required.
Despite its seclusion, a communal mess tent offers the opportunity to mingle and dine with other guests and prepare meals using ingredients freshly picked from the property’s vegetable garden.
Shop
Settle also has a produce shop, run using an honesty system, where guests can purchase everything from frozen gourmet dinners, baked goods and preserves from local providores.
You’ll also find textiles, products and craft within a wooden hexagon ‘yurt’ on the property brimming with natural and handmade products available to purchase, including incense, perfume, shampoo and even bamboo toothbrushes. You could forget your wet pack and go home with much better-looking supplies.
I take home some handmade brushes, naturally-dyed woollen socks, vintage lampshades, a vintage paint brush, face cloths and a hand thrown ceramic teapot.
Were it not for my limited suitcase space, I would have added a full-sized broom, platters, bowls and a petite hand turned local timber vase to my haul.
Further afield, the region is a treasure trove of reclaimed salvage yards. I love old sinks and building materials and hardware, and I went to quite a few. I picked up some hardware at Mongers Architectural Salvage, and it’s also worth stopping into Norfolk Antique and Reclamation Centre.
Do
The Coastal Exploration Company has a flotilla of the most beautiful small wooden clinker boats.
There’s not a scrap of high vis or plastic in sight in the gorgeous fleet, with each vessel featuring traditional canvas sails and timber frames. We head out at 5am and enjoy a beautiful breakfast while watching the tide pulse between samphire and sea lavender from the bow of a vintage wooden clinker.
On land, there are beautiful estates dotted around the county. Houghton Hall has the most beautiful walled garden I’ve ever been into. In spring and summer, the award-winning garden within the family-owned estate is open to the public. Rows of perfumed rose and lavender gardens, visually striking sculptures and the sound of trickling water fountains and insects create a veritable feast for the senses. Electric bicycles are available for visitors to rent, which is a great way to properly explore the expansive grounds.
Eat
I’m currently working on a big NSW rural pub and accommodation project, and I wanted to do a recce around the area because the UK does pubs best. There are some fantastic rural pubs; The Gunton Arms is one of the coolest pubs I’ve been to.
Located in a big estate park, the pub was formerly a country house hotel which was restored and converted into a pub by London art dealer Ivor Braka. With works by Damien Hirst, Frank Auerbach and Lucian Freud hung throughout the venue, Braka’s artistic nous is instantly evident.
Local produce is heroed, with freshly caught Cromer crab and venison dishes from the nearby deer park featuring on the seasonal menu.
Norfolk is a large county, and pubs are all about half an hour’s drive from each other, so there were a few I didn’t go to but were highly recommended including The Morston Anchor in Holt, North Norfolk. Seafood is a core part of Norfolk cuisine and Rocky Bottoms in West Runyon is worth visiting for locally-caught crustaceans and fish.