HOME FROM HOME Exceptional

from Lincolnshire Pride August 2020

BUILDING LINCOLN Local

TRAVEL

GREAT ESCAPES

Don’t go... stay! That’s the message of the UK tourism industry as it remains keen to recover as quickly and fully as possible from lockdown and a lost season of trade. We agree... we’ll happily forgo airports, departure lounges and jetlag in favour of a luxury break to nearby Norfolk... after all, if it’s good enough for royalty, it’s good enough for us! Here’s where to stay and what to do!

Words: Rob Davis.

LET’S TALK ABOUT TOURISM. We all like to get away, and in the past decade or two we’ve enjoyed an unprecedented availability of air travel with cheap carriers driving down the cost of flights.

That’s led to more people than ever going abroad. And that’s bad for UK tourism. It’s bad for the environment - all that air traffic - and it’s lead to a false notion that to get away from it all we have to endure departure lounges, long haul travel and jetlag.

Better to arrive than travel... Nope. The UK has much to offer tourists, not least in locations like the Cotswolds and the Lakes, but closer to home. Norfolk - and specifically the North Norfolk Coast - has much to offer visitors.

That’s why, back in 2014, Emma Mason created Barefoot Retreats. The co-founder, owner and director created the business in the discretely affluent area of North Norfolk, curating a portfolio of over 100 self-catering retreats for short breaks or holidays, for anywhere between two and 24 guests.

For Couples or Families... Some of the properties in the company’s portfolio are boltholes for a romantic getaway. Some properties are large enough to accommodate entire families and large groups for special occasions.

Alongside quirky, luxurious or just plain quaint properties, Zoe and the team offer a concierge service for guests, enabling them to provide not just a nice looking place to stay, but recommendations for places to dine, provision of private dinner parties, picnics or beach barbecues, spa days and beauty treatments, babysitters, dog walkers, even pleasure flights in helicopters or hot air balloons.

The Joy of North Norfolk After just an hour or so travelling, you’ll be transported to a county of expansive coastlines, wild and wonderful scenery, quiet country pubs offering proper food, history, and really good shopping. Guests enjoy a welcome hamper, logs and kindling for a

Above: Blickling Hall is North Norfolk’s National Trust-owned Jacobean mansion, just one of the attractions to enjoy in the area whilst you’re enjoying luxury accommodation courtesy of Barefoot Retreats. From romantic boltholes to family-sized properties, you’ll find self-catering accommodation that will prove it’s better to arrive than travel.

property’s open fire. Dogs are welcome in many properties and Zoe’s team are always happy to volunteer ideas for places to eat, places to walk or local places to visit.

A Time to Dine... Luxurious dining to complement your luxurious accommodation is obligatory. We’ll recommend Socius and No29 - both in Burnham Market - for modern British plates with lots of local ingredients used.

There’s also Eric’s Fish ‘n’ Chip restaurant in Thornham which takes the traditional dish to a whole new level and is - without exaggeration or hyperbole - exceptional!

Your Travel Itinerary... Heacham’s Norfolk Lavender is worldfamous and the season lasts into early August, so if you’re quick, you may catch sight (and scent) of 100 acres in cultivation and find out more about the site, founded in 1932.

North Norfolk is, of course, good enough for the Royals, too. The area’s Sandringham Estate is a retreat not just for Her Majesty, but for those seeking to enjoy the estate’s 60-acres of garden, flower show, usually held in July and outdoor theatre. Other stately homes include the National Trust’s Blickling Estate with its Jacobean mansion and 4,600 acres of parkland, and the Palladian Holkham Hall with its fine collection of art.

Those who enjoy shopping will love the independent retailers of Holt and Burnham Market who shops and galleries are troves of art, antiques, books with fashions, too, and plenty of local produce available from independents shops for your self-catering delectation.

And finally, there’s coastal birdwatching at Titchwell Marsh, beaches on which to snooze as well as the North Norfolk Railway for those who yearn for the nostalgia of steam. All this we promise, and more, plus the very finest accommodation courtesy of Barefoot Retreats, such as those we’re featuring here...

Captain’s Cottage, Wells-Next-The-Sea... Two beds; sleeps four, dogs welcome From £590 *

FOR A SMALL FAMILY, or for two couples, The Captain’s Cottage in Wells provides a bedroom with a superking bed and a second bedroom that can be configured as a twin or double with a second superking bed.

If you’re travelling with friends there are plenty of independent shops, boutiques, pubs and restaurants to enjoy.

If you’re with children, you can enjoy Wells’ clean safe beach, the little train that trickles into the town centre and crabbing from the quayside. The house has buckets ‘n’ spades, kites & fishing nets for children to enjoy too. The Captain’s Cottage is a modern, stylish couples and family retreat set on the outskirts of Wells-next-the-Sea.

Thoughtfully designed and beautifully furnished, this luxury bolthole is the ideal base from which to explore this vibrant town. The house also welcomes dogs so you can take along your four-legged friend, and there are lots of great walks to enjoy.

An enclosed garden with barbecue and a wood burner for the cooler nights both mean what you’ll always be safe and snug at any time of year. >>

Above: The open plan living area consists of a cosy lounge, sophisticated dining area and a contemporary kitchen.

* Captain’s Cottage price is quoted for seven night break from late July to August, prices vary according to season, call 01485 512245.

Cobblestones, Burnham Market... 4 beds; sleeps 8 From £1,400 *

FAMILY OCCASION PENDING? Get together in Burnham Market and enjoy the contemporary sophistication of Cobblestones.

With stunning bedrooms and bathrooms, plentiful off-road parking, and enclosed garden, you can arrive and settle in for a relaxing break.

The beaches of Brancaster and Holkham are a 10 minute trip in the car, as are many other fantastic options for dining out.

Cobblestones is a fantastic blend of contemporary styling, facilities and space, in a quiet location that is only a two-minute walk from the exceptional range of independent shops and restaurants for which Burnham Market is renowned.

The design of the living area has created an open, airy feel that encourages you to take in the greenery of the garden and the village beyond, with bi-fold doors allowing you to open up the house on sunny, warm days. >>

Redshanks, Burnham... 6 bedrooms; sleeps 12, heated pool, dogs welcome, From £3,245 *

FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS, a family of 12 can get together to enjoy Redshanks with its six bedrooms and luxury accommodation with a heated outdoor swimming pool.

Blessed with stunning views of the North Norfolk coastline and its local countryside, Redshanks has been lovingly renovated to offer a refuge for relaxation with stylish design elements and tasteful furnishing.

Its rural location provides great views of the surrounding farmland to the East and the sand dunes and Scolt Head Island to the North. Redshanks is a large coastal retreat designed with family get-togethers in mind and is wonderfully placed for exploring all that the Norfolk coastline has to offer.

Redshanks has two living rooms both with wood-burning stoves, a stylish kitchen with Aga, coffee machine and separate wine cooler, plus north and south-facing gardens with heaving fruit trees and herbs.

The adjacent beach features spectacular wildlife including seals, waders, skylarks and the odd passing hobby. Historic Holkham with its famous unspoilt beach, Burnham Market and its boutique shopping and Wells-next-the-Sea with its beach huts are all only a short drive away too. Sailing and golf are available a short drive away, too. >>

* Redshanks price is quoted for a three or four night short break from late July to August, prices vary according to season, call 01485 512245.

West Barn 35A From £495 * S leeps two, dogs welcome, located in North Creake

THERE’S NOWHERE MORE ROMANTIC for a couple’s getaway than West Barn in North Creake.

West Barn offers everything that you could possibly need to relax and unwind. The cottage is very well-equipped throughout with modern integrated kitchen that flows into the open plan dining and lounge spaces. Furthermore, by opening the bi-fold doors you can open up the rear of the house to allow the outside in, a fantastic feature in the summer.

You’re sure to be wowed, too, by the high levels of attention to detail and the unique nature of the interior design.

Equally comfortable during the summer when enjoying the enclosed garden and the open plan lounge, or in the middle of the winter when a glass of wine by the wood burner is calling.

The cottage boasts some unique pieces of furniture and really showcases the attention to detail of the owner and their talent for interior design. Many items have been sourced from the personal collection of the owner, adding to the unique nature of the property.

A second property, West Barn 35B is located next door and also sleeps two, so two couples can book both properties and each enjoy their own accommodation. >>

* West Barn price is quoted for a three or four night short break from late July to August, prices vary according to season, call 01485 512245.

The Bell Tower, Thornham... Three bedrooms; sleeps seven, dogs welcome

From £725 *

I F THE PROSPECT OF A SHORT BREAK tolls for thee, The Bell Tower could fit the bill perfectly. Deceptively spacious, sleeping seven, it’s a stunning self-catering holiday home bursting with history, character and authenticity.

It has recently been lovingly refurbished to an exceptional standard that perfectly blends the original features and charm of the property with contemporary living.

You are well-positioned within the village where you have everything on your doorstep from fabulous restaurants and eateries to a beautiful beach just a short walk away. The property also boasts off-road parking and is dog-friendly too!

The Bell Tower is the west wing of what was Thornham County Primary School built in 1858 by William Hogge Esquire, a wealthy banker with connections to Kings Lynn but was brought up at the family home of The Manor, Church Lane in Thornham.

The Bell Tower has been thoughtfully designed and beautifully furnished throughout with original features like the bell rope, and there’s an enclosed garden too. n

* Bell Tower price is quoted for a seven night break from late July to August, prices vary according to season, call 01485 512245.

Barefoot Retreats provides Luxury holiday cottages and unique holiday homes to rent in North Norfolk. Call 01485 512245 or see www.barefootretreats.co.uk.