We think we are lucky. Sea Watch is right up above the really pretty, sleepy village of Salthouse. We are in a quiet private road called Bloomstiles well away from the busier (in summer) Coast Road. We are within easy walking distance of the stunningly beautiful church with its regular art shows. Just beyond that is the famous Cookie’s Crab shack, our newly re-opened village shop and the splendid Dun Cow pub which has a garden looking onto the marsh and serves great food.
Salthouse itself dates back to the Roman period (actually before that as evidenced by the near-by tumuli). There are miles and miles of semi deserted shingle beach to walk along, wonderful whispering reed beds, ancient cottages and, of course, the church. Above Sea Watch is a lane leading up to Salthouse Heath which is renowned for the haunt of nightingales and nightjars, as well as containing acres of excellent walking.
Just three miles away is the Georgian market town of Holt, which has an excellent supermarket as well as every conceivable type of shop you could want, plus more good places to eat such as the well-known Byford’s who sell irresistible cakes!
Back to the Garden in nearby Letheringsett, (Holt) sells award-winning organic meat, veg, cheeses and other produce from their farm shop, as well as their homemade ready meals. If you don’t want to take-away, then you can sample all the above as well as delicious quiches, tarts, breads and cakes (and lots more) in their lovely café & restaurant.
Along the coast within a couple of miles is Cley-next-the-Sea – again, with excellent shops selling wonderful local produce. And so it goes on – to Wiveton Hall (brilliant café), Morston and Blakeney (good pubs and crabbing) and the seal watching at Blakeney point. Beyond that lie the incredible open sands of Wells-next-the-Sea and Holkham beaches. In the opposite direction not far along the Coast Road lie Weybourne, Sheringham and Cromer with their golfing and indoor swimming pools and other delights.
Pretty Corner Café & Tea Gardens in Upper Sheringham not only sells delicious homemade jams, marmalades and chutneys, but also works of art by talented local artists. Walkers and dogs can also enjoy the many trails available through the woodland area surrounding the Tea Gardens; and children can enjoy looking for fish, frogs and other pond life in their small nature-friendly pond.
There really is so much to see and do on the Norfolk coast, you’ll want to visit time and time again.