The School House is located in a secluded position in the village of Beighton, fifteen minutes from Norwich and close to Great Yarmouth, Caister-on-Sea, the Norfolk Broads, Acle, Thrigby, Winterton, Horsey and Happisburgh. There is easy access to the three lakes of the Trinity Broads as well as the main waterways of the Norfolk Broads. The Trinity Broads are three lakes that are found in the north eastern region of the Norfolk Broads. These are land locked and not connected to the main Norfolk Broads waterways. The Trinity Broads are comprised of Ormesby Broad, Rollesby Broad and Filby Broad. Fishing is very popular, there are a number of boardwalks, a wonderful waterside restaurant and pub and a sailing club. Locals often refer to the area of the main Norfolk Broads as ‘Broadland’. The beautiful Rivers Yare, Ant, Waveney, Chet and Bure meander their leisurely way through Norfolk and Suffolk connecting beautiful inland lakes, creating waterways and wetlands that make up The Norfolk Broads. Wildlife is abundant and conservation has been very successful in reintroducing species such as otters and herons that struggled for some time to survive. To the eastern side of the Norfolk Broads, the sandy beaches and stunning coastline caress the Broads at Horsey Mere with the salt water of the North Sea coming within a hare’s breathe of the the fresh water. Grey and common seals thrive on the shoreline. Guests love watching them at Horsey Gap. Boat hire on the Broads is very popular and an absolute must when staying at The School House.
Acle is just minutes from the house, a flourishing market town with very attractive seventeenth and eighteenth century building and an ancient, nine hundred year old church. It hosts a small market every Thursday and has previously won the ‘Eastern Daily Press’ ‘Village of the Year’ competition. It enjoys great access to the Norfolk Broads and hosts an annual Acle Sailing Regatta which takes place west of the Acle Bridge on the River Bure.
Any visit to the Norfolk Broads really should include a visit to the bustling town of Wroxham, the hub of boating activity and a tourist mecca. It offers unique shopping, attractions, cafes, restaurants and beautiful local walks. Ludham is a quaint, pretty village, close to Womack Staithe offering white washed cottages with thatched roofs and a lovely pub.
The historic village and beach of Happisburgh is definitely worth a visit for its beach and historic lighthouse. The lighthouse is the the oldest working lighthouse on the Norfolk Coast and the only independently operated lighthouse in the UK. The lighthouse, built in 1790, is open to the public on occasional Sundays and Bank Holidays during the summer plus private visits can be arranged. The village enjoys a secluded sandy beach and a constantly changing coastline.
Norwich enjoys exceptional gourmet dining experiences including the vegetarian Benedict’s and Roger Hickmann’s. It boasts many cosy pubs including The Fat Cat and St Andrew Brew House where delicious craft beers are made on the premises. Excellent fish and chips are served to the sounds of jazz at the Grosvenor Fish Bar. Norwich Cathedral stands in all its majesty with the ancient beauty of stained glass windows, a booming organ and hushed cloisters. You can enjoy free guided tours and learn how the cathedral survived riot, war, plague and fire. There are peregrines that nest in the cathedral’s spire. The observation point is manned by expert volunteers from the Hawk and Owl Trust so that you can get a good view of them. The cathedral plays host to many reverent and impressive concerts and recitals throughout the year. Norwich also boasts dozens of churches from its medieval heyday, some of which have been repurposed into cultural and exhibition spaces such as the Norwich Arts Centre. The Forum is a huge glass edifice and the home of BBC Norwich as well as being a thriving library and boasting restaurants and a bustling cafe. Norwich open-air market delights shopper with traditional fruit and veg stalls alongside gourmet tea and coffee vendors, artisanal bakers and others.
The Region
Found in the East of England, Norfolk’s charms are as broad as the famous network of rivers that run through it. With an abundance of natural beauty and wildlife, this is one county where you can really kick back and enjoy some quintessential English countryside.
But it’s not just a rural idyll – there’s loads of stuff to see and do, which we’ve all put together in our handy Norfolk travel guide. And don’t forget, if you need a place to stay our luxury cottages in Norfolk offer everything you need for an amazing family holiday.
