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The small coastal town of Blakeney is an appealing place to visit for a
day or two, or maybe for an afternoon stop if travelling along the
north Norfolk coast. Pretty pebble cottages and a flint and rubble church (the Church of St
Nicholas) exemplify the areas traditional building techniques, and
family run shops and restaurants line the high street. Blakeney harbour has stalls selling fresh crab sandwiches on the
quayside, and looks onto the 5
mile long pebble spit of Blakeney Point to the north.
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Holkham Hall was designed in the 18th century
by architect William Kent for the first Earl of Leicester. The
interior retains much of its original decoration, notably the marble
hall, with its fluted columns and intricate reliefs. The rich colours
of the state rooms are an appropriate backdrop for a fabulous selection
of paintings by Van Dyck, Rubens, Gainsborough and
Poussin. Footpaths lace the estate, leading to Holkham Bay, one of the finest sandy beaches on this stretch of coast.
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Take a boat trip from Blakeney to watch seals on Blakeney Point.
There's a number of operators to choose from, including Bean's Boats,
Bishop's Boats and Temple's Seal Trips. You
spend a couple of hours on Blakeney Point, and at the seal colony just
off the point to see some of the 500 or so common and grey seals, which
are often quite inquisitive and can pop up out of the water from time
to time for photo opportunities.
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Wells-next-the-Sea is an attractive North Norfolk coastal town,
with narrow lanes and old fashioned shops. Although there's no specific
attractions, it's an excellent base from which to explore the
surrounding area and a pleasant place to stop off at, with some decent
gust houses. With a beautiful beach bordered by
pine woods, Georgian buildings and a choice of pubs and restaurants,
Wells-next-the-Sea is a perfect destination to relax and unwind from
the stresses and cares of modern life.
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Holkham Bay on the north Norfolk coast is a long windswept sandy beach, fringed by sand dunes and pine trees. Part of a large nature reserve, stretching from Wells in the west to
Holkham in the east, there are four main zones to the shore; the beach
itself, dunes, salt-marsh and pinewoods, each supporting different
types of plant and animal life. Wildlife fans may be lucky enough to spot seals, as well as oyster
catchers, curlews and terns.
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Sandringham is the much-loved country retreat of the Queen,
and has been decribed as 'The most comfortable house in England.' Built
in 1870 by the then Prince of Wales, Sandringham has been
passed down through four generations of British
monarchs. Set in the 60-acre gardens, with a fascinating museum of Royal
vehicles and mementoes, the principal ground floor apartments with
their collections of porcelain, jade, furniture and family portraits
are open to the public from Easter to October.
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Cromer is another traditional English seaside town that is returning to
favour as more and more of us re-discover holidays closer to home. Famous for the quality of the seafood caught here, Cromer
also has an attractive pier, a good beach and an interesting local
museum. Here you can discover Cromer's history as
a Victorian seaside resort with its fine hotels and scandal of mixed
bathing and learn about the daring rescues of Henry Blogg and the Cromer
lifeboatmen.
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The sailing school at Blakeney is called Norfolk Etc.
and offers Royal Yachting Association approved
sailing and powerboat training courses for adults and children, from beginners to advanced. Courses
follow the structured RYA approach, with a mixture of land based theory
and on the water tuition to build confidence and skills. The school also provides private tuition and charters in a rugged and well built Norfolk Oyster boat to the seals on Blakeney Point.
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Blakeney National Nature Reserve is one of the largest expanses of undeveloped coastal habitats of its type in Europe. It’s a dynamic coastal habitat with a long sand and shingle spit, fine sea views and wide open skies. The reserve is a significant breeding area for tern colonies and an important haul-out site for Common and Grey seals.
Access is by foot from Cley Beach (3½ml) or by ferry from Morston and Blakeney, depending on the tides.
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Hunstanton is a popular holiday destination with a friendly family atmosphere retaining much of its original Victorian elegance. Enjoy traditional coastal attractions, such as donkey rides on the
beach, a trip round the town in a Road Train, or if you’re feeling more
adventurous a ride on a sea buggy. Take a walk along the promenade, where colourful gardens butt up against the sea
shore. Play pitch and putt or bowls, or explore the beach with its dramatic red and white cliffs.
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