Dog-Friendly Holidays Norfolk

Just 50 yards from the sea, this charming detached bungalow, with magnificent sea views, makes ideal holiday accommodation, with the beach literally a stone’s throw from the back garden. Stalham just 5 miles and Wroxham, 10 miles, offer daily boat and river trips - a good way to experience the beauty of The Broads. Bacton Woods are close by, and are ideal for cycling, walking and woodland picnics. East Ruston Vicarage Gardens are just a short drive away with over 32 acres of outstanding gardens. Cromer and Sheringham, small, traditional seaside towns, are 12-14 miles away and Horsey Beach is a short drive down the coast, where there is a colony of grey seals. Alternatively, spend a day in the cathedral city of Norwich. Shops and restaurant less than ½ mile, pub 1 mile.

Perfect for large families and larger groups, this Grade II listed, brick and flint detached cottage dates from circa 1660. With a large garden, it stands opposite the church in the village of Thornage. Rich in charm and character, it has been sympathetically renovated offering spacious accommodation set over three floors. There are two spacious living rooms, one with an open fire and the other with a wood burner. The spacious and well-equipped kitchen opens onto a light and airy dining area overlooking the large rear garden.
Good walking and excellent cycling routes are available from doorstep. The Georgian market town of Holt is 2½ miles, and Blakeney Quay is 6½ miles. The coastline is less than 20 minutes’ drive with wide, sandy (and some shingle) beaches, as well as a wealth of RSPB bird and nature reserves. The coastal road passes through many villages with good pubs, farm shops, and cafés for great fresh and locally sourced food. The livelier seaside resorts of Sheringham and Cromer are 9 and 12 miles respectively. Holkham Hall and Holkham beach are 12½ miles away. Wells-next-the-Sea with its working fishing harbour, town and sandy beach, is 11 miles.
The National Trust properties of Felbrigg and Blicking Halls offer much to do and see, whilst the pretty gardens and space of Sheringham Park offer a great day out. Royal Sandringham House and Gardens are 27 miles. The city of Norwich, 23 miles, with its cathedral, castle museum, excellent shopping malls, market square, theatre, fine dining, cafés and pubs. The famous Norfolk Broads are 24 miles, great for exploring by boat, with daily river trips and day boats available as well as riverside cafés, restaurants and shops. Beach 7 miles. Shop 2½ miles, pub and restaurant 1½miles.

The Innkeep was formerly two small cottages attached to the old village public house, with the oldest part of the building dating back to the 1600s. It has been refurbished with an eye for ‘insta-ready’, quirky design that you are sure to fall in love with. Think interesting pieces collated from around the globe, splashes of colour, chic finishing touches and more than a pinch of comfort. The innkeeper is attached to a former public house, where the owners reside should you have any questions or need any support during your stay.
Sleeping four, each bedroom has its own TV and downstairs you will find another Smart TV and Bluetooth speaker to snuggle up in front of after a busy day of sightseeing. The gorgeous living area also boasts some lovely original features along with eclectic contemporary pieces. Also on the ground floor, you will find a large, well-equipped kitchen and a generous bathroom with a bath and a separate shower cubicle. There is a lovely, private garden with a patio area outside, just perfect for your morning coffee or evening sundowner. The property has a sophisticated appeal and would suit couples or small families looking to relax together and explore all that the area has to offer.
Watlington itself has an award-winning pub and a restaurant and it is easy to get takeaways delivered should you fancy a night in without cooking. Venture further and you find an area abundant with Heritage sites to lose yourself in, including Castle Rising, Castle Acre, the Hanseatic Quarter of Old Kings Lynn, Ely, Peckover House and the Houghton, Holkham and Sandringham Estates. Want to get close to nature? Then explore Welney Wetlands, RSPB Snettisham Marshes, Bawsey Country Park and Lakes or Thetford Forrest. Closer still visit Watatunga Wildlife Reserve and take a guided tour. Fancy some sea air? You can be at the stunning coastline in just half an hour too. For a complete change of pace, head to Kings Lynn, Cambridge, London or Norwich and sightsee then shop till you drop. You can get a train to all of them from Watlington train station, too. After a busy day out and about return for a lovely night’s sleep at the Innkeep.

Within walking distance of the sandy beach and village centre amenities, this spacious, Victorian, mid-terrace holiday cottage is set over three floors. Furnished and equipped to offer larger families and friends alike a perfect seaside getaway. Mundesley is within Norfolk coasts Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This quiet seaside village offers secluded wide sandy beaches and the village centre has shops, cafés, a post office and pub. There is a 9-hole golf course and plenty of footpaths and circular walks to enjoy. The lively seaside resorts of Cromer and Sheringham are close by. Explore Cromer, 7 miles, with its pier full of entertainment, town centre with shops, cafés, restaurants and a golf course. Sheringham has an indoor swimming pool, town centre with shops and regular market days, and home to the headquarters of the North Norfolk Steam Railway with trips to neighbouring coastal resorts and golf courses. RSPB nature and bird reserve can be found along the coast road. Norwich city is within a 40-minute drive for excellent shopping malls, theatre, castle, museum, cafés and restaurants. The market town of north Walsham for shops, cafés, banks and supermarkets is a 15-minute drive. Stow Mill is situated on the outskirts of Mundesley, built as a flour mill Circa 1826, it has been beautifully restored and is well worth a visit. Discover the famous Norfolk Broads with miles of inland waterways and rich in wildlife and bird life. Wroxham, the capital of the Broads is 12 miles and offers daily boat hire and river trips, as well as riverside cafés, restaurants and shops. Wroxham Barns, BeWILDerwood at Horning and Lenwade Dinosaur Park make great days out for children. Historical houses and gardens include Felbrigg Hall, Blickling Hall, Sheringham Hall, Holkham Hall and the Royal Sandringham Estate (open to the public when the Royals are not in residence). Shop, pub and restaurant 500 yards.

In a fantastic setting, enjoying stunning views across the harbour, quay and marshes to the sea and pine woods beyond. The detached Pirates Lookout provides a great base for discerning guests seeking a well-appointed getaway, with a great mix of style and home comforts. This detached holiday property has been thoughtfully designed so that the living space, from which the views are simply breathtaking, is on the first floor, the vaulted living room offers patio doors on to a Juliet balcony so you can breathe in the sea air while taking in the vista. Thoughtfully designed, all the living areas and bedrooms have USB charging points fitted into a variety of well-placed sockets and all the bedrooms have their own LED TV with Freeview and DVD player built in! Double designer, digitally controlled shower room letting the temperature of the shower be pre-set before entering. The double shower with multi-head showers allows for plenty of room.
Wells-next-the-Sea is popular with tourists and locals alike and offers a mix of traditional seaside and artisan shops and cafés, amusements and a narrow gauge railway that runs virtually from Pirates Lookout and takes you past the pitch and putt golf course down to the pine woods and beach, voted one of the best in the country. The much photographed quay is also a staging post for boat trips including fishing expeditions, booking boat trips to see the seals and is famous for its ‘gillying’ catching small crabs by hand line from the quay wall. Wells also has its own 9-hole pitch just 300 yards away and the two Links cliff top gorgeous golf courses, the Sharingham Golf Club and the Royal Cromer Golf Club. Horse riding is also available at the North Norfolk Riding School just 5 miles from the cottage, as well as various schools and stables along the coast.
The harbour is also the home of Wells Sailing club, Water Ski Club and other water sports and visiting yachtsmen from far and near. Wells offers something for all the family, including the 19th century ‘Albatross’ Dutch sailing barge on the quay, now used as a restaurant and bar with live eclectic music on Fridays, Saturday and most Sunday lunch times. A large well-appointed children’s playground and adjoining skate park, the cinema and theatre on Staithe Street and the myriad of boutique, craft and traditional shops, as well as the ever popular with children amusement arcades for rainy days. Why not try the local horse and cart rides or alpaca trekking along the fields and marshes? An experience the whole family will enjoy.
For all the fun of the fair, head to Hunstanton but making sure you take the time to explore the pretty seaside villages along the way. Enjoy the Sea Life Centre, visit the small fun fair or just relax on its beach with its famous cliffs and rock pools. There are National Trust properties and stately homes to explore too, including Holkham Hall and The Sandringham Estate, both of which host events throughout the year. Bird watchers will also be spoiled for choice with Norfolk being described as the ‘birdwatching capital of the UK’ and there are marshes and nature reserves aplenty to explore, including Titchwell Marsh, which is just a short drive away. With ample cycling routes and walks, water sports, fishing and golf, as well as great places to eat and to just potter around and unwind in, you really will be spoilt for choice. Children will also love the playground nearby. And, after a fabulous day out, you can kick off your shoes at Pirates Lookout, enjoy a glass of wine and watch the sun go down while planning your next adventure. Shops 60 yards.

Neatly behind the sand dunes and just yards from the glorious sandy beach at Sea Palling, this delightful bungalow, one of a cluster of five, makes a wonderful base for a seaside holiday and boasts a kitchen which was newly fitted in 2021. Fishing, boat trips and boat hire on the beautiful Norfolk Broads are just a few miles away.
Sea Palling, the local village, has an independent life boat, and mission boards displayed in the church which list rescues going back over 100 years.
The quiet beach, a short walk up and over the sand dune, is home to many waders, and is home to a protected breeding colony of little terns in the summer, while on Horsey Beach, just a short drive down the coast, grey seals give birth to their pups in the winter. Norwich, once England’s second city, has fine medieval buildings, including the cathedral, a Norman castle (now housing the museum) and everything for the shopping addict! There is a supermarket in Stalham, 6 miles. Beach 300 yards (via footpath). Shop, pub and café 1 mile.

On the edge of the historic Georgian town of Holt, this delightful holiday apartment is within walking distance of the shops, cafes and pubs. Just a few minutes’ drive leads to the stunning North Norfolk coastline with its sandy beaches and wealth of RSPB nature and bird reserves. Holt Lowes offers miles of walking and cycle trails through natural woodland. Blakeney Quay is 6 miles away with its access to the coastal path, boat trips to visit the basking seal colony and nature reserve island, shops, restaurants and cafes. Wells-next-the-Sea, Holkham, Sheringham and Cromer offer excellent sandy beaches. Many places of historical interest and stately homes are within driving distance, including the Royal Sandringham Estate and museum, Holkham Hall, Walsingham Shrine and the National Trust properties such as Blickling Hall, Felbrigg Hall and Sheringham Park. The city of Norwich has excellent shopping, theatre, castle museum, art galleries, café and restaurants. The Norfolk Broads can be reached within 1 hours drive and offers daily boat hire and river trips, riverside restaurants, cafes and shops. Beach 7 miles. Shop, pub and restaurant within 1 mile.

Caradon House is a stunning 5-star, Grade II listed building that has been lovingly re-designed to provide an excellent base not far from Sandringham and Burnham Market, from which discerning guests can explore all that North Norfolk has to offer. All of the rooms are decorated to a very high standard to provide light and airy accommodation, and with informal and formal dining areas, a large kitchen and separate cooking area, lots of well-appointed bathrooms, four areas in which to relax and unwind and a large garden to enjoy the sunshine in, everything really has been thought of to provide maximum comfort.
Close by, quaint Norfolk fishing villages line the coast, offering beaches, quays, and marshes galore to explore. In truth, there are far too many to name them all, but Brancaster, Holkham, Wells-next-the-Sea and Blakeney are all within easy reach. There are also a series of nature reserves to explore, including the RSPB site, Titchwell Marsh, home to nesting avocets, bitterns, and marsh harriers. From the little harbour at Brancaster Staithe, take a boat trip and enjoy the views of the coastline and a stop off at Scolt Head Island, a bird sanctuary and nature reserve. For a change of pace, and less than half an hour’s drive away, head to the Victorian seaside town of Hunstanton, with its beach that seems to go on for ever, unusual striped cliffs towering over sixty feet high, and a Sea Life Centre, fun fair, indoor swimming pool, and a cliff-top golf course. In fact, golfers really will be spoilt for choice with The Royal West Norfolk (Brancaster) Golf Club, Hunstanton and Fakenham also close by.
There is lots you can do to work up an appetite and, although the kitchen at Caradon House simply begs to be used, foodies will find lots of reasons to eat out as Norfolk’s burgeoning good food reputation continues to grow. Great food can be found virtually on the doorstep and a little further afield with all tastes catered for, often using local produce. With bustling market towns, great walks, and cycle routes and so much to see and do, if you can tear yourself away from beautiful Caradon House, you really will be spoilt for choice. Beach 15/20-minute drive. Gastro pub and coffee/shop in village.

With the Norfolk coastline within easy reach, there are lots of reasons to choose Church Farm Barn for your stay. They are set within the quiet village of Clippesby, and tastefully presented to provide spacious holiday accommodation for guests. Surrounded by approximately 1-acre of shared grounds which is ideal for children to play a variety of sports, and also gives access straight onto the public footpaths.
Church Farm Barn (ref. W43988) has a formal dining room, a dining area in the kitchen and two sitting rooms; there is plenty of space to spread out and relax. Barnex (ref. W43989) has a well equipped kitchen and a spacious lounge to relax in; it’s the perfect place to plan your adventures.
The traditional seaside town of Great Yarmouth still provides all the fun of the fair, with its traditional amusements. It also has a Pleasure Beach, which offers thrill rides galore and a wide sandy beach so you can see why this town remains a top tourist attraction. As does Pleasurewood Hills, a theme park that lies just along the coast and offers a wide range of attractions. Thrigby Wildlife Park offers animal lovers, young and mature alike, the chance to see exotic animals up close which includes a tree walk where you can look right down in to the tiger enclosure. Africa Alive offers animal encounters too, and the meercat enclosure is not to be missed. Beach lovers will enjoy Scratby Beach, a beautiful, quiet shingle and sand beach set at the base of low sand cliffs. It is dog friendly and perfect for a bracing walk whatever the time of year. With Winterton-on-Sea, Hemsby, Caister, Gorleston and California Sands all offering beautiful beaches too, you’ll be spoilt for choice. The area offers access to the Norfolk Broads, where you can join an organised tour or charter your own boat, perfect for messing about on the water. Great Wildlife is to be found on the Broads, and birdwatchers will find a visit to Rollesby Broad a must. The medieval city of Norwich is close by and offers a stunning Norman castle to explore along with numerous museums, cinemas, theatres and great places to shop and eat.
With cyclist and walking routes aplenty, you will be pleased to have chosen wisely and picked Church Farm Barn to relax in when you get back after a busy day sightseeing. Shop, pub and restaurant 11/2 miles.

Standing detached on the edge of Seacroft Caravan Club Site, this single-storey chalet enjoys being within easy reach of all the facilities of the park, including the outdoor, heated swimming pool (seasonal opening) and the club house with a bar and restaurant. Less than 1 mile to the seaside resort of Cromer itself, Seacroft is a family orientated Caravan Club Site, with 111 pitches. During peak season, the park hosts a lively programme of varied entertainment and special events. Located on the opposite side of the road is ’The Common’, which is ideal for walkers, a large expanse of grassland, located along the cliff top with a path leading to Cromer’s promenade and town. The small theatre at the end of Cromer pier hosts live entertainment (in season) and there is a bustling promenade, colourful gardens, beach, Amazona Zoo and golf course. The town centre has many shops, cafés and restaurants and a carnival is held in the third week of August. With the bus stop outside the park entrance, a great way of exploring Norfolk’s Coastline is by the local bus service, ‘The Coastal Hopper’, visiting towns and villages along the Coast Road. Sheringham has the headquarters of the Poppy Line North Norfolk Steam Railway, Splash and Fun Water Park, RNLI life boat station and museum, cliff top golf course, Sheringham Park (NT) and town centre with shops, café and restaurants. RSPB nature and bird reserves at Blakeney Quay, Morston Harbour, Cley next the Sea and Salthouse. An hours drive away is Holkham Hall (NT), Blickling Hall and Felbrigg Hall (NT). Wroxham, known as the capital of the Norfolk Broads offers daily boat hire and river trips available, shops, cafés and waterside restaurants. The city of Norwich has excellent shopping malls, market square, theatre, castle museum, cathedral, cafés and restaurants. Beach 1 mile. Shop, pub and restaurant 1 mile.