Days In
Swimming (1 April - 31 October)
Tennis
Table tennis
Cycling - 12 adult bikes
5-a-side football with goal posts
Croquet
Badminton
Cricket
Giant Jenga
Boule
Sony Wii, Game Cube and PS3 games consoles
Walking - 1 hour loop or walk all day
Beauty Treatments at Vicarage House (see below)
Beauty Treatments:
Vicky Hockins of MyBlissful Retreats provides gorgeous treatments at the house:
Myblissfulretreat@mail.comTel: 07928 494081 www.myblissfulretreat.co.uk
Days Out
The Broads:
Lots of options – take the Bure Valley Steam Railway and combine with a return trip on a Broad cruise. Catch the train from Aylsham station and then walk from Wroxham Station to Wroxham Bridge to board the boat for a 1 1/2 hour cruise on the beautiful Norfolk Broads before returning to Wroxham for the train journey back to Aylsham. We recommend you take a picnic. www.bvrw.co.uk Aylsham NR11 6BW Tel: 01263 733858. Departures from Aysham are at 10.00 and 12.40.
Alternatively, you can hire a sail boat or a leisure cruiser if you prefer just to enjoy the open water ways of the Norfolk Broads.
The Coast:
Brancaster Beach – pay for parking - lovely sandy beach .
Holkham Beach – pay for parking
Wells Next the Sea – pay for parking. We have a recommended walking route between Wells and Holkham beaches.
Racing:
Newmarket – racing and music concerts. Newmarket –– 25 minute drive. Racing commences 13 April 2021
Fakenham races – The Racecourse, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 7NY Tel: 01328 862388 www.fakenhamracecourse.co.uk
Summer
Helmingham Hall Festival of Classic and Sports Cars
Newmarket Race Course (Horse racing and Music concerts throughout the year (20 minute drive)
Thetford Forest Open Air Concerts (June and July concerts from high-profile bands)
West Acre Open Air Theatre
Norfolk Broads
Norfolk Houses
Oxburgh Hall
Blickling Hall
Felbrigg Hall
Houghton Hall (wonderful gardens and great house)
Holkham Hall (fabulous parkland)
Suffolk Houses
Euston hall (home of the Dukes of Grafton, a short drive)
Ickworth
Kentwell Hall
Melford Hall (also Rare Breeds Farm)
Norfolk and Suffolk Gardens
Wretham Lodge - Under the National Garden Scheme (NGS) - in next door village. Featured in House & Gardens and Country Life.
Holme Hale is towards Swaffham. Open under NGS banner. An Arne Maynard designed garden, featured recently in Country Life
Lexham Hall (just north of Swaffham. Open periodically through the NGS)
Helmingham Hall Gardens (home and gardens of the Tollemache family)
Cambridge Botanic Gardens (join this to a trip around this wonderful city. Lovely café and shop)
East Ruston Old Vicarage (Open all year).
Raveningham Hall
Bressingham Gardens and Steam Museum
Rose Gardens and Nurseries
Peter Beales Roses - many of the roses in the garden come from here.
Walnut Tree Garden Nursery (an intimate nursery - on line orders only)
Thorncroft Clematis Nursery (specialist clematis growers)
Things to do with friends and family
GO APE and Segway: This fantastic high wire experience is a few minutes away from the house in Thetford Forest. www.goape.co.uk. There is Segway in the forest and bike hire.
Cycling treks: Steve Dawson, who lives in the village, is happy to lead groups of you around the forest. He worked for a number of years for High Lodge/Go Ape. We do provide a cycle route to get you started and lots of maps but for the more energetic/adventurous, Steve is your man. Call him on Tel: 07775753596. Steve charges £10 an hour.
Golf Courses: Thetford Golf Club, Brandon Rd, Thetford IP24 3NE www.thetfordgolfclub.co.uk Tel:01842 752169 – a ten minute drive Richmond Park Golf Club, Saham Road, Watton, IP25 6EA www.richmondpark.co.uk Tel: 01953 881803 – a ten minute drive
Paintballing in the forest: Combat Paintball – East Anglia's No.1 Paintball Venue in Thetford, including Junior Paintball. Forestry Land, A11 between Thetford & Norwich, Thetford, Norfolk NR16 2TH Tel: 01842 769112 www.combatpaintball.org/Thetford
Country pursuits: Explore 4x4 – Exclusive location for off-road driving, clay pigeon shooting, air rifle shooting, cross bows, archery on the neighbouring Elveden Estate. Estate Office, Elveden IP24 3TQ www.elveden.com./explore-4x4 Tel: 01787 320640 This is an easy drive but you can also cycle from the house.
Go-carting & Motocross: Wild-Track - Off-road outdoor activity park including outdoor go-carting, Battlefield Live Combat, motocross, quad bike tracks and archery. Chippenham Road, Kennett, Newmarket CB8 7QJ www.wildtrackltd.co.uk Tel: 01638 751918
Indoor Swimming pool:Thetford Leisure Centre, Croxton Road, Thetford Tel: 01842 753110. Slides, fountains in a play pool in addition to an Olympic swimming pool.
St George’s Whiskey Distillery: Harling Road, Bridgham NR16 2QW www.englishwhiskey.co.uk email: info@englishwhisky.co.uk Tel: 01953 717939. Distillery tours and tasting. This has 97% positive Trip Advisor reviews. It has a nice café and is a drive-minute drive. The kitchen serves good food and is detailed above.
Banham Zoo: Intimate zoo very close by, loved by our guests who visit, young and old. www.banhamzoo.co.uk Kenninghall Road, Banham, NR16 2HE
Bewilderwood: Original and enchanting day out for younger children at www.bewilderwood.co.uk Bewilderwood is 50 acres of wild, outdoor treehouse adventure park. Treehouses, zip wires, jungle bridges, Crocklebogs, boat trips, and marsh walks. Tel: 01692 633033
Farmers’ Market: Wyken, near the charming village of Ixworth, near Bury St Edmunds. The garden is open. www.wykenvineyards.co.uk Tel: 01359 250287. We love this place. The Farmers’ market is open on Saturday until 1pm. Not to be missed!
Thetford – The Light Cinema Experience: All the latest movies in a trendy cinema. www.thetford.lightcinemas.co.uk 17 Bridge Street, Thetford IP24 3AE
Norwich – Theatre Royal Norwich:
Hosts a large range of touring productions. www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk Theatre Street, Norwich NR2 1RL
Eating Out
Delis
Elveden Shop and Cafe, London Road, Elveden, Thetford IP24 3TQ 01842 898068 (great burgers made with beef from the estate)
Places to eat within ten minutes of the House
Restaurants/gastro pubs/cafes:
The Kitchen at St George’s Distillery: Harling Road, Roudham, Norfolk NR16 2QW Tel: 01953 717939 info@englishwhisky.co.uk. They serve excellent breakfasts, lunches and teas – good quality and exceptional value. A seven minute drive from the house. We cannot recommend this more highly for great breakfasts and lunches. www.englishwhiskey.co.uk
The Red Lion, The Green, Caston NR17 1DB Tel: 01953 483858 – exceptional gastro pub. This is our favourite in the very local area and you can cycle safely to this pub in 20 mins. It is 4 miles away. One side of the pub is dog-friendly so you can take the pooch! We have a walk route to this pub. www.castonredlion.uk
The Angel at Larling NR16 2QU Tel: 01953 717963 – www.angel-larling.co.uk – a 5 minute drive.
Elveden Courtyard Restaurant and Cafe, London Road, Elveden, Thetford IP24 3TQ www.elveden.com Tel: 01842 898068 A ten minute drive.
The Elveden Inn, Brandon Rd, Elveden, Thetford, Suffolk IP24 3TP Tel: 01842 890876 – this has 4.2 stars on Trip Advisor. This is different from the above but is run by same people. It has a big outside eating area and a children’s playground.
Local Pubs with food – walk or cycle
The Eagle at Great Hockham – now serving a full English & simple tasty lunches and suppers, not a gastro pub but is a short walk from the house. This pub is dog friendly.
The Chequers Inn, Griston Road, Thompson IP24 1PX www.thompsonchequers.co.uk Tel: 01953 483360 (you can walk or bike to this pub or stop off en route). These are simple pub meals, absolutely not a gastro pub. Good simple food.
Fish and Chips Van at the House, IB The Chippy, Tel: 07805 588160 www.ibthechippy.co.uk
This works for a summer party for example
The Red Lion, The Green, Caston NR17 1DB Tel: 01953 483858 – good gastro pub and is a 20min cycle to this pub. Also, we have a walk route to this pub. www.castonredlion.uk
Takeaways
Rumbles Fish and Chips in East Harling NR16 2PP. It receives 4* from Trip Advisor
Restaurants within 30 minutes of the House
The Leaping Hare, Wyken, Ixworth IP31 2DW www.wykenvineyards.co.uk Tel: 01359 250287. Think Daylesford of Suffolk/Norfolk. This is the brainchild of Carla Carlisle, who for many years wrote the column at the back of Country Life. There is a wonderful café, shop and restaurant. The restaurant serves London standard restaurant food. We recommend booking a table. There is a cafe which serves food all day. A table in the café cannot be booked, it is first come first served. In milder weather, there are café tables outside.
The Mulberry Tree, Station Road, Attleborough NR17 2AS www.the-mulberry-tree.co.uk Tel: 01953 452124. Our guests have raved about this restaurant, open every day
The White Hart Hotel, 3 Market Place, Hingham NR9 4AF www.whitehartnorfolk.co.uk Tel:01953 850214. Hingham is an attractive Georgian town with a very lovely church.
Maison Bleue, 30/31 Churchgate Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1RG. Our guests have raved about this place. Lovely website too. info@maisonbleue.co.uk or Tel: 01284 760 623. This restaurant is listed in the Tatler Best Restaurants Guide 2018.
Our favourite Places to eat near the beaches:
*20 North Street, Burnham Market, Norfolk www.20northstreet.co.uk Tel: 01326 730330* *Undoubtedly our favourite in Burnham Market – truly exceptional food*
The Black Lion, 14 Market Street, Little Walsingham NR22 6DB www.www.blacklionhotel.co.uk Tel: 01328 820235
Titchwell Manor, Titchwell, PE31 8BB www.titchwellmanor.com Tel: 01485 210221
The Ship Inn, Brancaster, PE31 8AP www.shiphotelnorfolk.co.uk Tel: 01485 210333
The White Horse Brancaster Staithe PE31 8BY www.whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk Tel: 01485 210262
There are good places for a snack in Burnham Market such as Tuscan Café or buy a sandwich at Humble Pie.