Candleford is perfectly located for gentle walks to the wide, sandy beaches and nature reserve. Either take the short route to the main entrance to Holme beach, across the golf course, or towards the nature reserve. The nature reserve has a beautiful walk along a boardwalk on the dunes and into a pine forest. This gives you direct access onto the beach. On a good day you can follow the coast for a stunning walk to the Lifeboat Inn for lunch (see eating out). The area is renowned for bird watching. Holme nature reserve is an excellent spot and the RSPB has a famous site at nearby Titchwell. Thefollowing is an extract from the Visit Norfolk website
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s reserve at Holme Dunes is one of the north Norfolk coast’s most attractive landscapes and the combination of mudflats, sand dunes, saltmarsh and reedbeds have an air of mysticism. It is an important bird-watching site where you can look for a huge variety of species including avocets, ringed plovers, redshanks, curlews and lapwings. Holme Dunes is another key site for winter wildfowl.
At Salthouse Marshes, further along the coast, a shingle bank protects the coastal grazing marshes and salt water lagoons from the voracious appetite of the North sea. Bird watchers can look out for black-tailed godwits, ruffs, redshanks and snow buntings as well as several thousand brent geese in the winter months The wetland nature reserve at Titchwell Marsh is around 5 miles from Hunstanton. As you walk from the RSPB visitor centre to the sandy beach you will pass reedbeds and shallow lagoons which are managed specially to attract all manner of birds. One of the highlights of a visit to Titchwell in the summer is a potential sighting of a marsh harrier hunting over the reeds.
Although Holme is part of the timeless, traditional North Norfolk countryside it has the advantage of being only 10 minutes drive away from the seaside holiday town of Hunstanton, where there are other local shops (Tesco), cafés and entertainments of many kinds.
As well as enjoying the seaside in the summer, you may enjoy seeing the migration of the Canada Geese in January, bracing wintry walks on the beach, ducklings swimming in the stream and rabbits in the garden in the spring or picking the plentiful blackberries in the autumn. Look out for barn owls in the field to the side of the road near to Candleford which fly about at dusk (and don’t be alarmed by solitary men loitering with large telescopes!).
Shops and places of interest
The best part of the coast is east of Holme so it’s nice to have a drive along the A149. Brancaster has a great beach where you can drive and park close to the beach. The most famous beach is the vast Holkham beach, favoured by the Royals, and featured in the film Shakespeare in Love.
Brancaster Staithe is a pretty harbour and worth a visit to look at the boats. Burnham-overy-Staithe is also picturesque and was the place where Nelson learned to sail as as child. Nelson was born in Burnham Norton and he is very much the local hero.
There are several stately homes nearby including Holkham and, most famously, Sandringham. My favourite is Houghton Hall which has beautiful grounds and, most essentially, a lovely café. It has a collection of model soldiers which is fantastic (even to a non-enthusiast!). It has strange opening hours,so check in advance.
For good food and tempting shops go to Burnham Market – there’s a lovely fishmonger, deli (Humble Pie – has ‘ready meals’), butchers and so on. Nice cream tea at the Hoste Arms. Loads of shops to potter in but remember they are mostly closed on Sunday and they close for lunch. There are two good galleries in Burnham Market, the Fairfax andSaltwater. The latter features the renowned photographs of Harry Cory Wright and Harry is often there himself, to chat about his work.
There’s a pricey farm shop between us and Thornham on the main road where you can pick your own fruit in season. Fish Shack on the right near Brancaster has great fish and local veg. In season you’ll find small, roadside stalls set up to sell local crabs, samphire or fruit. For convenience and friendly service I’d recommend the Old Hunstanton Store ‘The Driftwood Deli’ for good local produce (cheeses, sausages, fresh bread) and you can walk there along the beach to collect your freshly baked croissants and newspaper if you’re feeling energetic!
Tesco, Sainsburys and Boots are at Hunstanton.
Look out for the Kings Morris, the local Morris Men. They often dance in Holme, at the White Horse pub, and at the Lifeboat at Thornham. They provide cheerful entertainment and you might even get asked to dance yourself!
Activities
Apart from the beaches and walks there is lots to do around Holme-next-the-Sea.
Children love the tacky fun fair at Hunstanton. The mini-dodgems are the highlight for little ones. You can park at Tesco and walk over. Children may also enjoy the Sea Life Centre, which has a seal sanctuary and penguins. Hunstanton also has bowling, pitch and putt, a swimming pool and theatre. If you want to take a trip to see the seals I would recommend a tour from Blakeney (see below), not the boat that runs from Hunstanton.
Snettisham Farm Park is good for animal loving kids (eat at the Rose & Crown, above). You can also pre-book horse-riding here.
Look for signs for the Snettisham miniature railway, which runs a few times a year and is charming – run by real enthusiasts. There are other steam railways, Wells to Walsingham is small and great fun or larger steam trains run to Sheringham.
Horse-riding is available at Home Farm in Holme village.
Sailing courses are available nearby and you can take a trip to see the seals at Blakeney.
Other local spots include:
Blakeney Point – trip to see seals
North Shore Sports
Royal Yachting Association
Sailing boat trips
You can hire bikes and follow routes from Bircham Windmill.
There are tennis courts for hire at Brancaster Staithe.
For more information on North Norfolk please see here and you will find an information pack in Candleford.
Eating Out
If you fancy a lunch out, with an excellent playground, go to the Lifeboat Inn at Thornham (5 mins east on the A149 and look for the sign off to the left). BOOK WELL IN ADVANCE 01485 –512236. Ask to sit in the conservatory – you can always move outside if the weather is good. Arrive soon after noon for an outside table. It’s a beautiful walk along the boardwalk from Candleford and takes about 1 ¼ hours (strolling).
Great pub lunches at Rose and Crown in Snettisham. This has a lovely walled garden and play area. Ask for the family room for space with children, or you may prefer a cosy nook in the pub itself. I also recommend the White Horse at Brancaster (book the conservatory – EARLY – it has views – very rare in Norfolk). It is also lovely for dinner.
You can have a classy dinner at the Victoria at Holkham (01328 711008). We have found it not very child friendly in the restaurant but through the summer they do fantastic lunch time barbeques where children are welcome. They serve their beef and venison raised on the estate.
Other Restaurants and pubs we like:
The Hoste Arms, Burnham Market
The Jolly Sailors, Brancaster Staithe (family pub)