It is a fantastic time to visit our beautiful county. With the summer crowds a happy memory, you will have long stretches of our gorgeous sandy beaches and our stunning wide open skies to yourself.
The Norfolk climate is generally the driest and sunniest in the UK. The winding country lanes give ample opportunity for exploring by car, bike or foot, and there are plenty of lovely spots to enjoy a pre-packed picnic from the Hotel before you head back to our hotel lounge to warm up by the open log fire before dinner.
The luxury accommodation at The Norfolk Mead provides the ideal location to base yourself for a long weekend stay in Norfolk – you’ll be twenty minutes from the bustling Norwich city centre, right in the middle of the breathtaking Norfolk Broads National Park, and just half an hours drive from the stunning Norfolk coast.
There’s so much to do whilst you are here! Why not simply switch off and relax! Book yourself a spa treatment in our Treatment Rooms, and be sure to make a dinner or Afternoon Tea reservation in our 2AA Rosette Restaurant Dining Room. Explore our grounds. Borrow some of our guest wellington boots and take a stroll through our eight acres of riverside grounds. You’ll see gorgeous morning mists, birds including swans and geese, and may even spot a hedgehog or two.
If you want to explore further afield, here’s some more inspiration for your Norfolk autumn staycation … grab your walking boots and check out our ideas for getting back to nature and experiencing the best of Norfolk by foot:
Walk the River Bure trails. You can pick up a footpath along the gentle River Bure at Coltishall bridge just five minutes walk from the Hotel. Follow the path towards the pretty Broads village of Buxton and your quiet walk alongside the river will pass through reeds, trees and on to open farmland with cattle grazing. Look out for majestic kingfishers, stately heron and even playful otters … this is a completely unspoilt stretch of Broads National Park.
Walk the recently completed Deep History Coast trail – 36km of clifftop paths along the magnificent North Norfolk coast from Weybourne to Cart Gap. The eleven information points including at the popular beaches of West Runton, Cromer, Overstrand and Mundesely and help bring the landscape of hundreds of thousands of years ago to life. Take in the scenic views and inhale that sea air!
Read more: There’s nowhere like Norfolk: Discover the Deep History Coast with Visit Norfolk
Autumn isn’t autumn without a woodland walk. There’s lots of options within a short drive of the Hotel. We love the trails at Holt Country Park and Sheringham Park. The exquisite seventeenth century country house Felbrigg Hall National Trust Gardens and Estate is also a great place to visit in Autumn with 520 acres of superb mature woodland ready to be explored. Enjoy the wonderful natural display of colour as the leaves change for the new season and start to fall. Keep your eyes peeled for striking displays of fungi on the forest floor and you might even spot the resident deer and owls.
There is such a buzz nationally about this year’s Houghton Hall exhibition. Anish Kapoor, one of the most influential sculptors working today, is showing until 1 November so is a great option to combine your Norfolk minibreak stay with us with a little bit of culture. Just an hour drive from The Norfolk Mead, the exhibition features some of Kapoor’s major works in mirror and stone, including Sky Mirror (2018) – a 5-metre diameter mirror of stainless steel that reflects the sky and turns the world upside down. As well as the outdoor installations to explore, there are a number of works on display inside the house, including dramatic sandstone sculptures in the gallery spaces. Pre-booking is essential.
Stay with us
We are only two and a half hours drive from London, and one and a half hours drive from both Cambridge and Ipswich. Contact the team on 01603 737 531 to book your short UK break, or visit our hotel and spa gift voucher page to view our gift package ideas.
