Whether a day framed by the sorbet-hued beach huts of Wells-Next-The-Sea, an afternoon on the talc-soft sands of Brancaster, a bracing swim off the pebble beach at Cley or a hike along miles of empty, pine-tree-backed beach at Holkham – made famous by the film Shakespeare in Love – seaside holiday adventures come by the bucketload at Barsham.
Head out on a boat trip to spot seals from Morston, take a walk around Holkham’s protected reserve, or opt for a leg-stretching walk across the Stiffkey Saltmarshes at Blakeney. Or explore the sleepy flint-built coastal villages of Cley and Walsingham by bike – North Norfolk’s gentle landscapes are made for cycling holidays.
You’ll be hard-pressed to drag them away from the simple delights of the estate, but when you do, North Norfolk is dotted with a brilliant choice of activities for little ones. From the ropes course and adventure playground at Holkham to crabbing at Wells harbour or a horse-riding lesson in the countryside, days can be as relaxed or adventure-filled as you like.
From local historic homes – including Blickling Hall, the former Jacobean pile of Anne Boleyn, Houghton, with its wonderful art collection, Holkham and Sandringham, the much-loved country retreat of the royals – to the 19th century Bircham Windmill (and its tearoom that greets you with the scent of just-baked bread), there’s plenty to see around Barsham.