Bircham Windmill

Plenty of campsites claim to offer fresh bread available each morning but none can compete with Bircham Windmill. The scent of the baking, floury dough floods the main bakery room. Even if you intended to munch on that boring cereal you brought, you’ll soon find the smell irresistible. A loaf, a sausage roll and an iced-bun for the road – that’ll get you through the day. Of course, it’s not really the bakery that people come here for. It’s the much earlier stages in the bread-making process that really mark this place out. Standing like a great grandfather of the countryside, is the striking windmill itself, a fully restored and that has stood here since 1846.

It’s in a small paddock beside the windmill that the camping meadow is found – a simple but beautiful affair. There are just 15 pitches in total (plus a pair of shepherds huts), with a limit of five caravans meaning the place always has a family focused, traditional camping vibe. Toilets, showers and a games room are provided specifically for campers, while throughout the day guests have access to the entire windmill site, including a playground and animals to visit. At 2pm each day you can watch the sheep being milked – their excellent homemade cheeses are also available in the bakery shop.

Many people pitch here for the wider appeal of its location. Brancaster, Hunstanton and Holkham beaches are all just a short drive away and the Sandringham Estate is within easy cycling distance (a quiet, family-friendly route). But the windmill is undeniably the main attraction. Visitors can climb the five floors up to the fan stage, peeping their head out of wooden shutter doors along the way, with informative signs giving a little insight into how it all works. By the time you’ve climbed back down you’ve burned off enough calories for another iced-bun too. Now isn’t that convenient?