There’s no beating around the manicured, professionally pruned bush here. The clue’s in the name. Sandringham House, huge, regal and overlooking pristine gardens, is the big-boy of attractions round these parts and it’s easy to see why. Famously the Christmas hideout for Queen Elizabeth II and her family, it is billed as a large family home, though most families don’t have a garden teeming with tourists, a museum and a living room crammed full with Russian silverware. Nevertheless, it is a home worth a visit, as much for what is outside as what’s within. In spring and early summer enjoy a mass of rhododendrons and azaleas and throughout the rest of the year, venture to where the garden ends and the parkland begins - alive with wildlife and the ever changing colours of mixed pine and deciduous woodland.
It is amongst these trees, but beyond the public parkland, that Sandringham Campsite resides. While the place may challenge her Highness’s patch for size (there are 275 pitches) and feature such commercial charms as static caravans and chemical toilet disposal points, it does still offer the chance for campers to have their own royal treatment. Tucked in their own private-feeling space and nestled amongst the old trees that still dot the site, the people of Ready Camp have set up several brand new, luxury safari tents. These fully-decked out canvas lodges, feature two bedrooms and a large living space, complete with dining furniture, a sofa and a kitchenette with all the utensils you need to get cooking. There’s no denying they bring a real Cool Camping flare to the rest of the site, which has a predominantly caravan friendly vibe. Tent-folk can still find peace and quiet by taking a grassy pitch near the woods (seclusion is easy to find with this much space) or find a spot near one of the coppices in the middle.
Though it may be easy to scream on and on about the Sandringham Estate, it is really just the tip of the must-see ice-burg. It was built here for good reason – to enjoy the surrounding countryside – and with that in mind it’s worth following the same mantra. King Edward VII once ordered the entire house to set the clocks half an hour too fast so that there were more daylight hours in which to hunt and explore. So when you roll from the double bed of your safari tent, be sure to get a move on… there’s a lot to get done!
The arching geography of the North Norfolk coast is a patchwork of dynamic features, where sandy beaches sweep into marram grass dunes, then into changing tidal marshland and tall, thick pine forests. It’s a destination growing in popularity but there’s enough open space to always feel secluded. The wetlands are rich in wildlife, with Dersingham National Nature Reserve on the campsite’s doorstep and a string of other protected RSPB areas along the seafront. They, alongside beaches like Brancaster and Holkham, make for excellent walking routes and the coastal path is a consistently excellent trail to follow. It creates a holiday spot for all seasons and by the time you’re heading home you’ll see the wisdom in Edward VII’s traditions. You may have to call on a little more ‘Sandringham time’ of your own and book an extra night or two.
