Sitting on the final frontier between land and sea, Wiveton Hall
is one of the North Norfolk coast’s most undiscovered gems. As if marking the
point where the country dissolves into the sea, its partially wooded boundary stops
where tidal streams begin, running through puddled fields towards the sea. Walk
in one direction and you’re flanked by fields of golden wheat, in the other and
its marshland, semi-submerged at high tide and speckled with sanfire, dune
grass and seaweed.
The hall itself is a gorgeous flint-faced home built in 1652 and
presiding over the surrounding land like a wise, old Grandfather. Before it
spreads an eclectic mix of younger enterprises – there’s an excellent café, a
pick-your-own fruit farm, an art barn, shop and roadside stall, plus the house
gardens, which can be explored for £2.50. But best of all, thanks to Amber
Wykes, there’s now a dainty little campsite too!
Comprised of just six fully
furnished bell tents, the Wiveton Hall site is on the smaller end of the
camping scale, with up to five people per tent and the opportunity to book the
entire site to yourselves if you're coming as a group. Even before they were
pitched the omens here were good. Amber’s far from new to the scene – she runs a handful of glamping sites at country estates across the UK and their reputation precedes her. This smaller spot offers yet more
room for her to continue the glamping business without sacrificing the space
and privacy that makes each of the other sites so special.
Inside, the tents include a full
double bed for couples or a single bed arrangement for groups, while a
wood-burning stove keeps you cosy and warm in the colder months. There are
rugs, fairy lights, lanterns and a cool box, plus a hamper of vintage inspired
cooking wares that includes everything you could need. Grab some goodies from
the farm shop and you’ve got yourselves a feast!
It is ultimately the location,
though, that is Amber’s real trump card. The immediate vicinity is appealing
for obvious reasons – don’t underestimate the amount of time you can spend
nibbling your way through the strawberry fields and canes of homegrown
raspberries! But even once your drag yourself away from Wiveton Hall there is
plenty to do nearby. The villages of Cley, Wiveton and Blakeney are all within
easy walking distance and you’ll have to roll a dice to decide between the six
pubs within a mile of the site. By car, meanwhile, the best beaches on the
coast are all just five or ten minutes away – Holkham, Wells and Brancaster
beaches, to name but a few – or take the ferry out from Morston to Blakeney
Point and spy on the largest seal colony in England. It’s a truly remarkable
site and extra special in spring and early summer when dozens of seal pups join
the older tribe.
