Unspoilt and unique coast

Our North West Norfolk holiday cottages offer access to a wonderful mix of history, heritage and family fun. Renowned as the seaside for all seasons, visitors to our traditional Heacham and Hunstanton holiday homes, overlooking The Wash, can enjoy pleasant beaches, friendly shops and a Sealife Centre. The shallow waters here make for safe swimming and are popular with wind and kitesurfers too, so there's always something to watch, even if you don’t want to get wet yourself!

Many of our North West Norfolk Coast self catering cottages are located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that offers access to miles of untouched sands, dunes and saltmarshes, perfect for picnics and walks whatever the weather. The RSPB nature reserves at Snettisham and Titchwell offer the chance to get up close to some amazing birdlife, and for a taste of local goodness you can forage for fresh samphire on the tidal mudflats – known as 'poor man's asparagus', it’s delicious steamed and served with melted butter!

Away from the beach, our self-catering accommodation in the countryside enjoys an area of big skies, uninterrupted views, gently rolling countryside and historic flint and carrstone villages. Iconic linseed and poppy fields edge quiet country lanes and windmills turn their sails to grind flour for local bakeries. But though time moves slowly here, there's nothing artificial about this part of the North Norfolk coast – thriving local pubs are at the heart of close-knit communities while recently-rejuvenated King's Lynn is home to bigger-town attractions including a vibrant summer arts festival.

England's greatest naval hero Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson was born here at Burnham Thorpe and the Royal Family choose Sandringham as a base for their own holidays, but this is an area that bears its fame modestly... and it's a lovely location for a North West Norfolk self catering break that is as laid-back or busy as you want it to be.

Norfolk's Royal Connection...

The unique west-facing location of Hunstanton means that its striped cliffs, Blue Flag beach, traditional promenade and quaint lighthouse are complemented by spectacular sunsets. Nearby the Snettisham RSPB Reserve provides a great opportunity to see the 100,000-plus wading birds which are pushed along the coastline by large tides in the Wash. But with a variety of themed trails through the surrounding 320 acres of countryside this is so much more than a bird reserve; children can even help out on a working farm!

At Holme-next-the-Sea the Peddars Way joins the Norfolk Coast Path and follows the route of a Roman road south through the Brecks – a unique area of forest, heath and low river valleys – before ending at Knettishall Heath Country Park in Suffolk. Together the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path cover 93 miles, and at Cromer they are joined by the Weavers' Way, a 61 mile route which leads on to Great Yarmouth and is named after the weaving industry that once flourished in this area.

The Royal Sandringham Estate is one of the great attractions of West Norfolk – the 19th century Sandringham House is a much-loved Christmas retreat for Her Majesty The Queen and has been the private home of four generations of British monarchs since 1862. The house is at the heart of an 8,000-hectare estate, 240 hectares of which make up the woodland and heath of the Country Park, open to the public free of charge every day of the year. Just a short drive from Sandringham, kids will love exploring the surviving keep and surrounding earthworks at the 12th century Castle Rising.

For more contemporary pursuits head to Burnham Market, the area's centre for all things chic and a definite must-do for those in need of retail therapy. This super-cool village is home to a variety of original shops, galleries and eateries and the setting for a busy craft fair every August.