Back then, North Norfolk and its glistening coastline was just gathering traction as a tourist destination. Now, inching closer to 150 years later, it is deeply embedded, city dwellers flocking for a salty slice of unhurried larking about on boats, bobbing between pretty towns and villages from Wells-next-the-Sea to Cromer, hurling down sand dunes at the incomparable Holkham beach and crabbing in rockpools.
If, at the end of such blissful days, you find yourself mulling over what life might be like bathed in the special light under the big open skies full time, then read on to consider our top five pick of homes on the market right now – all for £750k and under.
Three-Bedroom Cottage, Stiffkey
Savills, £750,000
Between Wells-next-the-Sea and Blakeney sits the sweet village of Stiffkey, (‘Stewkey’ as it is called by locals) famed for its ‘Stewkey Blues’ – cockles to you and I – and its cosy village pub. The Grade II-listed Apple Cottage – a classic and very pretty house featuring the whitewashed flint that the area is synonymous with – sits in the middle of it all, offering a fantastically characterful home for anyone in search of the coastal dream. Three bedrooms, exposed beams, inglenook fireplaces, parking – and a Butler sink with a view across the quintessential cottage garden. So charming we’ve twisted our own arms. Get the details.
Seven Bedroom Town House, Sheringham
Sowerbys
If you want more bang for your buck, meander east to Sheringham which not only has the virtue of being on the train line, but is the perfect place for a classic Great British bucket and spade holiday. (It is also furnished with a large supermarket, making this less of a bijou spot, sure, but one that does not necessitate getting in the car for absolutely everything). Less fashionable with the Chelsea-on-Sea set, it is thus less gentrified, though changes are slowly creeping in – and, for many, its appeal is in not having 4X4s thundering down its high street. We think it’s a great choice: after all, £750k here buys you five bedrooms set over 2,600 sqft in a Victorian townhouse with views across to the steam railway. Everything – beach, shops, schools, the excellent Stubby’s Pizza joint – is within walking distance. And then there is a two-bed annexe that is currently used as a thriving holiday let. All in all, serious bargain. Get the details.
Two Bed Cottage, Cley-next-the-Sea
Bedfords, £525,000
Cley is one of the area’s most enchanting villages. Its medley of Georgian townhouses mingling with traditional flint cottages, its windmill and its warren of narrow passageways, all thronged by hollyhocks in the summer, contrive to make it a romantic’s dream. (Not for nothing is it a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Conservation.) There are two excellent pubs – one in the centre of the villages, the other on the green, just a short walk away – a magnificent medieval church and a small collection of lovely independent shops. This immaculate two-bed cottage with private parking sits on a shingled private lane set well back from the coast road, with views across the marshland and the mill. Perfect for a couple or as a coastal bolthole. Get the details.
Three-Bed Cottage, Blakeney
Sowerby’s, £625,000
The perfect example of the classic North Norfolk flint cottage, this Blakeney hideaway could scarcely be more charming if it tried. (It is, in fact, even called ‘Hideaway Cottage’ – there is no ambiguity then that this is a place of tranquillity and retreat.) Tucked down one of the many passageways (like in Cley, there is a profusion of hollyhocks everywhere in the summertime), it is adorable and cottagey in its proportions – yet there are three bedrooms and two bathrooms, making it viable for family life. Inside, meanwhile, all is light and airy – and we love the surprisingly large Shaker-style kitchen. As Sowerby’s, the agent for this property, says of the area, ‘When the tide reaches the shoreline, it’s the perfect opportunity to untie your laces and dip your toes in, take the plunge, or embark on a leisurely paddle along the coastal inlets on a paddleboard or boat, immersing yourself in nature’s finest backdrop. Forage some samphire for a taste of the coast, try your hand at catching a crab on the quay, or join the tourists and spot seals bobbing on the waters.’ Postcard perfect may be an overworn phrase but in this case, it is, inarguably, accurate. Get the details.
Three-bed Townhouse, Holt
Savills, £490,000
Go slightly inland and North Norfolk property hunters will do well to consider Holt, a Georgian town that is stuffed full of chichi independent shops and innate charm. This Grade II-listed corner house, right in the middle of town yet with its own garage and courtyard garden, is all elegant proportions, sash windows and original flint walls. The perfect spot from which to meander to coffee at Byford’s deli, to do a spot of high-end grocery shopping at Bakers and Larners, or to settle into tea at the Owl tearoom. The coast, meanwhile, is a mere three miles away. The best of both worlds. Get the details.
