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By virtue of its national nature and bird reserves and miles of unspoilt natural habitats, many people flock to North Norfolk to bird watch, walk or to simply enjoy the expanse of fresh, open space. But were you aware that North Norfolk is also the perfect location for stargazing (and we don’t mean of the Britney Spears variety, although you may from time to time see familiar faces from the screen enjoying the relative anonymity of some of the regions’ pubs and eateries)? The clear, exceptionally dark skies (blessed with a lack of light pollution) mean that cloudless nights allow us to observe and marvel at the wonders of the sky without the necessity for telescopes.
This fact is known very well in the North Norfolk village of Wiveton, where the Walter Goodacre Memorial (WGM) Observatory is based and shooting stars are a regular highlight. Once a medieval port, and a stone’s throw from Cley and Blakeney, Wiveton is a real North Norfolk gem. Charming and peaceful, with a lush village green and magnificent Parish Church (St Mary’s) that dates back to the early 1400’s and earlier, Wiveton is a perfect and essential stop if exploring the region and a fabulous destination to escape to for some R&R.
No village would be complete, of course, without the Village Pub, and Wiveton is no exception. The 18th Century Wiveton Bell Free House (formerly The Bluebell Inn) overlooks the village green. No ordinary hostelry, like the impressive night skies in Wiveton, The Wiveton Bell is very special indeed.
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The Bell reopened almost a year ago and was carefully refurbished under the expert skill of owners Bernard Morritty and Sandy Butcher, who have two successful restaurants in Nottingham. They took the Inn on so they had a legitimate reason to return regularly to North Norfolk, which they loved and had visited on holiday for many years previous. The revamped Bell retains its rustic country feeling while managing to offer food, drinking and accommodation on a par with only the most classy and luxurious establishments.
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Spacious and welcoming inside, the bar area and conservatory extension to the rear make a perfect setting for year-round drinking, dining and relaxing. The modern global and European food, freshly prepared from the best local ingredients, has received numerous accolades (including a one star AA rosette and the title of ‘Best Food Pub 2007’ in the EDP Norfolk Food Awards). On tap are three locally produced ales, which are complimented by a healthy choice of draught lagers and fine wines. During colder months The Bell features a real fire glowing in the Inglenook, while during summer you can sit outside in the rear beer garden (complete with lounge-style seats, chimineas, candles and access to the bar from the garden) or on benches or cushions at the front where you can relax with a jug of Pimms while the Kids expend their energy on the green. Life doesn’t get much better.
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If you’re looking to stay in North Norfolk, the rooms at The Bell are, quite simply, in a class of their own. Ensuite (one has its own bathroom), styled to the standard of a top boutique hotel and filled with the best of life’s little luxuries (flat screen TVs, DVD players, iPOD docks, broadband, aromatherapy toiletries, Egyptian cotton sheets, goose down pillows and duvets, bath robes), they are perfect for romantic escapes and lazy days and nights away from the City.
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South facing Room One has lovely views out towards the green (it may be the closest you get unless you’re able to drag yourself from the ultra-comfy Louis XV-style antique bed), a breakfast bar with kitchenette and is wonderfully sun-drenched on bright days. Room Two (Bell Cottage) has its own lounge area and an upstairs galleried loft-style bedroom and bathroom. For added intimacy, Room Two also has a private patio - just the thing for romantic evenings under those stars we mentioned earlier. On top of all this (and the very real ‘wow’ factor that the Wiveton Bell has to offer) both rooms have real coffee makers, well-stocked fridges and breakfast hampers delivered daily.
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In keeping with the overwhelming attention to detail, you can choose to take dinner from the adjacent Bell pub in your room (although the full delight of the pub’s drinking and dining experience are a mere stagger away). Ask for maps detailing local walks if you want to stretch your legs (Wiveton Fruit Farm and the coastal village of Blakeney are within walking distance).
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For eating out in North Norfolk or year-round drinking and relaxing in a fabulous traditional North Norfolk Inn that has been given just enough of a touch of modern glamour, The Wiveton Bell cannot be faulted. For an atmospheric and romantic getaway, the rooms at The Bell are hard to be rivalled. Overall, an experience that should leave you at least a little bit starry eyed about Wiveton and its outstanding village pub…
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There is a two night minimum stay policy at The Wiveton Bell.
Oct-Apr £88/95 per night. Stay 2 nights Sun-Thur and get 3rd night free of charge.
May-Sept £110/£140 per night.
The Wiveton Bell.
Blakeney Road, Wiveton, Norfolk, NR25 7TL.
Tel: 01263 740101 (07974 735474 outside opening hours).
www.wivetonbell.com
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