Treetops Cottage

Dogfriendly Magazine Review

Read our comprehensive review of this listing printed in our bi-monthly magazine.

Treetops Cottage, Pack Holidays
Reviewer: Jenni Eley

We’d started 2022 on a mission to explore more, which is how we found ourselves setting off for Norfolk for a weekend break back in January. Our destination was Treetops Cottage in the peaceful village of Honing. Normally we would have been hunkering down at home in our pyjamas with the January blues, but we were spurred on by the promise of fabulous Norfolk beaches and local walks. Plus, having stayed in a Pack Holidays cottage before, we knew we’d be in for a treat. Woody was similarly confident there would be treats of a different kind waiting for him – he was right!

It’s always a pleasure to book with Pack Holidays, from the comprehensive pre-arrival information from Gail the owner, to a general sense that it is important to them that you have a brilliant, stress-free stay. They have 24 cottages across Norfolk, catering for multi-dog stays and there are no dog charges.

We arrived late Friday afternoon. There is something magical about arriving at a holiday cottage in the dark, with the prospect of waking up to see your new surroundings afresh the next day. The cottage looked welcoming, with the owners’ leaving lamps on and turning the heating on in advance for our arrival. It felt like we’d stepped into a cosy winter cocoon.

For different reasons our first port of call in a holiday house is always the kitchen. For Woody it is because he instinctively knows where treats live; for me, it is to investigate the welcome goodies, and for Arran, to check out the cooking facilities. None of us were disappointed. Woody made a beeline to the ‘woofers treats’ jar, filled with fishy bites, while I investigated the welcome pack with locally sourced cookies, handy essentials and yet more dog treats. The kitchen appliances and equipment got a thumbs up from Arran.

Stephen and Claire bought and renovated Treetops in 2019 and it is obvious that they have spent a lot of care, time, and energy on it. The overall effect is a home that feels effortlessly contemporary but classic. Or as Arran said, “a bit like our house, but just much nicer”. 

We made a mental note of some of the bold paint choices and decoration ideas as design inspiration but agreed that sadly, our house will never be as immaculately presented as Treetops. The fluffy bath towels and quality bed linen were an added luxury that further reminded us that we were most definitely not at home.

The cottage has three double bedrooms, a family bathroom, downstairs cloakroom, and spacious living space. In summer the garden would be a relaxing place to while away an evening with drinks and dinner outside, but even in winter we appreciated the private space and lack of light pollution, perfect for star gazing. Treetops has plenty of space for a group of six, so we were spoilt with just the two of us and Woody.

Talking of Woody, it is safe to say that he gave Treetops the paws up. The back garden is fully enclosed and perfect for exploring, the living room sofas had covers and throws, ready and waiting for snooze time and there was even a plentiful basket of dog toys and balls to borrow. Dog crate, towels, bowls, poo bags, spare lead and dog tags are all provided, so all in all, everything you need for a hassle-free stay.

After a comfortable night’s sleep, we woke to a crisp Saturday morning with blue skies and set off for an early morning walk from the cottage. The information pack includes lots of local walks and we decided to try a three-mile Honing circular trail to explore the village. The walk takes you onto the nearby Weavers Way, part of a long-distance footpath between Cromer and Great Yarmouth along parts of the former railway route. It is accessible two minutes’ walk from the cottage and offers the opportunity for varied walking routes by woodland, farmland, the riverside, and the famous Norfolk Broads.

Our trail passed the old Honing Station, farmland, and Honing Church. I’m not sure if it was because it was January, or perhaps too early on a Saturday morning, but we didn’t see another soul for the whole walk. On our return, Woody appreciated the warm water tap in the garden to hose down his muddy paws.

If he could speak, I’m sure he would have pointed out that this was yet another example of a step up from his usual experience.

We ventured out to the Smallsticks Cafe by Cart Gap beach, six miles away, and another great recommendation from the information pack. The cafe has two enclosed gardens where dogs are welcome and some little beach huts, ideal for January, but already occupied on our visit. Refuelled with coffee and cake, we parked up in the beach pay and display car park and took a walk along the wonderfully quiet beach to Happisburgh, taking in views of the candy-striped lighthouse and cliffs.

Check tide timings before you go, as a walk along the beach and then back along the cliffs is a great chance to combine sand under feet, sea air and spectacular views.Dogs are allowed on Cart Gap and Happisburgh beach all year round. Woody enjoyed the freedom to run wild, across the expanse of the beach and in and out of the sea. Back in the car he settled in for a rest, with a contented look on his face, while we drove to the town of Cromer.

Cromer is a traditional seaside resort town, famous for its tasty crabs, the pier and now the DogFriendly award-winning Doggie Diner! Offering a Human and Hound menu, including Doggie Afternoon Tea, we knew we had to check it out. 

The staff were super welcoming and adept at serving human food while simultaneously swerving sniffing noses and dodging outreached paws. We enjoyed drinks and paninis while chatting with the other customers. This is a social place, and a visit here comes with the distinct possibility of relative calm descending swiftly into doggie chaos at any moment.

Woody struggled to contain his excitement at this strange place where dogs are served food like humans. Every time another dog got their hound menu order, he lunged on the lead and unceremoniously slobbered on everything and everyone. When his doggie sausage arrived, however, there was no way any of his new-found buddies were getting their paws on it. We left thinking that the Doggie Diner thoroughly deserves its award, but that we perhaps need to teach Woody some lessons about good manners before we go back again.

En route back to Treetops we stopped off at the Stalham Farm Shop, five minutes’ drive away from the cottage, to pick up some dinner to cook that evening. There’s a vast selection of home grown and local produce here as well as Saturday night essentials like a bottle of wine and more dog treats for one spoilt Woody. We settled in to watch a film on the cinema-size TV in the living room, while Woody enjoyed stretching out on a sofa by himself – another upgrade from normal life.

Exhausted after a day of new experiences, I’m sure he dreamt of sweeping beaches, big blue skies, and the exhilarating day when he was served a whole sausage by a stranger in a café.

Sunday morning and another chance to take in a walk right from the doorstep along the Weavers Way. Due to our inability to follow simple instructions we started out in the wrong direction. By the time we realised we just decided to continue and make up our own route. In truth, that is really the beauty of a stay here at Treetops. There are walking routes in every direction, all seemingly quiet and unspoilt, and the chance to explore and take on a new walking adventure each day. Woody didn’t seem to mind that our four-mile walk turned into an 8-mile hike. He was far too busy investigating streams, canals, marshland, and sniffing out pheasants and hares. Arran did point out to me to that my version of exploring was what most people would call getting lost, but I pretended not to hear.

Back at Treetops we packed up and prepared to return home, reluctantly leaving behind the peaceful location and spotless interior and wondering if we could convince Stephen and Claire to maybe renovate our house for us too.

Eating and walking had been the theme of the weekend, so we decided to finish up with lunch, before driving home. We stopped off at The Ship Inn, Mundesley, overlooking Mundersley beach and welcoming four-legged friends throughout. They’ve recently opened a smart adjoining fish and chip takeaway, The Catch, and after our extended exploration this morning we felt that we had earnt them.

The Ship Inn is perhaps the oldest pub on the Norfolk coast, dating back some 300 years and is home to stunning sea views. Unfortunately for us January drizzle and greyness had descended. We imagined the views we could have seen while sat in the car eating ‘the best chips in North Norfolk’ with Woody slobbering on our shoulders from the back seat and steaming up the windows. What’s not to love about getting out to explore more on a winter break in Britain?

Treetops Cottage, Pack Holidays reviewed by Jenni Eley and appears in DogFriendly magazine issue 71. For more information on the DogFriendly magazine visit https://www.dogfriendly.co.uk/magazine