Thornham Deli B&B

Dogfriendly Magazine Review

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Thornham Deli – North Norfolk  

Helen and Ben Price take an autumn trip to Norfolk for a stay at the fabulous Thornham Deli.

Heading across the county border with the wind blowing and the heavy rain hitting the windscreen of the car at speed, this not so wonderful weather had arrived just in time for our short break in North Norfolk at the start of the Autumn season. My husband Ben and I looked at each other with concern that this weekend may not be as beautifully sunny as the previous one, where we  had said to one another in the traditional British holiday makers manner  ‘ This time next week we will be on a beach in Norfolk with the dogs enjoying some sun ’  Looking at the sky and the weekends forecast of sunshine and showers we were now thinking that may not be the case. The view of miles upon miles of fabulous fields either side of the roads on the drive in through the county is always my favourite ‘We are nearly there’ sign as we travel to our destination of Thornham. As we pull into the gravel car park of Thornham Deli the rain stops and the sun starts to appear from behind the clouds. Feeling a little more hopeful we enter the Deli to meet with our B&B hosts. Thornham Deli & its sister business No. 33 Hunstanton which is based a few miles further down the road have selected rooms in the B&Bs available for guests with dogs which you can request when booking and also welcome dogs in their stunning Thornham Cottages situated across the road from the Deli. Our room was set in the loft area of the B&B with its own private staircase to access the recreational areas for your dogs. Tilly our Jack Russell cross Border Collie bounded up the stairs closely followed by Harry our French Bulldog who pottered alongside Tom one of the many friendly faces of the Thornham Deli team who was giving us a guided tour, the dogs were very excited on entering their home for the weekend and were sniffing around and checking their new surroundings out as Tom ran through everything including pointing toward something for us to get excited about as well, tea and homemade scones from the Deli laid out on the coffee table ready for our arrival.  The room had a little dog blanket to be used on the sofa if you wanted the dogs to join you on there and poop bags were also provided for your stay.

After enjoying our delicious welcome treats we headed back out to the car with the dogs ready to go to one of the beautiful near by beaches at Old Hunstanton which is a ten minute drive from Thornham. First introduced to me by a friend this beach has become one of my favourite in Norfolk with a large pay and display car park we parked and walked down the path to the beach for the dogs to have a paddle. Neither had been to the seaside and both being in their twilight years this holiday was all about them experiencing something new. They darted in and out of the sea, with Harry bowling in as Frenchies do, all guns blazing like a little French bulldog in a china shop having a great time. Dogs are welcome on this beach all year round and as you walk further along you will find The Ancient Mariners Inn which you can access via a walk across the sand dunes, they have a large seating area outside the back of the Inn over looking the sea but on this occasion as the winds were still going strong we decided to go inside where dogs are welcome on the tiled areas of the restaurant. We enjoyed a late lunch which went down a treat after a windy walk, the menu is a good combination of traditional British dishes and modern pub favourites so there is genuinely something for everyone on the menu. We left the Inn via the village entrance to the road and on the opposite side of the street you can find Le Strange Old Barns, a wonderful antiques and craft centre featuring arts and crafts from local sellers, the Barns are dog friendly so your four legged friends can come in while you shop, it truly was a fantastic little Aladdin’s cave, where I picked up a few gifts from a local ceramics company and a treat for myself from the  Norfolk Candle Kitchen. We then headed back down the sand dunes and along the beach to the car where once again we got lucky just as we got into the car the heavens opened. Our room at Thronham Deli was the perfect cosy bolthole for a wet windy evening with a skylight above the living area we cozied up with Harry & Tilly to watch a movie, all rooms have Netflix installed which means there was plenty to choose from, so with the rain tapping down it added to the lovely feel for the evening. As we had a late lunch we opted to pop to the famous Erics Fish n Chip shop between films for our dinner which is a short drive from the Deli, we would both highly recommend if you wanted a take out while on your visit.

The next morning we woke up to beautiful sunshine and headed down to the Deli for breakfast. When you stay at Thornham Deli you get the breakfast included and have a table ready for you when you arrive. People travel from miles around for a Thornham Deli Breakfast and both Ben & I could see why, it was incredible! We had a couple of meals in the restaurant during our stay including a light lunch and a Sunday Roast and they were all fantastic, it really was such a high standard of food. Dogs are welcome in the Green House section of the restaurant to join you got breakfast but on this occasion we left them to relax in the room so they could conserve their energy for the day ahead.  

Fed and watered for the day ahead we drove to Holkham Nature Reserve for our walk. There is a long car park on the road known as Lady Annes Drive which was busy as expected on a sunny Saturday morning. We followed the trail up behind others heading in the direction of the beach. You walk through pretty pine trees along a wooden boardwalk until you reach the steps down to the sandy beach, the beach here is huge and heavenly as with all the Norfolk beaches. We followed streams of water leading to the sea with Harry paddling through all the way down to the sea. Tilly however took a little more enticing, she was nicknamed princess for the duration of our trip as she was picking her feet up in a prancing fashion when first stepping into the sea. However, with Tilly there is something that wins above all. Balls, we had bought a water ball in preparation for the seaside paddles and she loved it, forgetting her initial dubiousness to have a stroll through the water she was now diving in and splashing around like the crazy little terrier she is to retrieve her new favourite toy. Harry being an aging Frenchie was happy following in Bens footsteps along the walk, he loves Ben so much and follows him like a shadow. This holiday was all about Harry as he was struggling with dementia and we wanted to take him away for a last holiday while he was still ‘himself’ and he really was on form and enjoying his new surroundings it made us so happy to see him loving the sand between his paws even if he was taking the trip at a slower pace than his bouncy friend Tilly. An added bonus of Holkham beach for two equestrians such as Ben & I is the fact that this is not only a dog friendly beach but horses are welcomed here too, this meant that as we walked along the beach we got to see everything from a Shetland to the larger Irish Draught horse having a lovely canter across the sand, it was such an impressive sight, one that made me rather envious and vowing that I shall bring my own horse back to experience the beach on horseback in the near future. Harrys old legs started to slow so we took a gentle walk back to ‘The Lookout’ centre at the top of Lady Annes Drive. The Lookout has wonderful information boards with facts on the wildlife you can see living in the salt marshes of Holkham and a large map showing the area for visitors to navigate their way around the reserve. There is a café for refreshments and toilets including a baby changing area within The Lookout which is open 10am – 4pm however please do check their website for changes over the seasons.

After the walk we ventured to nearby Burnham Deepdale to Dalegate Market which boasts pop up shops a week at a time during the summer and other selected times of the year, as well as a parade of shops. The Nisa store here is one of the best local ones we have ever visited as it really has embraced using produce from the area for treats to purchase while you are staying with fresh fruit, bakery and deli items from local suppliers they really have achieved the village shop feel here and it is well worth a visit if you are looking to get some yummy food to add to beach picnics along with any holiday essentials needed.  Dalegate Market welcomes dogs to the open outdoor market and selected residential shops however they are unable to go into the Nisa.

For our final day we had planned one final walk directly from Thornham Deli however Harrys tired legs didn’t seem as willing as his heart however we would like to share the lovely plan given to us for this walk from the staff for you to enjoy on your visit. From the Deli you cross the road and head left in the direction of Hunstanton after approximately 100 yards turn right and follow the road to the beach car park. You will see a lovely old fishing hut on the right hand side . Adjacent to the small car park you will see signs for the coastal path. Follow the boardwalk all the way to the end. At the point where the boardwalk meets the pine plantation, you can choose to either continue following the boardwalk through the pines trees and into the nature reserve or turn onto the beach and walk along the sandy shoreline. This is not a circular, so when you have walked far enough, turn back - you again have the option of boardwalk or beach. As you return along the boardwalk, you will see a footpath sign for Drove Orchard and Seahenge. Follow this path and you will end up at Drove Orchard – a collection of boutique shops, Gurney’s fish shop, Drove Orchard farm shop and Eric’s Fish & Chips. To return to Thornham Deli, cross the road and follow the grassy track back to the Deli.  

We took Tilly & Harry for one last little leg stretch from the Old Hunstanton light house before we left for home, it was a blustery morning which meant the windsurfers were out making the most of the perfect weather for their sport and Harry was mesmerised by them skipping over the waves hanging on tight to the huge wind surfing kites above them so we sat on the dunes with him & Tilly watching them peacefully for a while before journeying home. This truly was a fantastic holiday making memories with our little old hounds and the photos from our autumn break in Norfolk are now scattered around our home as it sadly was indeed Harrys final holiday as we said our final good byes to him 4 months after our trip. Norfolk will now and forever have the biggest place in our hearts full of fond memories of Harry and Tilly together with have many more return trips planned.  

Fact File:

Thornham Deli Suites

Type of accommodation: Luxury B&B from £280 for two nights or for the suite we stayed in the cost was £380 for two nights  

Contact – 01485 524352

[email protected]

website: www.33hunstanton.co.uk

HELEN'S REVIEW FEATURES IN THE DOGFRIENDLY MAGAZINE ISSUE 61.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAGAZINE VISIT WWW.DOGFRIENDLY.CO.UK/MAGAZINE