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Tower Cottage - Winterton-on-Sea

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Comfy, cosy seaside B&B

There is a chance that you are yet to be sold on the wonderful world of British B&Bs. We admit, in the past, scary landladies, 100-year-old bed linen and 8pm curfews may have pushed many off the chic Weekender’s radar, but this little gem in the impossibly pretty village of Winterton-on-Sea might be the nudge you need to get you back on side.

First of all, Winterton is the seaside village we all dream about - small, friendly, unspoilt and with a gorgeous sandy beach and miles of sand dunes literally on its doorstep. There is a 300-year-pub, a post office, a church and a fish and chip shop and that really is about it – perfect for that retreat away from it all.

Tower Cottage is a gorgeous 18th-century flint cottage, with two cosy en-suite bedrooms in a converted barn. The beds are comfy, the beamed ceilings are charming, and each room has its own entrance, so there’s no feeling of treading on anyone’s toes. Don’t expect Jacuzzi baths or the ubiquitous Molton Brown toiletries, but the simplicity of Tower Cottage is its greatest strength – anything else and the charm of staying in Winterton-on-Sea would be diluted.

A plentiful breakfast is served in the conservatory in the summer, in the midst of three impressive grapevines and with views over the pretty cottage gardens. In the winter, there is a snug indoor alternative.

Where is it?

Winterton-on-Sea is an ancient fishing village about 8 miles north of the seaside resort behemoth that is Great Yarmouth, and you couldn’t get two more unlikely neighbours. Winterton’s gem is its unspoilt beach and dunes – an official area of outstanding beauty and home to a happy tern colony, rare natterjack toads and a colony of seals that live just north of the village. Nightlife begins and ends at The Fisherman’s Return (www.fishermans-return.com Tel: 01493 393305), a cosy and historic brink and flint pub that serves real ales from local breweries, together with excellent pub grub and daily local seafood specials.

If the thought of venturing anywhere near the bright lights and Cannon n’ Balls of Great Yarmouth fills you with dread, you need not worry. Not only are the residents of Winterton-on-Sea as keen to distance themselves as much as possible from the bucket-and-spade brigade, but the tranquil Norfolk Broads can be reached within minutes for yet more opportunities to chill out. The Broads are a great place to explore. The 125 miles of navigable waterways that it offers might be a bit much to cover in a weekend, but there’s plenty of opportunity to potter about on the water and visit some of the pretty villages and historic market towns Broad-side. Barnes Brinkcraft in Wroxham (www.barnesbrinkcraft.co.uk Tel: 01603 782625), less than half an hour’s drive from Winterton-on-Sea are just one of many boat hire outfits in the area. They have everything from comfy motor boats, with a galley and saloon, to smaller open motor launches, to canoes and all are available on a day-hire basis. For landlubbers, cycling around the miles of Broad-side paths and trails can be just as exhilarating. Broadland Cycle Hire (www.norfolkbroadscycling.co.uk Tel: 07887 480 331) in Hoveton, near Wroxham, offers a good range of bikes and maps.

The lovely North Norfolk coastline is also within easy reach. For the best things to see and places to eat in the area, check out The Weekender's Guide to North Norfolk.

Where can I eat?

If the pub grub at The Fisherman’s Rest doesn’t float your boat (see what we did there…), there are plenty of alternatives, although you’ll need to get in a car to find them.

A trip into Norwich will satisfy every palate, with a huge range of restaurants. One of the best is Fizzbuzz (www.fizzbuzz.co.uk Tel: 01603 767321) on St Andrew’s Hill in the heart of the city. Try and ignore the ‘quirky’ name as this stylish brasserie is a great place for lunch or dinner, and their wine list is extraordinary. Local dishes, such as Norfolk woodpigeon and fish pie are top notch, and the puddings are to die for.

For a good meal in more peaceful surroundings, drive the half an hour over the Norfolk/Suffolk border to Somerleyton – home to the breathtaking Jacobean Manor, Somerleyton Hall (www.somerleyton.co.uk Tel: 01502 734901). Within its superb estate sits The Duke’s Head gastro-pub (Tel: 01502 730281), which offers a sumptuous set dinner menu, full of British classics made, where possible from produce garnered from the estate.

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This cosy little B&B is a gem of a home-from-home, with miles and miles of sandy beaches right on its doorstep.