As we come flying into the summer holidays, it's time for us to look back on our visit to Norfolk, which is the June feature for our 'Dog Friendly UK' Calendar...
We arrived in the heart of the Norfolk countryside on a sunny Autumn evening. Our home for the next few days was a traditional country pub called The Wheatsheaf West Beckham. This family-run inn has its own restaurant, village shop and tearoom as well as accommodation.
First things first, dinner time! There was a table reserved for us in the restaurant where we were welcomed with open arms by the husband and wife team who are huge dog lovers and owners too.
All of the food is freshly prepared using locally sourced ingredients. There's a huge variety of dishes on offer from classic fish and chips to chef specials as well as mouthwatering desserts. There's plenty of vegetarian options too!
While you're enjoying the home cooked food and traditional real ales on tap, there's homemade biscuits for the pups too. It's safe to say they got the paw of approval from Wilbur and Paisley who enjoyed being hand fed them by the owner...
After enjoying a sumptuous meal, we retreated to our hotel room for the night. There are varying rooms available, but do note that not all of them are dog friendly so make sure to enquire before booking. Since our stay with them, they have also opened a holiday cottage.
All of the rooms are different with their own unique theme. We were staying in Marine, a spacious suite complete with living area.
Our room was modern and had everything we needed from a king size bed and wall-mounted flat screen TV to a private living room with extra single beds, arm chairs and even another TV. The bathroom was also newly refurbished with a rain shower.
The whole room has hard wood flooring which makes it perfect for dogs (especially when they've got sandy paws from a day trip to the beach). It's also very spacious so there's plenty of room for them to chill out and explore! Paisley especially liked sitting on the windowsill and watching the world go by...
In the morning a table was laid up for us in the village shop for breakfast. It's stocked to the brim with local delicacies including meats and deli items as well as homemade jams and freshly baked goods. There's lots of amazing produce to choose from, many of which were on offer for breakfast along with cereals, mueslis and yoghurts. There was, of course, cooked breakfast too which we didn't hesitate to opt for!
We weren't the only ones who were greeted with a Full English breakfast. Yes, this dog-mad couple love them so much that they make them their very own breakfast bowl packed with sausage, bacon and black pudding - all the best bits.
We think it's safe to say that Paisley was very grateful...
Once she'd finished her breakfast bowl, she sat and enjoyed some ear rubs from Daniella, the hostess, while we carried on eating ours. Daniella took a shine to Paisley and I think it's safe to say that it was reciprocated!
After (all four of us!) had finished our breakfasts, we packed our bags and headed out for the day to the heart of the famous Norfolk Broads...
We were going to be setting paw on board the Broads Tours passenger fleet! Dogs are welcome for just £1 per pup, however, if you buy a copy of our Dog Friendly Calendar then you'll get your paws on an exclusive voucher so your dog goes free.
The river cruise takes you all the way along the Broads with full commentary from the skipper. You will learn about the origins of the Broads and places of interest as well as the wildlife...
There are different routes you can choose from which vary in length starting from an hour. The boat has two decks, toilet facilities and access for the disabled. It also offers light refreshments and has a fully licensed bar so you're able to enjoy a glass of wine as you take in all the beautiful scenery around you.
We were a bit unsure how the dogs would be on the boat as they've never been on one before but they fared surprisingly well. Wilbur lay on the floor and went to sleep just like he does in the car.
Paisley was a bit confused as to why she couldn't jump in all of the glorious cooling water but she enjoyed watching it go by from the window nevertheless...
After our relaxing river cruise, we made the short drive over to Ludham, where we were dining at the Dog.
This lovely pub serves up all the traditional classics from sausages and mash to ham, eggs and chips. There's vegetarian choices too, as well as lights bites for lunch. Since our visit they've also launched a new dining experience, serving mouth-watering meals on sizzling hot rocks. We opted for a seaside classic of scampi and chips and one of their daily specials...
This family pub has won many awards for being dog-friendly - well, it has to be with a name like that! The owners are huge dog lovers, having owned Jack Russells too, so of course Wilbur and Paisley loved them.
After finishing our meals and the dogs having enjoyed some suitable fuss, we retreated back to The Wheatsheaf for bedtime. We said our goodbyes in the morning as we set off for home. Not before heading to the beach first, of course...
Cromer is a beautiful coastal town and just a 15 minute drive away from the pub. It has gorgeous sandy beaches and a pier which boasts plenty of places to eat, amusement games and even a theatre so it's easy to see why it's a firm favourite with families.
Alongside the pier, there's a wide stretch of sandy beach which is perfect for a doggy paddle! There are restrictions on the beaches during the summer so make sure to check the guidelines here before visiting. As it was out of peak season, we let Wilbur and Paisley loose in the waves...
They had a whale of a time running around on the beach, splashing in the sea and chasing the waves. Paisley even decided to chase a stone too...
After tiring them out, we decided to walk around and explore. Cromer is a beautiful little seaside town with loads of great dog-friendly places to visit including pet shops and restaurants too.
We walked along the pier, excited to learn that it was the filming location for the Alan Partridge movie and popped into the Pavilion Bar for a coffee before setting off for home.
Thank you for reading our blog all about our Dog Friendly trip to Norfolk. With thanks to The Wheatsheaf West Beckham, Broads Tours and The Dog for our visit. We loved it!
If you visit any of our recommendations then please do share your photos with us on Facebook, we love seeing them. Our 'Dog Friendly UK' Calendar 2019 is still available to purchase here if you haven't got your paws on a copy yet.
We'll be back soon with a blog all about our Dog Friendly trip to Cornwall!
Until then...
Love, nose licks & waggy tails,
From the WildPaws team (including one exhausted Paisley) x
