The perfect short break with the dogs
A new decade awaited us, and with grown-up children, hanging about the house was unnecessary. So we decided to celebrate the start of 2020 in the countryside with the dogs. We didn’t want to travel too far, so the Norfolk coast was on the cards.
Where to stay? There are so many beautiful places in North Norfolk, so it was a hard choice. We stayed in Cley next to the Sea before, which is an excellent location if you want to do the Norfolk coast path. This time long walks on the beach with the dogs was number 1 on our list. Holkham is pretty crowded, and Burnham Deepdale only would offer a limited choice of walks. Titchwell Manor ticked all the boxes. Dog-friendly, good food and the beach in walking distance.
Although I had passed it many times, I never visited Titchwell Manor before. Many local Cambridge foodies rave about the food here, and Mark Poynton once did a pop-up here, so I was confident that it was going to be good. Lately, their Chef Eric Snaith has been a lot in the press in Cambridge as he opened his third fish restaurant Eric’s Fish and Chips in St. Yves, Cambridgeshire, in 2019 after the big successes of his first two restaurants in Norfolk. The restaurant at Titchwell Manor holds AA Rosettes, and Eric himself won the title of Eastern Daily Press Norfolk Food and Drink Chef of the Year 2012.
This beautiful former Victorian farmhouse with 26 bedrooms is a perfect place to stay if you want to take your dogs, stay away from the crowds, enjoy good food and want to enjoy the beach. You can leave your car behind as there are two great walks from the hotel straight down to the beach through the stunning salt marshes. You can read about my favourite walks in North Norfolk on my blog.
We stayed in one of the rooms at the herb garden, which was newly planted up again to supply the chefs with fresh herbs. Our contemporary room was well equipped and spacious and all set up for our two dogs with towels, bowls, treats and dog beds. There is a meadow at the back of the property, where you can take your dogs in case of an emergency.
The main house of Titchwell Manor has two bars with open fires, a bar area for dining and a conservatory for fine dining. Although the rooms are connected by an open doorway, they are separate, so you never have the feeling that you are in a crowded restaurant, which I think is a big bonus.
On the evening of our arrival, we had a light supper, more of a Tapas-style dinner ( image above), as we opted for snacks and starters to share. On New Year’s eve, we kicked off with a glass of Champagne and snacks followed by a 5-course tasting menu and a party.
The choices at breakfast were excellent. I particularly loved the chalk stream graved lax. I have to admit, I had it for dinner and breakfast! I couldn’t resist it.
Our stay at Titchwell Manor was a perfect short break to celebrate New Year’s Eve. The glorious weather certainly helped, but there is nothing better than the combination of good food, great walks and excellent service!
Check out my travel advice for Norfolk here and more information about Titchwell Manor on their website.
Gerla
Note: views are my own, and this post is not sponsored