Norfolk property – Where to buy
The county of Norfolk is spread over some 1.33 million acres. It is made up of both coastal towns and villages and rural towns and villages along with several urban centres offering a more cosmopolitan lifestyle.
The purpose of this blog is to pick out the key areas in Norfolk where people want to live and for each to highlight a handful of towns and villages that are popular places to look for Norfolk property and why.
Key areas to look for Norfolk Property
- North Norfolk
- Norfolk Broads
- Norwich
- South Norfolk and Breckland
1. North Norfolk
This area of the UK is beautiful and a place that many people not only want to live but also a place that many like to spend their holidays.
The draw to this part of East Anglia and Norfolk are the beaches, the skies, the woodlands and the wonderful villages adorned with independent stores and some of the best eateries in the region.
Holkham
Holkham is well-liked for its beach and estate. The beach is regarded as one of the greatest in the UK and indeed has won awards from Travel Writers as such. The arrival to the beach is through the pine forests which are found at the end of the driveway that is home to the car park. The beach cannot be missed as it is a huge expanse of sand and sky for as far as the eye can see and at low tides where the sky meets the sea.
The Holkham Estate is home to the Earl of Leicester and the parkland is open to the public at a certain time. As part of the wider estate, there is a boutique hotel called The Victoria which is home to a brilliant bar and wonderful restaurant.
Burnham Market
Burnham Market is a large village found a few miles inland from the coast but is very popular with holidaymakers and also those wanting to get away from it all for the weekend. The village is home to a number of smaller boutique shops as well as fine places to eat namely The Hoste, Socius and Number 29.
Blakeney and Wiveton
Blakeney and Wiveton are 2 gems and sometimes grouped together due to their proximity and the wonderful walking route connecting them.
Blakeney is home to a small harbour which at high tide takes people to see the seals. Blakeney Point is a lovely long walk to the beach from the town and at certain times of the year, the seals are residents on the beach. The Blakeney Hotel is a boutique hotel and has its own indoor swimming pool. Other places to eat for those that live there and those that visit are The White Horse which is owned by the brewer Adnams and also the locally run The Kings Head.
Wiveton is a lovely 30-minute coastal walk from Blakeney and the main destination there for me is The Wiveton Hall café and serves anything from teas and coffees to breakfast and lunch. During the summer months, they also open for early suppers.
2. The Norfolk Broads
The Broadland area of Norfolk is stunning. A number of inland waterways, a rural setting and nature in abundance and perfect peace and quiet. The Norfolk Broads is a national park and an area of outstanding natural beauty and sits mostly in the county of Norfolk but does stretch into Suffolk.
There are a total of 63 broads and 7 rivers and interspersed within these are many towns and villages that offer a wonderful place to live or indeed a holiday.
The key villages and towns are Hickling, Horsey, Wroxham and Potter Heigham and the main focus for those that live here or holiday here is the water and the way of life mucking around on the water ‘Swallows and Amazons’ style.
3. Norwich
Norwich is a city in Norfolk and is home to 2 cathedrals, a premier league football team and at one stage it was known that the city had a pub for every day of the year. Norwich is 100 miles from London which can be reached in under 90 minutes on the fastest train service.
Norwich is home to a number of global corporate business’ as well as the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital which also serves as a teaching hospital. Sitting adjacent to this is the Norwich Research Park which is home to a number of R&D companies forming part of the Cambridge to Norwich tech corridor. The city offers such a diverse way of life and one that can suit so many different needs and ways of life whether that be in an apartment overlooking the river or a large family house that sits within Norwich’s Golden Triangle.
4. South Norfolk and Breckland
This area is found to the south of Norwich and stretches down the A11 to Thetford. Thetford is home to Thetford Forest which a pine forest and the largest as such in Great Britain and is a real gem found in both counties of Norfolk and Suffolk and offers walks and also adventures in the trees or on a bike at ‘High Lodge’.
The key unique selling points for this part of Norfolk are the wide-open expanses of arable land which provide for impressive views and seemingly neverending skies.
Some hotspots found in south Norfolk and also Breckland include Old Buckenham which has a large village green, pubs and schools. Mulbarton and Wymondham are both popular places to live close to Norwich, and Croxton is adjacent to the forest.
Norfolk property finder
Norfolk houses are a real mixture from Victorian terraces to large farmhouses to houses that back on to the water with their own moorings and access to the water as well as the properties that overlook the North Norfolk coastlines.
Whether you are unsure of where to buy a home in Norfolk or which area would work best for you, or perhaps you know where you want to live but you can’t find the right property; our team would be delighted to assist with your search for a property in Norfolk, to discuss your plans with us in greater detail please do contact us.
