Explore Norfolk — Meadow Farm is set within the quiet village of Hickling just a few minutes from the Norfolk coast and famous Hickling Broads.
We showcase our selection of local businesses and attractions based on our time living in Norfolk. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do and please let us know if you have any other hidden gems.
Friends of Meadow Farm
Small Sticks, Cart Gap
(£) Cafe 15 mins drive.
Great breakfast and coffee, dogs welcome outside.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100028372075218
The Beachrock bistro, Sea Palling
(£) Cafe 12 mins drive, right on the beach.
Great coffee, ice creams, breakfast, lunch, wines and beers. They also do pop up events, check out their website for details
https://beachrockbistro.co.uk
The Mermaids Catch, Sea Palling
(£) Fish and Chips 12 mins drive, next door to Beachrock bistro.
This is brand new for 2024! delicious fish and chips. Also seasonal crab and lobster. They also do pop up events.
https://themermaidscatch.uk/
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24250319.sea-palling-fish-chip-shop-reopens-mermaids-catch/
Dunes, Waxham
(£) Cafe 12 mins drive.
Dogs welcome.
https://dunescafe.weebly.com
Poppylands, Horsey
(£) Cafe 12 mins drive.
Vintage cafe, dogs welcome upstairs.
https://www.wintertononsea.co.uk
The Grey Hound, Hickling
(££) Pub and Our local, 2 min drive or 20 min walk.
Debbie and Tony are the landlords and offer a mixture of traditional pub food, local ales and events (quiz nite, karaoke nite) check out their facebook page for latest info! Dog friendly in the bar, no dogs in the restaurant, same menu in both. Booking essential.
https://www.facebook.com/greyhoundhickling
The Recruiting Sergeant, Horstead
(££) Gastro Pub 20 mins drive.
Serving modern British pub classics, booking essential, nice pub garden in summer .
https://www.recruitingsergeant.co.uk
The Ingham Swan, Ingham
(££££) Restaurant. 8 mins drive.
Please note that is is The Ingham Swan not the Swan Inn, they are two different places! One of our favourites and fine dining tasting menu experiences. Recently renovated but have kept many original features. Michelin recommended, they are aiming to get a star! Sadly not dog friendly. Booking essential.
https://www.theinghamswan.co.uk
The Rising Sun, Coltishall
(£) Pub 20 mins drive.
Would recommend worth a visit if you are doing a boat trip or happen to be in the area. Nice to have a drink in summer on the waterfront, great pizzas.
https://www.risingsuncoltishall.co.uk
The Suffield Arms, nr Cromer
(£££) Gastro Pub and Speak Easy cocktail lounge 28 mins drive.
Modern Gastro pub/art gallery. Pub at the front, counter style tapas restaurant at the back and speak easy cocktail lounge upstairs. Very cool venue, Dog friendly, booking essential.
https://www.suffieldarms.com
The Gunton Arms, nr Cromer
(£££) Gastro Pub 28 mins drive.
Modern British menu, large format steaks with open fire cooking. Converted coaching inn. Set in a deer reserve. Booking essential, some dog friendly tables available.
https://www.theguntonarms.co.uk
The Swan Inn, Horning
(££) Pub. 15 mins drive
Great pub food lots of cosy nooks to sit in, outside river views in summer booking essential, dogs welcome.
https://www.vintageinn.co.uk/restaurants/east/theswaninnhorning
The New Inn, Horning
(££) Pub. 15 mins drive.
Load of outside space in summer, out door BBQ. Great river views, booking essential, dogs welcome.
https://www.pubanddining.co.uk/new-inn-horning
Willow Cafe (Staithe ‘n’ willow), Horning
(£) 15 mins drive.
Cute thatched cafe on the river, dogs welcome.
https://www.facebook.com/staithe
The Kings Arms, Fleggburgh
(£££) 10 mins drive.
I LOVE this place! Gastro pub, great menu, great service, tasty cocktails! Dog friendly - please specify you have a dog when you book.
https://kingsarmsfleggburgh.com
The Lion at Thurne, Thurne
(££) Pub. 15 mins drive.
Cool craft beer pub with pizza oven and delicious food. You can also hire boat from Potter Heighm (Herbert Woods boat hire) its a lovey 45/50 min journey to the pub - dog friendly.
https://www.thelionatthurne.com/
The White Horse Inn, Neatishead
(££) Pub. 15 mins drive.
A great stop if taking the boat from Stalham (50 mins) - dog friendly.
http://www.thewhitehorseinnneatishead.com/
Some places we have not yet tried, but my hair dresser says they are fantastic - and she is in the know!
Sal House Lodge
https://www.salhouselodge.co.uk/
The Brisley Bell
Byfords
https://www.byfords.org.uk/posh-bb
The Pigs Edgefield
The Walpole Arms
Norwich City Centre
We will be adding to this section over time, but please ask us if you are looking for something specific!
Norwich is a medieval cathedral city and home to many small independents , cafes, galleries, restaurants and vintage shops. The cathedral is beautiful and provided the setting for Hogwarts school in the Harry Potter films!
https://cathedral.org.uk
YARD
(£) Pasta place.
Very hispter with downstairs bar. Walk-ins only and has one dog friendly table at the front of the restaurant. Excellent pasta, and wine, great value. They also have a coffee and pizza place near Marks ad Spencer, called Brick Pizza
https://www.yardnorwich.com
J.C. Pinto
(£) Brunch place.
On the same road as YARD. Great eggs and delicious coffee.
https://www.jcpinto.co.uk
Don Txoko
(£££) Basque Grill.
Norwich City. Spanish influence, Norfolk ingredients, cooked over coals. Please call to see if dogs welcome.
https://www.dontxoko.com
Bishops
(£££) Classic French Fine Dining.
Norwich City. Outside dining area, sadly not dog friendly.
https://www.bishopsrestaurant.co.uk
Local Farm shops and butchers
The local produce here is amazing and well priced, try these!
Fish
AG Meale
They also have a coffee shop and 4Fish mobile fish truck is there Wednesday and Saturday, they have dressed lobster, cooked prawns, pates and fresh fish, but hurry, they often sell out!
https://www.agmeale.co.uk
http://www.4fish.co.uk
Dabs and Crabs
https://www.facebook.com/DabsNCrabs/?locale=en_GB
Fair Maiden Shell Fish
https://find-open.co.uk/happisburgh/fair-maiden-shell-fish-787685
Meat
Causeway
https://www.facebook.com/causewayfarmbutchers.ingham
Cauldrons
Ludham butchers
https://www.facebook.com/ludhambutchers/?locale=en_GB
Farm shops
Cooks (also next to causeway)
Mrs Chappel supplies her famous jams and chutneys to Cooks! Mrs C will be stocking Meadow Farm products at the end of the growing season - keep an eye out!
http://www.cooksofingham.co.uk
AG Meale
Takeaway
Chinese and Indian take away menus are provided in the leaflet stack when you arrive. There is also a ‘Cook’ range in the Nisa shop in Stalham if you fancy something a little healthier, but are short on time.
https://www.nisalocally.co.uk/corporate/news-press-office/refurbished-stalham-convenience-store-opened-by-long-standing-neighbour/
Things to do
The Visit Norfolk website is excellent, they feature concerts, festivals, foraging, vintage fairs, open air theatre productions, garden tours, and larger dog and agricultural shows. Check in advance of your stay and book up something new!
https://www.visitnorfolk.co.uk
Dog Walks/Walks
Walking on the main roads in any country village means sharing your space with local traffic, so we recommend heading to a beach, a wood, or walking path
Beach
Sea Palling
8 mins drive, pay and display £1.50 per hour, cafe, toilets and small arcade.
Our closest and one of our favourite beaches, broad golden sands set against beautiful dunes. Dog friendly all year round, sometimes lead restrictions apply. Beach rock bistro is located here too.
https://www.explorenorfolkuk.co.uk/sea-palling-beach.html
Sauna box HQ
There is a pop up sauna during high season right on Sea Palling beach! have a sauna then dip in the sea… check out ‘saunaboxhq’ on instagram or on line - booking essential
https://www.saunabox.co.uk
Cart Gap
5 mins drive, pay and display or free parking if you eat or buy something from Small Sticks cafe, toilet facilities. Turn left to walk to Happisburgh (you can walk to the lighthouse on the beach) Turn right takes you back to Seal Palling. Dog Friendly
https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/south-east-england/norfolk/cart-gap.htm
Waxham
12 mins drive, free to park on Church Road, follow path to beach. No facilities here, but Dunes cafe is 1 mins drive, pretty converted barn. Dog friendly
https://www.explorenorfolkuk.co.uk/waxham.html
Woods
Bacton Woods
20 mins drive, free parking. Forestry commission managed woods, trails printed on pathways, Dog friendly - Viktor loves this place!
https://www.forestryengland.uk/bacton-wood
Boating
There are many boat hire places, but we would recommended Richardsons at Wroxham, available April to November however please check out their web site for specifics. They have 4-8 seaters and are electric or diesel powered. If you hire a boat at Wroxham you can take the river for about 1.5 hours to The Rising Sun pub, have a few beers and then take the river back. You can take a picnic on the boat and they are dog friendly
You can hire a boat nearer to Meadow farm at Simpons Stalham (7 mins), they also have a nice cafe at this site - take the boat to.
From Potter Heighm you can rent a boat from Herbert Woods and take a boat to the Lion at Thurne
Links below:
https://www.richardsonsboatingholidays.co.uk/norfolk-broads-day-boat-hire/
https://www.simpsonsboatyard.com/day-boat-hire
https://www.herbertwoods.co.uk