May 26, 20236 min read

FAMILY WEEKEND AT THE FEATHERS

Written by Katie of @thesundayfeeling - gifted pr stay

We’re fortunate to live just over an hour away from the beautiful North Norfolk coast. The golden sandy stretches of beach, picturesque towns and villages and wildlife-abundant, gently rolling countryside is what makes the county so appealing. Despite this, we don’t visit as much as we would love to, so when we were invited to experience the new Hidden Holt walking map and stay in one of the family rooms at The Feathers, we jumped at the chance. Visiting places we love and creating new memories with our boys - Charlie who is three and Noah who is ten months - always feels extra special.

THE FEATHERS

Driving through Holt high street (trying not to get distracted every few seconds by shops I wanted to explore) we couldn’t miss The Feathers pub, with its big Georgian sash windows and unmistakable Chestnut branding. It sits right in the heart of the town, along the main high street, with the entrance of its car park nestled between Joules and The White Stuff.

Arriving from the car park, we first passed the garden terrace with its rustic wooden tables styled with lavender-filled terracotta pots, the perfect spot for enjoying a drink or some lunch on a warm summer’s day. A pergola covered in climbing greenery also offers some shade, which is great if you’re visiting with little ones.

Stepping through the front doors we were welcomed by its cosy yet stylish interiors - dark wooden floors, warm fabrics and neutral decor. The pub has a traditional feel with some modern touches, it’s the kind of place that makes you feel instantly at-home. A friendly staff member greeted us and after a quick chat we were ready to explore the town with their new Hidden Holt walking map as our guide.

HIDDEN HOLT

Holt is a charming Georgian market town full of independent stores with beautiful, unique items you won’t find anywhere else. This was our third time visiting Holt, yet we discovered many hidden gems thanks to the handy ‘top shops’ highlighted on the map. There’s something for everyone from antiques, art galleries, fashion and interiors to homecare, homeware, bakeries and cafes.

There are some bigger brand names too such as Neptune and Fairfax and Favor and department store Bakers and Larners of Holt is home to many known brands such as Barbour, Le Creuset, Sophie Allport, Clarins and Elizabeth Arden. I enjoyed browsing the beautiful faux flowers in The Norfolk Flower Room and for the food lovers, they have a large food hall stocking items made locally.

The colourful children’s section in the Holt Bookshop caught Charlie’s attention as he spotted some much-loved characters such as Paddington Bear and the Tales from Acorn Wood. And the Adnams store is always a favourite for my husband. I was thrilled to discover the beautiful Birdie Fortescue homeware shop tucked away in the Feathers Yard – definitely a highlight for me.

Take a look at The Feather's new Hidden Holt map for more ideas of boutique shops to browse in Holt.

COUNTRYSIDE RAMBLE

As much as I could have wandered the pretty streets of Holt all day, our son Charlie was ready for a run around after lunch, so we decided to follow the ‘Round Route Ramble’ countryside walk. Five minutes from The Feathers, just past the church, and we were surrounded by trees and bluebells. It was so useful to have the map as we wouldn’t have discovered this otherwise.

Following the path lined with cow parsley and forget-me-nots, we headed down towards Sprout Hills Pond and across the little stream. Charlie delighted in finding sticks and running up and down the grassy hills, stopping briefly to capture some of the wildlife on his camera. With the buggy in tow, and a few steep steps to navigate, we couldn’t manage the entire circular walk on the map so instead did a loop and headed back to the pub in time for check-in at 3pm.

FAMILY ROOM

Charlie had been eagerly waiting all day to see where we were sleeping for the night and he wasn’t disappointed. Up the stairs and along a narrow corridor led us to our spacious family room ‘Five’ with a double bed, bunk beds for children and en-suite shower room. Although our boys were too little to both sleep in the bunk beds, they enjoyed the novelty of it. The fluffy Orangutan that was waiting for them was a hit, while for me it was the gorgeous Bramley products in the bathroom! We brought our own travel cot, but the team will happily pop one in the room if you let them know you require one beforehand.

Two beautiful big windows offered plenty of natural light and the calming tones, wooden headboard and vintage-looking armchair created a welcoming, cosy environment. After having a little relax (I wish) play with their toys, it was time to head down to dinner.

THE FOOD

Dining with small children is not always easy but the restaurant team were great at taking our order quickly and bringing out a big platter of bread and olives to nibble on while we waited for our starters. My husband went for the char-grilled mackerel to start and at the same time Charlie tucked into his tomato linguine. He’s a fussy eater but pasta is always a firm favourite, so it was great to see this option on the children’s menu, along with fish and chips, sausages, burgers and more.

For my main I opted for a classic brisket burger with cheddar cheese, tomato relish and fries while my husband went for the beer battered haddock, triple cooked chips and mushy peas – yum! We’ve definitely all got a sweet tooth, so for dessert Charlie chose the sticky toffee pudding and ice cream, while I went for apple and rhubarb crumble and my husband chose the crème brulee and raspberry sorbet. The whole meal was delicious; my mouth is watering as I type!

BED AND BREAKFAST

Heading back up to our room with tummies full, we were all more than ready for bed after a busy day and lots of walking. We drew the thick lined curtains so it was lovely and dark in the room. We all slept brilliantly and felt fully rested (a rare thing these days!) waking up on Sunday morning.

Once dressed and our bags packed, we headed down for breakfast. Me and my husband thoroughly enjoyed a ‘Full Norfolk Breakfast’ from the buffet while Charlie and Noah were thrilled with a selection of toast and jam, yoghurt and cereal from the breakfast table. That certainly set us up nicely for another day of exploring.

PLACES NEARBY

After checking out, we decided to make use of our National Trust membership and head to Blickling Estate, just a 20-minute drive from The Feathers. We hadn’t visited Blickling for a couple of years, so it was lovely to go back and experience it in the spring. You can easily spend a whole day there (or more!) exploring the incredible Jacobean mansion, stunning formal gardens, lake walk and over 4,600 acres of woodland, parkland and farmland. Not forgetting a browse of the gift shop, afternoon tea in the café and there’s even the RAF Oulton Museum. At this time of year there’s bluebells to be seen, wisteria climbing the mansion and plenty to keep little ones busy with den building in the woods, bike trails and buggy-friendly walks. A must-visit if you’re in the area.

Another 20 minutes down the road and we arrived at Cromer beach. Stepping out of the car we were instantly greeted by the familiar sounds and smells of the coast - salty sea air, a fresh breeze and sounds of the waves. Top of our agenda however was fish and chips! They always taste better by the sea, don’t they? The boys loved watching the seagulls getting up to mischief. After a walk along the pier and a brief visit to the arcades, it was time for us to head home.

We had a wonderful family weekend in Norfolk. The Hidden Holt walking map is an excellent way to experience the best Holt has to offer and our stay at The Feathers was an absolute joy. We will definitely visit again, and I thoroughly recommend it if you’re looking for a place to stay in North Norfolk.