Nearby Locations: Holt
Holt is a handsome Georgian market town with many fine shops and galleries. Most of the town burnt down in a great fire in 1708 and was rebuilt in the style of the day, which is why Holt is now one of the best places in England to see Georgian architecture. With its many alleys, yards and hidden courtyards to explore, every turn of a corner brings a surprise.
Shopping and Eating
Almost all the shops in Holt are small independent traders, many of them tucked away in the yards and lanes off the High Street, so make time to seek out Chapel Yard, Appleyard and Lees Yard. At the heart of the town is Bakers and Larners, a marvellous family run department store whose food hall alone is worth the trip.
There are plenty of places to eat and drink to suit all tastes, and many have outside tables so you can enjoy the fresh air while you eat. Holt is especially magical in December, when the shops are decked with white fairy lights and the whole town becomes a festive wonderland.
Holt Country Park
After lunch, a walk in Holt Country Park is an ideal way to enjoy the delights of the surrounding countryside. The park covers 100 acres of pine and broadleaved woodland about a mile south of the town and holds a Green Flag award. Waymarked paths of varying lengths, from half a mile to four and a half miles, thread through the woods, and there is a viewing tower, woodland sculptures, a children’s play area and a tearoom. Adjacent is the heathland of Holt Lowes, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and the River Glaven is close by. Ample car parking is available at a nominal charge.
The North Norfolk Railway
Holt is the western terminus of the North Norfolk Railway, so you can arrive in style by steam train from Sheringham. The station lies a little way outside the town, with a vintage bus carrying passengers to and from the market place.
Letheringsett Watermill
Just west of Holt on the A148 is Letheringsett Watermill, the last watermill in Norfolk still producing flour. Built in 1802 on the River Glaven, the mill grinds 100% wholewheat stoneground flour from locally grown wheat, with nothing added and nothing taken away.
You can watch the mill at work, buy its flours in the mill shop and enjoy cakes baked on site in the tearoom. Note that the mill is open on weekdays only.
Natural Surroundings
For nature lovers, Natural Surroundings is Norfolk’s wildlife gardening and wildflower centre, set in eight acres beside the River Glaven on the Bayfield Estate. Its tranquil gardens and wildflower meadows are designed to inspire wildlife friendly gardening, and there is a plant nursery, a little cafe in the woods and a programme of walks, workshops and family events through the year. Check opening times on their website. You will find it on the minor road from Letheringsett towards Glandford and Wiveton; just follow the brown wildflower centre signs.
The Shell Museum
Carry on towards Glandford and follow the signs for The Shell Museum, a tiny jewel in the pretty Glaven Valley. The oldest purpose built museum in Norfolk, it houses the finest seashell collection in the country alongside fossils, birds’ eggs and local archaeological finds. It is normally open from April to October; see their website for days and times.
