Cley &
Surrounding Area
Despite its coastal location, Hole Cottage is still within easy reach of all Cley’s local amenities with pubs, the windmill with restaurant, shops and deli. With the beach less than a 15 minute walk there is plenty to keep you occupied in this stunning location.
Cley-next-the-Sea is a charming, small coastal village with an international reputation for its bird reserve and the salt marshes that run along this stretch of the coast. The marshes and reserve have been in the care of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust since 1926,
making it the oldest wildlife reserve in the UK. The Cley National Wildlife Trust Visitor Centre has a café, gift shop and stunning views out to marshes - you can borrow binoculars, enjoy a coffee and maybe spot a spectacle flock of Brent geese, an avocet scything the mud or even a bittern if you’re lucky!
The village has two good pubs, an award-winning delicatessen, a smokehouse, art gallery, pottery, magnificent 14th Century church (Cley Church) and an iconic windmill (Cley Windmill) that is a landmark for this part of the coast and where you can dine in the evenings. For more retail therapy, the chic Georgian town of Holt is just 4 miles away.
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In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Cley is situated on North Norfolk’s Coastal Path which is perfect for walking and cycling, and encompassing pretty villages en-route. The Dun Cow at Salthouse has a pub garden that has open views of the coastline, and the popular Wiveton Hall and farm shop serves locally sourced food which overlooks the salt marshes. Other lovely villages to explore along the coast are Blakeney and Morston, where you can take a visit by boat from their harbours to see the local seal colony.
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Cley’s 2 mile stretch of shingle beach is accessible by car or via footpath directly opposite Hole Cottage which passes over the salt marshes for 0.3 mile. The beach has exceptional views on either side and is a popular starting point for a walk to Blakeney Point (best done at low tide).
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For sandy beaches and miles of them, head to nearby Wells-next-the-Sea or Holkham, seat to the Earls of Leicester, which also has a deer park and an 18th Century Palladian mansion (Holkham Hall) to visit.
