In: self catering
22nd December 2013
Exciting plans for 2014
2013 has been a very busy and enjoyable year for us at Cranmer Cottages.
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| Snowfall at Cranmer in early 2013 |
The early winter months brought plenty of snow, the whole area looked picture perfect and very tranquil.
When spring arrived, we enjoyed an abundance of snowdrops, crocus, bluebells and daffodils. The countryside was literally peppered with a good splash of colour. Guests enjoyed the spectacular snowdrop walks at Walsingham and there were plenty of Easter events planned locally for families to attend.
Then along came summer and for the first time since 2006, we enjoyed record high temperatures and long, sunny days. Our guests spent their days on nearby sandy beaches and evenings outside playing family games in our large paddock area where children also enjoyed our brand new play area.
The summer extended into the early Autumn months and now we’re in mid December we’re looking forward to the New Year ahead.
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| Late Summer Sunshine Near Holkham |
We’ve got a few exciting things to look forward to in 2014 which we’ve been planning over the past few months.
Firstly, we are delighted to launch our one-hour, on-site farm/ nature walk. This walk is only available for our guests and gives an exclusive opportunity to view our fabulous countryside and get up close and personal to the local nature. We have even created a trail quiz to encourage our young visitors to learn more about the great outdoors and the amazing wildlife we have.
We’ve also teamed up with Pensthorpe Wildlife and Gardens who have kindly agreed to offer our guests a discounted family ticket. For those who haven’t heard of Pensthorpe before, it is an award winning wildlife and conservation reserve that offers something for all ages. The reserve is bustling with birds and wildlife throughout the year, so it’s perfect for birdwatchers and nature lovers. There are also a lot of exciting activities and things to see for families, including their brand new play area, Wild Rootz, which is definitely a winner with the children.
During January, we will be carrying out some refurbishing work on our cottages. We’ll be sharing details of the work we’re doing on our Facebook Page over the next few weeks, so remember to head over and ‘Like Us’ to receive our updates.
Being an eco friendly tourism business, we have worked very hard over the last few years to lower our carbon footprint. On site, we already have a wind turbine and solar panels, which heat and power some of our facilities, but we took a giant leap this year and installed a 100kw biomass boiler. This biomass boiler now means that, other than using a little gas for cooking, we can turn our backs to nasty fossil fuels that we’ve previously had to use. The biomass boiler is fuelled by recycled woodchip, which would otherwise go to landfill. We can now proudly say that our self catering cottages are now ‘powered by nature and nurtured by us’
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| Rescued Grey Seal Pup |
Finally, we’d like to make you aware of a visitor payback scheme, which we’ve just introduced in the wake of the recent floods that affected the seal colonies at Blakeney. We are asking all visitors who book a break with us to make a voluntary donation of £1, which we will match fund, to go towards the RSPCA East Winch branch. This charity is specifically dedicated to rescuing seal pups in the area and rehabilitating them back into the wild. Blakeney is home to large colonies of Grey and Common seals, who breed and bring up their young throughout the year. It really is a magnificent sight to see and one that shouldn’t be missed when you visit the area.
If you book your break and would like to make a donation, simply tick the box on your booking form which says ‘Visitor Payback Scheme’ and our online system will do the rest for you. We will update our website with details on the progress of this scheme over the coming months.
North Norfolkreally does offer something for everyone. From coast to countryside, it is brimming with quaint market towns, extraordinary wildlife, superb visitor attractions and an indulgent selection of places to eat. Once you visit you’ll be itching to come back. Our self-catering cottages are already booking up fast for next summer, so if you don’t want to miss out check our availability and book your holiday now.
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support throughout 2013 and we hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Best wishes,
The team at Cranmer Cottages.
18th July 2013
Summer fun in North Norfolk
It won’t be long until the schools break up for the summer meaning it gets busier than ever in North Norfolk and we are hoping that the warm, sunny weather we are currently experiencing is set to stay for the holiday season.
We always boast about how lucky we are to be in such a beautiful part of the UK, North Norfolk really is a unique place to live and seems to have something for everyone to enjoy. Our unspoilt, golden beaches are a great retreat on hot sunny days. There’s nothing better than packing up a hearty picnic full of delicious local produce and spending the day with the family, swimming in the sea, building sandcastles, flying kites and exploring the coastline. If sand and sea isn’t your thing, then we have some great open parks to also stroll around and picnic at. There are also plenty of quaint market towns and villages to visit, all of which are full of fabulous shops and places to eat too.
On top of all of this, there are plenty of attractions to visit from famous stately homes such as Sandringham and Holkham Hall, to unspoilt nature reserves where you can learn about the fantastic wildlife that makes North Norfolk its home in the summer. There are also several places to take the children for a packed day of entertainment and fun too. Our fantastic new interactive map on our website highlights some of the great places to visit in the area.
We can’t also forget all of the exciting events taking place over the next few weeks, from carnivals and craft fairs to children’s activity weeks. You really are spoilt for choice. The most stressful part of your holiday this year will be deciding on what to do first!
JULY
11th – 27th
Fakenham Arts Biennial
Fakenham Arts Biennial
27th July – 1stSeptember
Curious Crocklebog Capers
BeWILDerwood
www.bewilderwood.co.uk/plan-your-visit/events/curious-crocklebog-capers-2013
Curious Crocklebog Capers
BeWILDerwood
www.bewilderwood.co.uk/plan-your-visit/events/curious-crocklebog-capers-2013
10th – 11th
Charity Lego Weekend to raise funds for the East Anglian Air Ambulance
Holt Hall
www.holthall.norfolkedunet.gov.uk/events.html
Charity Lego Weekend to raise funds for the East Anglian Air Ambulance
Holt Hall
www.holthall.norfolkedunet.gov.uk/events.html
10th – 18th
Bug Week at the Dinosaur Adventure Park
Lenwade, Norwich
www.dinosauradventure.co.uk/general-information/events.php
Bug Week at the Dinosaur Adventure Park
Lenwade, Norwich
www.dinosauradventure.co.uk/general-information/events.php
24th
Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra
Holkham Hall
www.holkham.co.uk/html/concerts_park_2013.html
Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra
Holkham Hall
www.holkham.co.uk/html/concerts_park_2013.html
31st August – 1stSeptember
North Norfolk Food & Drink Festival
Holkham Hall
www.northnorfolkfoodfestival.co.uk/
North Norfolk Food & Drink Festival
Holkham Hall
www.northnorfolkfoodfestival.co.uk/
8th September 2009
Read about our Zero Carbon breaks in the EDP newspaper >
20th March 2009
Welcome
Welcome to the Cranmer Country Cottages new blog. Here will will be keeping you up to date with what is happening at our luxury self catering holiday cottages in North Norfolk.