Lavender and Luvvies

The coastal road from Cromer to Hunstanton takes in some beautiful scenery and a string of pearl-like villages - Cley, Blakeney, Wells-next-the-Sea, Holkham, the Burnhams (all seven of them), Brancaster...

The well documented gentrification of these coastal resorts is very much in evidence - expensive and tantalising organic butchers, delis and antiques shops line the winding route and at the weekends, the village greens and pub car parks are gridlocked with Chelsea tractors.

Understandably, local people have been less than thrilled with the luvvie influx which has driven house prices through the roof, but this area remains a charming and now rather hip corner of East Anglia.

It's at this stage of my journey that the GPS pubs and inns guide kicks into overdrive and I’m totally spoilt for choice with numerous lovely pubs serving up a bevy of local delicacies: Brancaster mussels, Thornham oysters, Blakeney crab, Holkham game and samphire harvested from the marshes.

This being Lord Nelson’s birthplace, you can sup on a pint of Nelson’s Revenge at the Carpenter’s Arms in Wells or head to the Lord Nelson pub in Burnham Thorpe, where a tot of Nelson's Blood awaits you (according to the guide ‘a devilish concoction of 100% proof rum and spices’).

My favourite though is the Hoste Arms in beautiful Burnham Market where I happily whiled away a few rainy hours this week in one of their sumptuous leather sofas.

Just beyond Hunstanton, heading south on the Lynn Road is Heacham, the home of Norfolk Lavender – another Norfolk icon. Caley Mill, an old watermill which dates back to 1087, is the Norfolk Lavender HQ, and is surrounded by 100 acres of lavender fields.

I wish I could tell you about the heady scent and spectacular purple haze of those fields but unfortunately, I mistimed my visit as the lavender isn’t due to come in to full bloom until early July. Drat! But the gardens surrounding the mill are beautiful and there’s an incredible array of lavender themed goodies in the tea room and shop – from cosmetics and oils to lavender infused ice cream, fudge – even mustard. I couldn't resist the blueberry and lavender jam which I intend to spread liberally over hot toast at breakfast tomorrow.

Here's what I imagine those fields will look like in about a month's time...

The Hoste Arms
The Green
Burnham Market
Norfolk
PE31 8HD

Tel: 01328 738777

Norfolk Lavender
Caley Mill
Heacham
Norfolk
PE31 7JE

Tel: 01485 570384

Norfolk's Other Seafaring Hero

The accolade of Norfolk's local hero recently went to a man of incredible courage and leadership who made his name at sea.

On this occasion however, Lord Admiral Nelson didn't quite cut the (Colman's?) mustard. In the BBC poll, Norfolk's local hero was named as a humble crab boat fisherman from Cromer called Henry Blogg.


Born in 1876, Blogg joined the lifeboat crew at the age of 18 and during an incredible seafaring career lasting 53 years, he saved 873 lives.

In the days before motorised boats, the crew of the cromer lifeboat (whose average age was over 50!) would be summonded to duty by a maroon, and regularly put their own lives in peril, relying on old fashioned manpower and courage to get the job done.

I've spent time in Cromer in all weathers and in the icy wind and rain it can feel like an epic task just popping out to Budgens for a loaf of bread - let alone taking to the roaring seas in a wooden rowing boat.

Due to his heroics as Coxwain of the Cromer lifeboat, Henry Blogg has become surely the world's most famous lifeboatman. The famously humble Norfolk man won the George Cross, a British Empire medal and many other awards for bravery.

On top of the cliffs, a bronze bust of Blogg gazes intently out across the vast North Sea panorama which he conquered on many occasions - in spite of the fact that he never learnt to swim!

The RNLI Henry Blogg Museum
The Rocket House
The Gangway
Cromer
Norfolk NR27 8ET

Tel: 01263 511294

(P.S. The Rocket House Cafe is a great place to get a coffee or a light lunch with fantastic views over Cromer beach...)

Wild weather in Cromer

I've come to the conclusion that, despite having a general hatred for dull, dank British weather, I actually prefer English seaside resorts in winter-time. I'm spending a few days on the North Norfolk coast - currently in Cromer - and the weather's been pretty mixed - today was wild though and so atmospheric which seemed to bring out the David Bailey in me...