Pirates spotted in Wells next the Sea

29/08/2016 • Carl Marsh •

Pirates spotted in Wells Next the Sea

Luckily today’s Pirates are more intent on having fun. But the Wells next the Sea Pirate Festival (9-11th Sep) is borne from a more nefarious heritage…

The entire coastline of 18th century England was ruled by major smuggling barons and their private armies recruited from coastal villages. By the 1780’s, smuggling had reached such unprecedented heights that the Government was forced to take a stand, not only to protect its revenue, but also to quell the revolutionary posturing of the smuggling gangs.

North Norfolk was particularly lawless, and was in the control of ruthless operators determined to protect their illicit activities. In 1783, Army Regiments and Naval Warships, returning from the American war, were pitched headlong into a domestic war against the smuggling gangs. A decade of bloody confrontation, violence and death ensued.

The Pitt Arms (now The Hoste) in Burnham Market played a prominent role in suppressing the smuggling gangs, by providing accommodation and stabling for detachments of soldiers and horses from the Light Dragoon Regiments. These disciplined cavalrymen were drafted into the area to assist officers of both The Customs and The Excise to confront the well-armed smuggling gangs on equal terms. The landlord of the Inn was allowed a miserly 4d per day by the War Office for each soldier and horse, and included accommodation, food, small beer, stabling and hay.

Interested in North Norfolk’s lawless coastal heritage? The Mousetrap is a perfect holiday base for visiting Wells next the Sea, with 3 bedrooms, sleeping 6. Contact us now for information: enquiry@mousetrapwells.co.uk Or call us: 07966 191 737

(Credit: Soham Grammarians & Neil Holmes, author The Lawless Coast )

Mousetrap is a spacious family friendly holiday home with 3 bedrooms, sleeping 6, free car parking and free wi-fi.
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Email: enquiry@mousetrapwells.co.uk
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It’s Official – Beach of the Year – Wells next the Sea

10/07/2016 • Carl Marsh •

It’s official! The ‘Beach of the Year’ is Wells next the Sea

The Sunday Times (10.07.16 edition) stated:

“If you haven’t yet been to the runaway winner of the first Sunday Times Beach of the Year award, you should clear your diary. North Norfolk’s prettiest little town is having a moment. What you’ll find is an immensity of flat sands stretching away towards an often distant sea, backed by a fragrant forest of Scots pines and fringed with the cutest beach huts in Britain.”

This comes after a number of awards and nominations over the past few years for Wells and Holkham, such as: Kennel Club Be Dog Friendly Awards Beach of the Year, Best Seaside Resort in Britain Holiday Which magazine, amongst others.

This is not new news to anyone living or working in Wells. But for those that have yet to experience the delights of Wells and the wider North Norfolk coast…come and visit and see for yourself what all the fuss is about.

Sea, Sand and … Tarzan Swings?

08/06/2016 • Carl Marsh •

There are some things kids just love on holiday..! The beach, the sea and … Tarzan swings?

Yes, those home made swings, where some brave soul shins up a tree, ties off a rope, then hangs a chunk of wood on it, to sit, or stand on. But where do you get them all in one place?

Magical Wells, of course!

https://youtu.be/egQnDq2VK7Y

I can’t think of any other place where kids can play on the beach, splash about in the sea and have a great time swinging in the trees. The Pine forests which fringe the beach at Wells next the Sea are a natural playground. Most days whether rain or shine, there are kids and their parents playing games in the forest. Hide and seek? Back to base? What about making dens? whether you can remember how to play them or not – ten minutes on the Tarzan swing will be the highlight.

It says a lot about the spirit of the place, that such simple pleasures can consume whole families – usually battling over whose turn it is to go on the iPad. It’s probably why Wells is a firm favourite holiday destination with families.

Try it! You’ll love it!

Canoe the Creeks

01/06/2016 • Carl Marsh •

Wells next the Sea has a unique topography.

Discover it with the Mousetrap…

The combination of sand, tides and salt marshes creates a unique habitat. One of the best ways of understanding it and experiencing it is by canoe or kayak. Exploring the creeks, sand banks and marshes is an amazing experience, especially when guided by someone with local knowledge. So when someone offers to do it and even lend you a kayak, you should jump at the chance!

Wells Harbour Maritime Trust are running a Kayak Safari on 26th June at 10:00.

So if you have ever wanted to go around the creeks but don’t own a kayak – now is your chance, you can borrow a Trust kayak for free!
The trip will last around 1 ½ hrs and there are limited numbers so it’s essential to book.
If you have your own kayak and just want to join in on the fun you can come along too.

Call in at the Harbour Office or ring 01328 711646

How do you get a 200 tonne Albatros out of the water?

13/05/2016 • Carl Marsh •

How do you get a 200 tonne Albatros out of the water?

It’s not a joke, and we’re not talking about a bird either…The beloved Albatros, a former Dutch cargo ship built in 1899 as a North Sea clipper needed a hull scrub and re-paint. One of the oldest sailing ships still afloat, the Albatros no longer sails the high seas, instead she is now permanently moored alongside the Quay of Wells-next-the-sea and used as a bar, restaurant, music venue and B&B. She’s become a major tourist attraction and known to many tourists as the ‘Pancake Boat’.

Like all sea going vessels it has to be taken out of the water every few years for vital maintenance. So how do you lift a 200 tonne Albatros out of the water to have its ‘bum’ scrubbed? Watch this and find out: https://youtu.be/MBQc7qLsiHo

A Healthy Harbour Starts Here

09/05/2016 • Carl Marsh •

Ask anyone who has visited Wells, what their favourite activity was and there’s a good chance they’ll say ‘catching crabs’. Kids love it and it’s long been one of the cheapest, simplest forms of entertainment and enjoyment that Wells offers. The popularity has now caused its own problems though.

The Port and the Wells Harbour Maritime Trust estimates that 30,000 plastic buckets and reels are sold in Wells during the summer season, with many ending up in the harbour. Polluting the sea where the plastic degrades due to solar radiation and oxidation into smaller and smaller pieces. Marine life mistakes it for food and strangle on the ingested plastic. Marine animals also get entangled in the Plastic nylon line.

A novel solution has been funded by local authorities and community groups – a quayside ‘Gilly Hut’.

The hut will feature information on the environment and rent metal buckets, lines just long enough to reach from the quayside to the estuary bed and bait. It’s hoped that education and rental will provide choice to visitors, who will respond positively, to help improve the environment and reduce harm to marine life. The Harbour authority is not banning plastic buckets or longer lines, but hopes this initiative will vastly reduce the number of plastic buckets finding their way into the sea.

We hope guests of the Mousetrap and other holiday cottages will support this initiative and we’ve included details of the Gilly Hut in our house information file. Want to know more? Contact us: enquiry@mousetrapwells.co.uk Or call: 07966 191 737 Alternatively contact The Port and the Wells Harbour Maritime Trust: harbouroffice@wellsharbour.co.uk

Mousetrap Makeover

14/04/2016 • Carl Marsh •

After a couple of busy months renovating and upgrading the Mousetrap www.mousetrapwells.co.uk it’s ready to accept it’s first guest of the new season. Several licks of paint and a new kitchen later and it’s looking like a new pin!
All bedrooms have fresh, new continental quilts, with matching covers and pillow cases. New pillows and mattresses complete the ‘makeover’. Ensuring the Mousetrap will feel like a ‘home from home’. The Mousetrap has 3 bedrooms, sleeping 6 people. The Sandpiper room shown above is a fresh, light room, with a view out to the enclosed rear courtyard. The bedrooms are named after local birds often seen on the sandbanks around Wells next the Sea.

The location of Wells makes it one of the top destinations in England for bird watchers. The reserves at Holme, Titchwell and Cley attract many guests to the area and the Mousetrap www.mousetrapwells.co.uk is a well furnished and conveniently located base for Spring and Autumn watching trips.

Beach Huts

26/03/2016 • Carl Marsh •

Wells next the Sea is famous for its brightly coloured beach huts. They give the area it’s unique character and personality. But they come at a price! Because no more can be erected, prices match the low supply and high demand. Few come on the market because they are so highly prized by the families that own them, when they do, they often fetch in excess of £50,000.

Renting one for a week is a much more modest outlay! If you are staying at the Mousetrap www.mousetrapwells.co.uk or any other local hotel or guest house we can help you book one.

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