FREE Subscriber Break Winner Annette W talks about her weekend in Wells

26/11/2021 • Carl Marsh •

Although Annette W. won her FREE SUBSCRIBER BREAK back in January 2020 a small thing called COVID put the brakes on being able to enjoy her break! Despite a couple of further displaced dates Annette has finally managed to enjoy a weekend at the Mousetrap. Fresh from her trip to Wells we caught up with her and this is what she had to say:

Mousetrap…Hi Annette, hope you had a good weekend. Are you normally a ‘lucky’ person? What other things have you won besides the FREE SUBSCRIBER BREAK at the Mousetrap? What did you think when we contacted you to say you had won?
Annette: We had a fabulous weekend; thank you very much. It was a complete surprise to hear I’d won the weekend – I’m not usually that lucky! Despite having to rearrange the stay a couple of times, it turned out to be fortuitous as we celebrated a couple of birthdays and a family catch-up. Everyone loved the weekend and the beautiful cottage.

Mousetrap…Having now stayed at the Mousetrap, what makes it a good base for a break or longer holiday in Wells next the Sea and what’s on your ‘to do list’ next time you visit Wells?
Annette: The weather held out for the weekend. Nice dry autumn days allowed us a morning on the beach at Wells, with the dog. It was great being able to clear our heads. We ate at the Golden Fleece and spent the evening playing board games. Then on Sunday, we visited Sandringham for the Craft Fair. We hadn’t planned anything in particular before arriving. We wanted to chill and walk the dog, and catch up. And that’s exactly what we did. There’s so much to do locally, when we return we’d like to visit Holkham and Houghton Halls.

Mousetrap…Who did you share your winnings with? Did you bring anyone else with you to stay at the Mousetrap? What did they think?
Annette: We took the opportunity of inviting family to meet up at Mousetrap. We were amazed at the size of the cottage and the amount of accommodation and facilities.

Mousetrap…The dates you originally chose were unavailable due to COVID lockdowns and had to be re-scheduled – was the wait worth it?
Annette: I’ll forward a photo of us on the beach!

…All Mousetrap subscribers are automatically eligible to receive this prize. We draw a name at random from our subscriber base just after New Year for a free Winter/Spring break.

Previous winner Stacey Pallister said “Myself and my family enjoy spending times in Wells because it has something for everyone, young and old. People are friendly. Shops and restaurants are fantastic and the beach is wonderful. The Mousetrap is a perfect location to visit Wells next the Sea because it is central. No need to worry about parking or driving around”.

Mousetrap subscribers benefit from:

– Chance to win a FREE WEEKEND
– Being first to receive reduced price stays at the MOUSETRAP due to cancellations
– Receiving news of special events worth visiting North Norfolk for…
– We promise to send no more than 12 emails per year, but it’s often less and you can unsubscribe at any time

So, if you are not subscribed yet – do it now – just click this link or scroll to the bottom of the page at our website: www.mousetrapwells.co.uk

You only have to enter your name and email…and next year it could be you?!

Mousetrap is a spacious family friendly holiday home with 3 bedrooms, sleeping 6, free car parking and free wi-fi.
Check out our: Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and YouTube pages
Email: enquiry@mousetrapwells.co.uk
Mobile: 07966 191 737

Walking the Channels

19/10/2021 • Carl Marsh •

Whatever the time of year there is one activity you can do at Wells and it’s FREE!

There’s a magical world waiting to be discovered when walking the channels in Wells. You can do it twice a day and it never disappoints…

Whether it’s autumn or winter and you need wellies, or Spring and Summer and you can go bare feet, ther’s always something new to look at and discover. Most kids imagine what the sea would be like without water in it and this is as near as you can get to realising it. It’s a whole new world when the tide goes out. So check the time for low tide, grab the kids and even a bucket and spade and go exploring!

You can access the channels from the 3 slipways by Wells Sailing Club and they’re less than 10 minutes walk from the Mousetrap.

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Shooting at the Mousetrap

05/09/2021 • Carl Marsh •

It’s not everyone’s cup of tea – but we recently tried shooting!

Like most folk, neither myself, my wife or kids have ever really had any exposure to guns and shooting, but when I drove past a sign coming back from Cromer my interest was piqued.
So, I called Holt Woodland Archery and Air Guns at High Kelling and a couple of days later we set off from the Mousetrap for the 35 minute drive to High Kelling, which is just beyond Holt town centre.

Before going any further, this is not shooting at animals…

The ‘range’ is set up with plastic cartons hung in the bushes, old metal plates dangling from tree branches and a variety of other interesting targets.
You can’t wander into the range as it is sealed off by a barrier containing several ‘bays’ where you can position yourself and choose from various targets in front of you. The guns are high powered air rifles taking .22 pellets. They are typical break barrel cocking rifles, but they do have some gas-powered rifles, ideal for small kids who don’t have the strength to cock a traditional break barrel gun.

After a safety briefing, we all positioned ourselves appropriately and got to work. It was great fun and everyone soon shot the tin of pellets supplied, begging for more!

Holt Woodland Archery and Air Guns is on the Cromer Road just beyond Holt at High Kelling. It’s about 40 minutes drive from the Mousetrap. Air Gun price – £15 per person to hire with approx 100 pellets. Ideal for all adults and kids age 8 and upwards. For all enquiries please call Jon on 07899 917070.

You can also have a go at Archery…which is next on our list of activities to try when we return.

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Canoe the Creeks, Wells next the Sea

08/06/2021 • Carl Marsh •

Visiting Wells this Summer (or Autumn)? Why not Canoe the Creeks?

It’s great fun messing about on the water and something all the family can do. It’s also a great way to learn about the unique ecology of the area.

There are a number of ways you can explore the creeks and winding waterways of Wells…

Unless you are a serious watersports participant you will probably not have your own hard bodied canoe or kayak, but you can buy inflatable craft relatively cheaply. Most large sports warehouses such as Decathlon sell them, or even think about buying a pre used one through Ebay? They pack down to the size of a medium sized suitcase and are relatively quick and easy to inflate. As well as canoes and kayaks consider a stand up paddleboard (SUP).

Wells has a number of slipways upstream of the Quayside where you can assemble your kit and launch from. The main consideration is to time your adventure with the tides. The best time to launch is half an hour before high tide, because the incoming water will carry you upstream with minimal paddling effort. You can then paddle back to your launch point during slack tide (when it’s neither coming in or going out), or wait for the tide to start going out and again get a ‘free ride’ back to your starting point.

There are several companies who supply the kit and also show you how to do it. Stand up paddleboarding (SUP) is becoming very popular and a good company is: North Norfolk Paddleboards

If this all sounds too much like hard work – take a tour? Wells Harbour Tours do hour long explorations of the Marshes, Harbour and even trips down the channel to the beaches. You’ll see their signs and pontoon by Wells Harbour Office.

If you get the bug, once you’ve tried it out at Wells, there are also Canoe, Kayak and SUP rental companies at Blakeney and Burnham Overy Staithe.

Have you tried it out already and got any great tips to pass on? We would be pleased to hear your stories and receive any photos.

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Seal Watching Trips from MOUSETRAP

11/11/2020 • Carl Marsh •

Less than 8 Km from the MOUSETRAP is Morston Quay, the gateway to Blakeney Point, home to England’s largest colony of Grey Seals.

Various boats will take you out to Blakeney Harbour, with a fully qualified crew on board able to share their local knowledge with you. The seals, both Common and Grey will normally be hunting, playing and resting on the end of Blakeney Point.

In the summer months there will be mostly common seals, who have arrived at Blakeney Point in order to have their pups. The pups start arriving about June and will continue through until the end of August. The Grey seals have their pups in the months of November and December, so Christmas is a good time for viewing – if you wrap up warm!

They are very inquisitive animals, so will often swim around the boat. This is a perfect time for photographs, so don’t forget your camera! The views are stunning, and what better chance to breathe in the fresh air of the North Norfolk coast. The trip is a unique experience for all ages – a rare opportunity to visit wildlife in its natural surroundings.

It’s a captivating and engaging experience not to be missed BOOK NOW

Have you been to see the Seals? We would be pleased to hear your stories and receive any photos.

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Open Water Swimming – Wells Quayside

27/08/2020 • Carl Marsh •

The Mousetrap is a great base if you want to try Open Water Swimming. With no pool walls or lanes, you can swim in your own space and at your own pace without the concern of anyone tapping at your heels. There is a great sense of achievement looking back to where you’ve swam from and seeing the fruits of your labour. It is a relaxing yet exhilarating experience to be out there as nature intended with plenty of stimulus to keep your mind occupied.

For beginners, wetsuits are recommended to help adjust to the water’s temperature and can improve buoyancy. It is also a great challenge knowing you have no floor to stand up on or side to hang onto, so it does offer a challenge that isn’t there in a confined pool environment. Cooler water can increase energy levels, nerve endings stand up and your heart starts racing – it is the best possible way to get a natural high!

There are lots of other health benefits – It has been proven by scientists that by being immersed in cold water three times a week increases your white blood counts which helps fight infection and boost your immune system by activating antibodies and increasing metabolic rate. It also helps flush your circulation pushing blood through your arteries, capillaries and veins as well as flushing any impurities giving you a better feeling of wellbeing. It has even been proven cold water can reduce stress levels and even depression.

But most of all its Lots Of Fun!! It’s a great way to push your fitness, meet new people, laugh a lot and it won’t break the bank. However, beware it is addictive and once you try it you might get hooked! Convinced? Check out our video

Do you have any experiences of Open Water Swimming? We would be pleased to hear your stories and receive any photos.

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Lets Go Fly a Kite!

15/08/2020 • Carl Marsh •

One of my favourite films is Mary Poppins – I’ve been forced to watch it half dozen times over the years by various children. The final scenes, showing the Banks family finding joy in a home-made kite, accompanied by the soooo catchy ‘Lets Go Fly a Kite’ always gets me!

So, this year I prepared for my Norfolk break by buying a ‘Power Kite’. I’d often seen these being flown on Wells beach and always thought they looked great fun – and THEY ARE!

PRICE
Before rushing out to buy your new Power Kite (also known as ‘Stunt’ or ‘Sport Kites’) be aware these are nothing like the cheap ones you buy from gift shops, which may or may not fly and often only last one afternoon after crashing several times. Power Kites have cutting edge design and performance built in. The price reflects this, with most entry level models costing in excess of £50. But the experience is nothing like the kites you may remember as a kid and you don’t have to run down the beach with the kite trailing behind you to get it flying.

RESEARCH
Do your research! Power Kites as the name implies are used by enthusiast ‘flyers’ and to aid sports such as Kitesurfing, Landboarding and Buggying. However the entry level models are not quite that powerful and are designed to learn how to fly and do ‘tricks’: 360, Axel, Backflip, Cartwheel, Cuckoo clock, Black hole, Helicopter, Walking, Pancake , Stall, Yoyo, to name just a few.
After reading up on the subject I settled for a PRISM SYNAPSE 200 https://prismkites.com/product/synapse/

This kite seemed to be a reasonable price, good for beginners, manoeuvrable, but without being too aggressive. I didn’t want to see my 10-year-old flying off across the North Sea! It proved to be a good choice, with just a few minute’s guidance, she was soon fling it and could manage it even in quite a stiff breeze.

SAFETY
Because of the speed and potential power at which these kites fly, some safety measures should be adhered to:
• Don’t fly near people, especially young children, if the lines get wrapped around a small child they can cause serious burns and even lacerations
• Don’t fly close to roads. Landing a kite in a road could cause a serious accident.
• Keep clear of electric power lines, electrical signs, and TV and radio aerials and never fly in stormy weather – wet lines are conductive!
• Don’t fly near airports or military installations, you could find yourself being arrested!
• Be aware of dogs, especially when you land your kite, they’ve been known to grab the kite and run away with it and like children, if the lines get tangled around them and then the kite takes off in a gust, the lines can cause burns and laceration
• Finally, don’t fly your kite in winds stronger than recommended, or leave a small child unattended if they are flying. Strong gusts can lift small flyers off their feet!.
• If in doubt, or danger, crash land the kite and be prepared to abandon it before risking your life to rescue it from trees or telephone poles. In the long run, you’ll be better off buying a new kite

FUN!
Although the safety measures make the kite sound like a lethal weapon, that’s not the case and Power Kites are great fun. Wide open beaches like Wells next the Sea are ideal spots to start to learn how to fly your new kite. Within minutes you’ll be hooked as will any kids and hours will seem like minutes once you get going.
After only a few sessions, you will be practicing tricks and revelling in the joy of the sight and sound of the swooping kite. It’s a good idea when starting, to work in pairs, with one person flying the kite and one person straightening out the lines for a take-off, after an inevitable crash. The ‘assistant’ should stand behind the flyer at all time and not under the kite. You can practice swopping over from one to the other whilst the kite is flying or take a line each and practice tricks together.

ADDITIONAL EXTRAS
Some additional extra’s added whilst ordering your kite are a good investment…Padded wrist straps are a low cost must have buy. They come free with expensive top end kites, but are ordered as an extra with entry level models. But they make flying sessions so much more comfortable, especially when flying in a stiff breeze. Your hands and wrists take most of the force, so the padding saves rubbing and soreness.
Another additional extra is a tail…most Power Kites are shaped like a Parasail Wing, so do not need a tail for stability, unlike a traditional diamond shaped kite. So why add a tail? If you want a break from complicated tricks to just fly and swoop, the tail makes the kite quite magical and majestic. The shapes and patterns are quite mesmerising. When you’ve had enough down the kite, un-clip the tail and start ‘tricking’ again!

Convinced? Have a look at our video…

Do you have any experiences of kite flying on Wells beach? We would be pleased to hear your stories and receive any photos.

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Summer 2020 How Has Coronovirus Changed Your Seaside Holiday?

09/07/2020 • Carl Marsh •

A weekend away in Wells next the Sea, on the Norfolk coast, has given me a glimpse of how Coronovirus will change this year’s Summer holiday…

Accommodation
Staying at the Mousetrap is ideal whether you are still nervous about Coronovirus, or more relaxed since lock down has been eased. As a holiday cottage, Mousetrap is self-contained, so you can reduce contact with other people. Having a whole house to yourselves and only being in contact with members of your own family is the ideal social distancing situation.
Unlike a guest house, lodge, dorm, hostel and even some hotels, you only have to share bathrooms with your own family. Even better, the Mousetrap has 2 x separate toilets, a large family bathroom and en-suite facilities in one of the bedrooms. Ideal if you are in a mixed family group – for example, visiting with Grandparents.
The Mousetrap also has two car parking spaces right outside the door. So, you can pull up and offload with little or no contact with anyone. You can bring your own groceries, if you are apprehensive about using local shops and cook for yourself all week, again reducing contact with others.

However, if this all seems a bit too severe….

Bars, Restaurants & Cafes
I visited a number of local hostelries to check out their new COVID-19 procedures…

Golden Fleece
One of my faves – I love their burgers. This pub restaurant (more restaurant, than pub) is usually bursting at the seams, so I was surprised at being able to book a table. But then again it is only early July – probably need much more notice come mid-July and August.

Entrance and exit are more strictly controlled, and you have to wait to be shown to your table. You cannot just waltz in through the front or rear doors, as you used to be able to do. Sanitizer is offered and expected to be used, upon entrance.

They have spaced out their tables both downstairs and upstairs and introduced disposable menus, upon which you write your selections. This reduces waitress contact time. Although they still make a separate contact asking if you want drinks while waiting for your food and then again at the end of the meal to process your card payment at your table.
Large tables are no longer catered for – I think the last time there were 12 of us and we pushed several tables together. Not allowed now – tables are not to be moved, to retain social distancing.
All in all though, the experience was not dissimilar to the last time I visited pre-COVID

Globe
Another favourite because it is wonderfully located on the Buttlands. Again, controlled entrance and sanitizer. If you have not booked a table you will not be able to sit inside, only outside in the courtyard. We had not booked, but it suited us because it was a nice evening and we only intended having a quick drink before heading back to the cottage. They had fired up the courtyard pizza oven, so we shared a freshly cooked pizza with our pints.

Don’t expect to simply walk in as you might have done in the past. Book ahead, whether you just want a table in the Courtyard for a drink or want to sit inside and have a full meal.

As I was only in Wells for the weekend, I didn’t have time to check out my other favourites: Wells Crab House, Bowling Green and the Albatros. However, I spoke with Wells Crab House, because they were showing as closed on their website. Kelly the owner, was just preparing for opening and was already, almost fully booked for the whole of July!

Cafes
I visited several cafes and here the experience is a bit more frustrating! By their nature Cafes are not ‘bookable’ and are ‘drop in’ operations. This is where we as a family hit the buffers! Most cafes have tables for two and four, so when we rock up and there are five of us it causes them problems as they have spaced out the tables to provide social distancing. We tried several and eventually gave up because we would have to wait for quite a long time (usually outside on the street). So, if you are a family of five or more you might need a Plan B!

Fish & Chips (& Takeaways)
…and this might be your Plan B? Wells’s two chippies were doing a good trade (as usual), with many people sitting on the quayside wall. Very nice in early July – but it might be a bit too crowded for comfort come mid-July and August, So maybe get your takeaway and take it back to your Holiday Cottage. No problem if staying at the Mousetrap as its less than 10 minutes’ walk from the Quayside.

Beaches
The jewel in North Norfolk’s crown didn’t disappoint – the beaches were wonderful! For a change I decided to take the family over to Burnham Overy Staithe. The walk from the Quayside along the sea defences to the beach takes 20+ minutes. After which, you arrive at the dunes and then the beach opens up in front of you – WOW! No problems with social distancing here. There’s space in abundance. As is the case on Wells beach and all the way around to Holkham.

Summary
Your Summer holiday will be a bit different this year. But not so much it will be spoiled. North Norfolk and Wells next the Sea is an ideal choice, especially if staying in a holiday cottage. You can control your contact with others, dependent on your comfort level. But the constant is the wonderful wide open space of the sea and beaches.

We would be pleased to hear of your experience visiting Wells, or other location on the North Norfolk coast – simply contact us by email or any of our social media – see the links below.

Mousetrap is a spacious, family friendly holiday home with 3 bedrooms, sleeping 6, free car parking and free wi-fi. Check out our: Facebook, Twitter,Instagram and YouTube pages Email: enquiry@mousetrapwells.co.uk Mobile: 07966 191 737

Winner of 2019/20 Subscriber Prize Draw – FREE WEEKEND – Annette W, Slough

12/02/2020 • Carl Marsh •

Although a bit later than usual we can finally announce this years winner of our SUBSCRIBER PRIZE DRAW is Annette W, Slough. Annette wins a free long weekend at the Mousetrap. Upon contacting Annette with the good news she said “Thank you so much for this offer. Such a lovely surprise”.

All Mousetrap subscribers are automatically eligible to receive the prize. We draw a name at random from our subscriber base just after New Year for a free Winter/Spring break.

Last years winner Stacey Pallister said “Myself and my family enjoy spending times in Wells because it has something for everyone, young and old. People are friendly. Shops and restaurants are fantastic and the beach is wonderful. The Mousetrap is a perfect location to visit Wells next the Sea because it is central. No need to worry about parking or driving around”. Stacey enjoyed taking her family Alpaca Trekking and enjoying pancakes on the Albatros.

Mousetrap subscribers benefit from:

– Chance to win a FREE WEEKEND
– Being first to receive reduced price stays at the MOUSETRAP due to cancellations
– Receive news of special events worth visiting North Norfolk for…
– We promise to send no more than 12 emails per year, but it’s often less

So please stay subscribed…next year it could be you?!

Mousetrap is a spacious family friendly holiday home with 3 bedrooms, sleeping 6, free car parking and free wi-fi. Check out our: Facebook, Twitter,Instagram and YouTube pages Email: enquiry@mousetrapwells.co.uk Mobile: 07966 191 737

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