The Mousetrap offers a super holiday base to explore and experience Wells next the Sea and the wider North Norfolk Coast. Nestled opposite the church and centrally located 800 metres behind the Quay, The Mousetrap offers an easy walk to the harbour, shops, pubs and cafes of this vibrant seaside town – voted the second best seaside resort in Britain by Holiday Which magazine. The town has a maze of narrow streets, old alleys and yards, filled with shops, pubs and cafes and there are many listed and impressive Georgian and Victorian buildings. A Co-Op supermarket is 100 metres walk through the church yard and for the evenings when you just can’t be bothered to cook, The Bowling Green pub is no more than 50 metres walk. They serve good pub food most evenings.
Wells next the Sea has a picturesque harbour and excellent sandy beaches. Sailing, windsurfing, boat trips, riding and cycling are just some of the activities available locally. It’s an area of outstanding natural beauty and nationally important for is wildlife. Nearby Blakeney Point is home to England’s largest Grey Seal colony. Boat trips to view the seals can be taken most days (tides and breeding season dependant).
The beautiful sandy beach, with its pine trees, sand dunes and colourful beach huts, can be reached by foot, by car or by using a miniature steam train from the harbour. Or, just enjoy the Quay with its active fishing fleet, sailing club, bars, cafes and even a former Dutch cargo ship built in 1899 as a North Sea clipper – now serving delicious pancakes, snacks and drinks. If you have kids – a couple of quid buying a crab line and bucket will be one of the best investments, you can make. They can then join the dozens of other folk ‘Gillying’ – catching shore crabs. Hours of innocent fun guaranteed!
Both Wells-next-the-Sea and Holkham Woods are designated Nature Reserves, and walkers and birdwatchers visit the area to enjoy the North Norfolk Coastal Path, creeks and marshes. The area is excellent for bird watching and RSPB bird and nature reserves are close by.
There are a number of nationally important ‘stately homes’ in the area.
Sandringham is the much-loved country retreat of Her Majesty The Queen, and has been the private home of four generations of British monarchs since 1862. The house, set in 24 hectares of stunning gardens, is perhaps the most famous stately home in Norfolk and is at the heart of the 8,000-hectare Sandringham Estate, 240 hectares of which make up the woodland and heath of the Country Park, open to the public free of charge every day of the year.
Holkham Hall is home to the 8th Earl of Leicester. The Hall is open to visitors March to October. With its splendid Palladian architecture, William Kent designs, vast collection of paintings, sculptures, books and manuscripts, private guided tours of Holkham Hall offer visitors a unique experience. The grounds offer a serene setting and can be reached by bicycle from The Mousetrap. The National Cycle Network – Wells and Holkham circuit – passes through the park from the north to south gates. The sweeping park that surrounds the Hall is home to a large herd of Fallow Deer and a small herd of Red Deer. The evergreen oaks, that are such a feature of the park, are Mediterranean in origin and were brought to Holkham from Italy. Designated walks allow visitors to explore the 3,000-acres grounds and take a closer look at prominent landmarks, such as the monument to Coke of Norfolk and the obelisk.
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Mousetrap
Church Street
Wells Next the Sea
Norfolk
NR23 1JA