Pub with rooms in Wiveton, Norfolk | The Wiveton Bell

Overview

Sleepy Wiveton stands just a mile inland from bustling Blakeney and the glorious coastal salt marshes and the stylishly spruced up Wiveton Bell overlooks the peaceful village green and church.

Having owned a cottage on the Norfolk coast for well over a decade, Sandy Butcher and Berni Morritt snapped up the faded free house in 2007 so they had a good reason to spend more time close to their Blakeney bolthole and Bernie's boat. Expect a chic interior, with earthy Farrow & Ball hues, stripped beams, chunky tables and oak-planked floors. Further character is provided by the bold, contemporary oil paintings by local artists (for sale) that line the walls of the cosy bar and the airy conservatory dining room.

Add a clutch of gorgeous rooms upstairs and in adjacent cottages, then the Wiveton Bell becomes the perfect base from which to explore the stunning beaches and marshes on the doorstep. Expect a huge, smiley welcome and friendly and efficient service from the team of young staff.

Rooms from:

6 doubles: £90

Good to know

All major credit cards accepted (except Amex)

Alfresco dining

Disabled access to bar & dining room

Parking available

No dogs overnight

2 night stay minimum

Alfresco heaven

The sunny south facing garden becomes an extension to the conservatory dining room on warm summer days. The sheltered box-edged decked and grassed area, replete with posh cream brollies, smart garden furniture and patio heaters, is very popular, so be sure to book your alfresco table early.

Foodie treats - take it back home

Blakeney Deli is a specialist, family-owned fine food and wine emporium that champions Norfolk independent businesses, offering local treats and goodies from 18 Norfolk artisan suppliers.

Rooms

Sandy's real passion has been developing and furnishing her gorgeous rooms, lavishing time and money to ensure they are super comfortable and kitted out with every conceivable extra to make a stay memorable.

Somehow, she managed to find space to add rooms , with Library, White Room and Panelled Room above the pub (two with private balconies), and Garden Room, Starlight Room and Old Store occupying adjacent cottages, all with alfresco seating; Garden Room has it's own private terrace. Expect contemporary styling and a French shabby-chic feel, with ornate mirrors, painted furniture and antique French beds with Egyptian cotton, goose down duvets and pillows, and cosy quilts. Two have Victorian claw-foot baths, others are fully tiled wet rooms with under floor heating, rain showers, bathrobes, and posh Ren toiletries.

Fresh bread and warm croissants from Blakeney Deli are delivered between 8.30am and 9am and placed in the 'Tuck Box' outside the door (remember to leave it out), and each room has a toaster, fresh coffee and a fridge containing butter, milk, orange juice and jams.

Restaurant & bar

Innovative, good value, seasonal menus earned the Bell a well deserved Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2020. The kitchen team make sound use of local ingredients, from Cley Smokehouse haddock, Blakeney crabs and Morston mussels (all nearby villages), to saltmarsh grazed beef, and game from local estates.

At dinner, this may translate to starters of Cley Smokehouse haddock souffle or a steaming bowl of Brancaster mussels with garlic and white wine sauce. Main dishes may include ox cheek bourguignon, pork tenderloin with salt-baked celeriac, black pudding and crab apple gel, or a pub classic like aged local beef burger with triple-cooked chips. Additional lighter dishes at lunch may feature fish pie and chicken Caesar salad. On Sunday, don't miss Paul Graves saltmarsh grazed beef sirloin served with duck fat roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, seasonal vegetables, and Yorkshire pudding.

Despite the emphasis on dining, the bar forms the focal point and attracts a good local drinking crowd, with the tables close to the huge inglenook fireplace providing welcome space for locals and dog walkers popping in for a refreshing pint of Yetman's Ale, which is brewed along the road.

Things to do

The North Norfolk Coast has been described as a long way from anywhere and that is certainly the impression it gives, especially when you stroll its many miles of deserted beaches. The region offers enormous scope for all kinds of walking - long, short and medium. One of the most popular haunts of walkers is the region's remote Holkham Beach, immortalised in the film Shakespeare in Love. It's just the place to enjoy wild beauty and stunning wide skies.

Felbrigg Hall's splendid park is one of the highlights of a visit to this popular National Trust visitor attraction a short distance from Cromer. Here, you can explore over 500 acres of woods and miles of waymarked paths where nature and wildlife are much in evidence.

Watching seals at home in their natural environment on Blakeney Point (also a well-known breeding ground for waders and terns), is a popular boating excursion. Boats leave from Morston Quay and the trip lasts for one hour, but if weather conditions are favourable, boats will land on Blakeney Point for an additional 30-60 minutes.