Titchwell Manor

Last Sunday, I took myself on a holiday to North Norfolk and stayed at the very lovely Titchwell Manor.  I learned about the hotel, and the area in general, after reading an article about Houghton Revisited, an  exhibit of the impressive art collection that once belonged to Sir Robert Walpole - the first Prime Minister of Great Britain - at his family home, Houghton Hall (the collection was subsequently sold to Catherine the Great, this exhibit is the first time it has returned to its original home.).  Interested in the exhibit and the Hall, I checked the Houghton Revisited website for more information, and listed among the recommended places to stay was Titchwell Manor.  After one glance at their website, I fell in love with it. After seeing that Houghton Revisited was sold out for the month, I decided to head to North Norfolk to see the coast and enjoy Titchwell Manor anyway, taking advantage of a special Sunday night "dinner, bed and breakfast" offer  (and the fact that I did not have class until 6:30 pm on Monday!).

After a slightly bumpy journey (Tube closures, cancelled trains, diverted trains, causing a late arrival and a missed bus) I finally arrived at Titchwell, where I was shown to a beautiful room (complete with a comfy king sized bed and a fabulous claw foot bath tub).

Tempted as I was to simply soak in the tub and take a long nap, I instead set out on a walk on the path through the marsh across the road from the hotel.  It was a brisk, breezy and sunny afternoon, perfect for a stroll.

I wish I could bottle up the light that soaked the marsh as afternoon began to turn to evening - the pictures do not do it justice.

Following my walk (and yes, a quick soak in the tub), it was time for dinner in the Conservatory - the fine dining restaurant on the property.  After ten days of toast and cereal (thanks to a lingering stomach bug), I was so looking forward to my meal, and it did not disappoint!

  

Mushroom ravioli to start, pork belly for my main, and a little sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream to cap it off.  From start to finish, it was delicious.

The next morning, I boarded another bus to Holkham to see what I was told is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.  I don't think that's much of an exaggeration.

If it looks at all familiar, it is the same beach used in the final scenes of Shakespeare in Love (in my mind, I looked just as peaceful and elegant as Gwyneth as I walked along the sand...).

All too soon I had to hop back on the coast hopper bus (a very convenient little bus network that gets us car-less folks to and fro along the Norfolk coast.) and hop on the train back to London.  It was not nearly long enough, but my quick escape to the coast was lovely and I look forward to returning with a bit more time.