This weekend we walked from Cromer to Felbrigg Hall on an absolutely stunning circular walk we found. The changing landscape as you meander deeper into the countryside is the perfect antidote for whatever the week has thrown at you. From beautiful woodland to sprawling fields, the route there and back is incredible...you'll definitely have at least a few "pinch me moments" and a need to stop and just take it all in.
This walk is a long one (c.15km) so won't be suitable for everyone. Felbrigg Hall is an amazing hidden gem though and well worth visiting for a walk round it's grounds even if you drive directly there. It's a stunning National Trust property and it's the perfect destination for a day trip. It's actually the closest National Trust property to our house (hence why we loved finding this walk so much). Because of this, I might be biased, but I'll let you judge for yourself.
Felbrigg Hall is a beautiful 17th-century country house surrounded by parkland and gardens. Take a tour of the house and discover its fascinating history, from its links to the wealthy Squire family to its use as a base for American troops during the Second World War.
But the real highlight of Felbrigg Hall is its gardens. The walled garden is a must-see, with its beautiful flower borders and impressive greenhouse. Take a stroll through the woodland garden and enjoy the tranquility of the peaceful lake, or explore the ornamental garden and its collection of sculptures and fountains.
What we love most about Felbrigg Hall though is its dog friendly network of walking trails that take you through the parkland and into the surrounding countryside. You could spend all day walking around and finding new treasures to discover. In fact we have, many times! The estate has been beautifully curated and every detail thought through. When you find the lake, take a seat on one of the benches surrounding it and you'll see how the house has been built to sit perfectly as a backdrop against the water, as if it's sitting in a perfectly sized picture frame. Or find the stunning church on the blue walking route that somehow always manages to glisten in the sunshine on even the most overcast of days. There's even a woodland adventure playground for the little ones to enjoy.
But Felbrigg Hall isn't just a great place to visit for its history, gardens or stunning walks. There's also a range of events and activities taking place throughout the year, from outdoor theatre performances to guided tours of the estate. There's also a great café on site with loads of tables in a beautiful courtyard, or picnic table seating just a few minutes away (with a wonderful view of the house) if you fancy bringing your own food.
If you do decide to ditch the Cromer to Felbrigg Circular Walk and drive directly there (which I don't blame you on, it is a long one), Felbrigg is also really close to two of Norfolk's award-winning Gastro Pubs; The Gunton Arms and The Suffield Arms, with both being less than a 15 minute drive from Felbrigg. Check out our "Foodie Heaven: Exploring the Best Pubs in Norfolk" blog to find out more. All I would say is, if you're anything like us and a massive foodie, no trip to Felbrigg would be complete without a trip to either of these pubs too.
If you're feeling super adventurous and fancy walking to Felbrigg from Cromer like we did (we really just fancied being immersed in nature and wanted a full day out of the house), you can get the walking route on AllTrails (a free app) listed under "Cromer and Felbrigg Circular". It's a 14.8km circular route that takes you through the sights of Cromer and out to Felbrigg and back, through amazing countryside and takes around 3 hours 40min in total (but we always take much longer as we stop for a coffee at Felbrigg before doing the rest of the route back). Means you can build up even more of an appetite for all the delicious food in Cromer once you're back - here's a list of our Cromer favourite here.
I genuinely love Felbrigg Hall; it's a hidden gem in Norfolk that's just waiting to be discovered and it's even more amazing with the walk from Cromer added on....totally worth the achy legs in the morning!