Holly Tree Cottage
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About the home
Holly Tree Cottage is situated in the heart of the Norfolk Broads, close to beautiful locations like How Hill Nature Reserve, Blickling Hall and Horsey Mill (all National Trust), and miles of clean, sandy beaches. Within easy cycling distance you can hire anything from a canoe to an electric day boat to a river cruiser to explore the Norfolk broads, or take a ride with one of a number of passenger boats. Parking for one or two cars is in our own courtyard away from the road, and there are bus routes to Wroxham, Norwich and Great Yarmouth which pass by the house.
We are located midway between the National Nature Reserves of Hickling and Barton Broads, which you can explore with the four adults bicycles available for our guests.
This is an ideal base for nature lovers, with many RSPB, Norfolk Wildlife Trust and other reserves within a short drive, one of the main reasons why we moved here in 2007. The beautiful, long unspoilt beaches of the North Norfolk coast are just 5 miles away, as well as many pretty villages and beauty spots within easy reach. Norwich, with it's fine cathedral and medieval feel is 12 miles away, and Wroxham, the capital of the Broads just 8 miles.
| Size: | Sleeps up to 4, 2 bedrooms |
|---|---|
| Nearest beach: | Waxham, 8km |
| Will consider: | House swaps |
| Access: | Car advised Wheelchair access Nearest amenities: 50m |
| Family friendly? | Suitable for over 5s only Suitable for people with restricted mobility |
| Notes: | May take pets - please enquire No smoking at this property Self-catering |
Facilities
| Luxuries: | Log fire, Internet access, DVD player |
|---|---|
| General: | Central heating, TV, CD player, Wi-fi available |
| Standard: | Kettle, Toaster, Iron, Hair dryer |
| Utilities: | Cooker, Microwave, Fridge, Freezer, Washing machine |
| Rooms: | 2 Bedrooms, 1 shower room |
| Furniture: | Double beds (2), Dining seating for 4, Lounge seating for 4 |
| Other: | Please check with the advertiser regarding linen and towels |
| Outdoors: | Shared garden, BBQ, Bicycles available, Swing set |
| Access: | Wheelchair friendly, Secure parking |
Further details indoors:
Holly Tree Cottage is a completely separate part of a Victorian house in a pretty village, less than 100 yards from the local pub (with excellent food!) and the Post Office/shop.
There is a fully fitted kitchen with a new gas cooker, microwave, washing machine and everything you are likely to need. The living room has a stereo (easily attachable to your own MP3 player!), 19" LCD TV, DVD/CD player and digital TV recorder, with a comfortable leather suite and extensive selection of books, DVDs and CDs. WiFi internet access is included in the price, and we can even loan you a PC to check your email.
The kitchen, living and dining rooms, and shower room are all on the ground floor, at the same level, and so if you have a member of your party who prefers not to use stairs, we are happy to install a single bed in the ground floor dining room. Please note, however, that although the cottage could sleep up to 5, the facilities are really suited for a maximum of 4 people!
Holly Tree Cottage, whilst private, is attached to the main house, and one advantage of this is that if you need anything which is not already supplied, or are looking for suggestions or guidance, you have only to ask and we'll do what we can to help!
Further details outdoors:
Although Holly Tree Cottage is attached to our main house, it enjoys the best access to the garden through French windows, and here we have a covered gazebo area seating up to 6 or more, perfect for enjoying dinner on balmy Norfolk evenings. There is also a 2 seater swing-seat next to our fishpond where you can watch the butterflies and dragonflies dance. Sadly, our enormous carp Trevor is no longer with us, so we've reconfigured the pond for wildlife only, hoping to encourage newts, grass-snakes and dragonfly nymphs as our neighbours have in theirs. To encourage wildlife into the garden, beyond the fish pond is an area which we are deliberately leaving to grow, including a wildlife stack we built as a home for overwintering insects and hedgehogs.
We're also in the process of going greener - we already have a wood boiler, rainwater harvesting tanks, and solar panels for hot water, and are actively making plans for roof-mounted electricity-generating panels and an electric car in the near future. We're quite relaxed about this, so while we're happy to show interested guests what we've done, please don't worry if you don't feel the same way as us!
Note that you'll only be sharing the garden with us, and we try to keep a low profile when guests are staying in the cottage.
Further details
Having only started up Holly Tree Cottage in 2009, we still have a way to go! Over the last couple of years we've tidied the garden a lot, clearing and planting wild flowers and fruit trees in the area beyond the pond, which gave a stunning display when in flower in early summer 2010, and while in 2011 it wasn't so brilliant (mainly because of the serious spring drought in Norfolk), it was still pretty wonderful! We've recently laid a new driveway, installed a private parking place close to the cottage, and continued the development of the garden, so although we've still a way to go, we're getting there!
We also successfully ran two holiday apartments for five years when we lived in Italy, so we're not exactly beginners, and have had many very positive responses from our guests over the few years in Norfolk. Of course, we're always very open to new suggestions, and will do all we can to make your stay with us relaxing and enjoyable.
All bedding and towels are included in the price, together with electricity and wood for the stove. We've recently fitted a new Worcester Bosch gas boiler into the cottage so that it now has fully independent central heating for when the weather turns chilly.
Conditions
Please note that the pond area is not fenced off, and we have shelters stacked high with wood for our boiler and stoves. For these reason we don't recommend Holly Tree Cottage to those with small children.
Guests with one or two well-behaved dogs would be welcome but please mention this when enquiring.
Photos
The East Anglia / Norfolk region
The Norfolk Broads are popular for those looking to holiday in a picturesque, laid-back area with strong historical connections, friendly locals, and proper beer! Glorious beaches and sweeping coastlines, unspoilt countryside and wildlife, stately homes and medieval heritage, vibrant arts scenes, city entertainment and shopping, seaside fun, attractions and bustling market towns - this is an area full of interest, yet relaxed and easy going.
Of course, British weather is notoriously difficult to predict, but between June and September, temperatures around here are comfortable, and it is unusual for the sun to stay hidden for more than a few days at a time.
The Stalham / Catfield area
We are within cycling distance of Barton and Hickling Broads National Nature Reserves, Howe Hill (National Trust), and Catfield Fen (Butterfly Conservation). RSPB reserves like Titchwell Marsh, Minsmere, Lakenheath Fen, Strumpshaw and Berney Marshes are all easily drivable, as are many other exciting areas of interest to nature lovers. The nearest beaches are at Waxham and Horsham (famous for seal-watching) just 5 miles away, and are clean and wonderfully free of commercialism.
An easy drive (or a bus ride) will take you to beautiful local centres like Horning and Wroxham, and just 12 miles away lies Norwich, a truly amazing city (where we have yet to discover a straight road!), the most complete medieval city in Britain with fascinating museums, a magnificent cathedral, a Norman castle, ancient pubs, cobbled streets, half-timbered houses, a jumble of medieval lanes and a delightful old Watergate down by the riverside.
How to get there
Click map icons for more information
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| Nearest Travel Links | |
| Airport: | Norwich: 15 km |
| Railway: | Hoveton & Wroxham: 10 km |
| Ferry: | Harwich: 140 km |
There are hourly train services from London to Norwich, the major city and centre of Norfolk, from which frequent local train services run to our local station Hoveton and Wroxham, just 8 miles away. From here you can easily take a taxi, or we would be happy to collect you from Wroxham if we can. Whilst a car will enable you to travel further affield, there are several bus routes which pass by our house, and we have four bicycles for those wishing to explore the area on muscle power alone!
For visitors flying to the UK, Norwich has a busy airport, but the nearest major airport is London Stansted, about 2 drive hours from us, but also well connected by train and bus to Norwich.
For those arriving by car, note that Catfield is just off the main A149, midway between Stalham and Potter Heigham, north-east of Norwich. The best thing is to give us an idea of when you plan to arrive, and then call us when you enter the village. We'll jump up and down outside our front door to show you exactly where we are!
Activities near Stalham
Watersports
Horse Riding
Golf within 30 mins drive
Fishing
Walking holidays
Rural / countryside retreats
Beach or lakeside relaxation
Cycling holidays
Reviews
 07 Aug 2011 |
This was our first visit to Norfolk and we made a great choice! The cottage was well appointed and very comfortable, a great place for relaxing. We made good use of the lovely, private garden,... more |
26 Jun 2011 |
This was our first stay at Holly Tree Cottage and first trip to the Norfolk Braods. The accommodation was clean, very comfortable and the host Cynthia & Mike were both welcoming and helpful, and all... more |
14 Jun 2011 |
This was our second visit to Holly Tree Cottage. We enjoyed a really relaxing holiday in this sunny well equipped cottage. The garden was a great asset - we don't often breakfast outdoors! The... more |
Guestbook for Holly Tree Cottage
"Thank you for the lovely time we had here in your cottage. We loved the stove, the mince pies Cynthia made for us and the pies from the butchers in Stalham! Everything was wonderful. You can make wonderful walks around here, the nature is beautiful also in Winter.
We wish you Cynthia & Mike, Lucy & Beeza all the best for 2012!"
Daniel, Lisa & Birgitt, Bielefeld, Germany, Christmas 2011
"We have had a lovely time in Broadland - our first visit and won't be our last! The cottage is lovely and comfortable and has everything we want.
We have been to lots of places. Hickling Broad to see the swallowtail butterflies, had a trip on the boat to the treetop platform hides and thought this was great value.
My husband and I are birdwatchers, but also came here to look for special butterflies and dragonflies. Our target butterfly was the white admiral, two of which we saw at How Hill. What a lovely reserve this is! We went to Upton Broad twice, where there were dragonflies and damselflies all over. Our speciality, the Norfolk Hawker, is one exquisite dragonfly!
RSPB Strumpshaw Fen gave us lovely marsh harriers and reed warblers close to, from Fen Hide. We also liked this reserve where you can get white admiral butterflies on a good day.
Our last day took us to Winterton Downs to watch the lovely little terns. Most enjoyable!
A pity the weather had to break, but they do need rain here! We hope to be back to do some winter birding.
See you then Cynthia and Mike"
Anne & Rodney, Leeds, 11-18 June 2011
"Thank you for making our stay in Norfolk enjoyable. Your cottage is comfortable, very clean and well appointed. We have appreciated your help in sorting out places to visitr and feel that nothing is too much trouble for you. EXCELLENT HOSTS, would love to visit your cottage again!"
Kevin & Annetta, Scunthorpe, Lincs, May 2011
"Well equipped accommodation, good value for money, relaxing and quiet location, just what we needed to recharge the batteries, good cycling and touring!"
David & Dawn, Burnley, April 2011
"Thank you for a lovely New Year! We were made to feel really welcome. The cottage FAR exceeded our expectations. It was the simple touches that made all the difference. We shall definitely be back, thanks again Mike and Cynthia, see you soon!"
Pete and Hayley, New Year 2010
"Thanks for allowing us use of your homely cottage for Christmas. The log-burner was great! Best wishes for 2011!"
Elaine & Andy, Suffolk, Christmas 2010
"We had a lovely, relaxing week in a beautiful, cosy cottage. Loved the woodburner! Many thanks for all your help and hospitality. Good luck with all your eco projects."
Sue, Gemma and the dogs, October 2010
"Thank you for a lovely holiday. The cottage is very homely and in a great location. Bewilderwood is great if you have kids. Broads Tours is good for a river cruise at Wroxham."
Edwards famly, Hull, September 2010
"We have had a lovely week canoing, sailing, cycling, swimming. Have seen seals, swallowtail butterfly, 3 avocets and a barn owl to name the highlights. Have enjoyed the house and garden and the local wild plums. Many thanks!"
Lamburn family, August 2010
"My wife and I plus our small barking-mad dog Jasper stayed here for 2 weeks from 18th June to 3rd July 2010. The cottage really did tick ALL our boxes! The owners, Cynthia and Mike, who live in the adjacent house, are genuinely nice people who made us feel immediately very welcome, and even shared a very pleasant evening and several bottles of wine with us. The gardens are enormous with a lovely "back-to-nature" ambience about them - well-maintained but not fussily formal, which we and Jasper were free to enjoy. Mike and Cynthia included our electricity plus towels and loads of table and kitchen linen, toilet paper and cleaning materials which we didn't expect, so all of those extras really added much-appreciated value to our holiday."
Jim & Margaret, Falkirk, late June 2010
"Had a lovely relaxing holiday. This is a beautiful spot, and a very comfortable cottage, thank you for being such welcoming hosts. A wonderful way to recharge the batteries!"
Steve & Alison, Edinburgh, May 2010
"The accommodation was comfortable and very well equipped; the log burning stove and plentiful log supply kept us cosy and warm over New Year as the snow fell on the ground outside. Cynthia and Mike were very helpful in ensuring that we had a constant source of heat and hot water as the mercury fell. They also let us piggy back their broadband and procured us tickets for New Years' Eve at the friendly local pub."
Taylor family, New Year 2009-10
"We are so pleased we found this lovely place, it has been a lovely break for us all. So glad the dogs got on - we think Hubble has a real crush on Lucy! Good luck with your future guests, especially the 4-legged ones!"
Clarke family, Reading, August 2009
"The owners, Cynthia and Mike, together with their pets, made us very welcome. We were delighted with the facilities provided - which exceeded our expectations and we were particularly impressed with the cleanliness of the accommodation. The quiet village location allows ready access to all Broads activities and Norfolk attractions - even using the hourly (as it was) bus service."
"Born Free", West Yorks, May 2009
Rental prices
| Rental prices originally quoted in: British £ | Convert to: |
| Prices for group size 4 | ||||||
| Period | From | To | Weekly | Nightly rate | Minimum stay | |
| Weekday | Weekend | |||||
| Late Summer 2011 | 27 Aug 11 | 17 Sep 11 | £ 425 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Autumn 2011 | 17 Sep 11 | 29 Oct 11 | £ 350 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Winter 2011 | 29 Oct 11 | 21 Dec 11 | £ 295 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Xmas/New Year 2011 | 21 Dec 11 | 4 Jan 12 | £ 395 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Winter-Early Spring 2012 | 4 Jan 12 | 31 Mar 12 | £ 315 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Easter 2012 | 31 Mar 12 | 14 Apr 12 | £ 415 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Late Spring 2012 | 14 Apr 12 | 2 Jun 12 | £ 370 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Early Summer 2012 | 2 Jun 12 | 30 Jun 12 | £ 415 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Mid-Summer 2012 | 30 Jun 12 | 1 Sep 12 | £ 520 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Late Summer 2012 | 1 Sep 12 | 22 Sep 12 | £ 450 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Autumn - Winter 2012 | 22 Sep 12 | 22 Dec 12 | £ 315 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Xmas/New Year 2012 | 22 Dec 12 | 5 Jan 13 | £ 415 | - | - | 1 Week |
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.
Bookings will be confirmed following payment of a non-returnable 25% deposit, preferably by direct transfer into our UK bank account, with the balance payable at least 4 weeks before you are due to arrive. The keys to the cottage will not be released until full payment has been received. Please note, however, that we cannot take payments by credit or debit cards.
Once your stay is confirmed, we'll be in touch by email a week or two before you are due to arrive, to make sure that all is well, and to answer any final queries you may have.
AUTUMN 2011
After maintaining our rates for three years, we've finally had to increase them by a few percent starting January 2012. However, the new rates only apply to a party of four people (the maximum we can accommodate), and we're happy to offer a discount of £10 per person below this number, i.e. subtract £10 if you are a party of three, or £20 if there are just two of you. Smaller parties will then pay virtually the same rates as before.
As mentioned elsewhere, we recently installed a new Worcester-Bosch boiler, and originally hoped to include the costs of the LPG. Sadly, following a bad experience, we've decided to make a charge for gas. We stay in holiday cottages too and hate extras, but from this autumn onwards, we'll ask you to pay for the costs of the gas you use above a reasonable amount which will be included in the standard rate, mainly to cover cooking. We won't make a profit from this, but if you like a particularly warm environment, it's only fair that you cover the costs of this. We have installed a meter, and will take readings before and after your stay, and promise to make the figures as clear as we can.
Of course, other costs: pets, bed linen, towels, electricity and fuel for the woodstove in the living room are all included (as always), so if when it's cold outside you prefer to relax in front of a glowing fire rather than a steel radiator, then this will not worry you!
Availability
See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here
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Availability notes:
We keep our availability calender fully up to date at all times, so enquire with confidence!
Contact the owner
* Required fields Please check the following errors: | 2 years listed You are contacting Cynthia & Mike Irving
Languages spoken    The owner is based in the United Kingdom and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2009. This cottage has received 3 reviews from previous guests.  |
Holiday accommodation in England (11679)
