Quirky house created around a Victorian railway carriage, close to a quiet beach

The Patch is a homely, spacious, smoke-free holiday home in its own large, private garden, a few minutes walk from a quiet, undeveloped beach on the north west coast of Norfolk.
It's a great base for any configuration of guests - for singles, couples, friends, families (and dogs!)
The Patch can sleep up to eight people in total, and is available all year round.

At its heart is an original wooden railway carriage, dating from Victorian times! We believe this was put in place in the late 1920s or early 30s. and the rest of the house has grown up around it. This has been adapted to provide two comfortable bedrooms and the shower room/toilet. Two further bedrooms are upstairs.
All bedrooms have freestanding electric oil-filled radiators. Electric blankets on all beds in winter - except a hot water bottle for the top bunk!

There's a big sitting/dining room with a table and chairs, three piece suite, and a big woodburner which in the colder seasons of the year creates a glowing heart of warmth for the house.
Lots of books for all ages, maps and guides to the local area. A cupboard full of toys, games and pastimes to suit most people and especially children.
A television and DVD player with plenty of family-friendly films is tucked out of sight in a wooden cabinet, so as not to be the focal point of the room!
There is also wifi - indispensible these days of course.

The kitchen is large, with a table and six chairs, full sized electric cooker with double oven, and all the usual small electricals including a slow cooker and even a mixer and baking materials (and recipe books) in case you fancy whipping up a blackberry crumble to follow the tasty casserole that's been cooking all day while you've been out and about. Currently there's no dishwasher, but we are hoping to change that this year.
In the kitchen there's also a small under-counter fridge. A second fridge and a freezer are housed in an outhouse in the corner of the back garden. The washing machine is here as well.

Outside, there's room to park two or three cars in the grassy front garden. The back garden is very private, and guests who bring small children and dogs have told us it's practically escape proof - though you'd also have to shut the front gates, of course! And bear in mind that the lake is just the other side of the track that runs past the house.

On a summer's evening you might relax with a glass of wine on the long bench under the canopy that runs the length of the house. Perhaps you'll be treated to one of Snettisham's magnificent sunsets!
Or enjoy breakfast in the back garden on a bright, sunny morning, surrounded by birdsong, and hear the cuckoo, if you're lucky.

You're bound to be visited by ducks, and probably rabbits and the occasional muntjac deer as well. And you're very welcome to top up the bird feeders, from supplies in the shed.

The nearest shops are in Snettisham village, about two miles inland - a small Co-op with indoor cashpoint, open long hours. It's useful to know that amongst other facilities, the village also has a chemist, vet and doctors surgery. Two good pubs - the Queen Victoria and the Rose and Crown, and several other eating places are there too.

The Patch is not right on on the coast itself, but set in seclusion back behind a gleaming lake, about five to ten minutes walk along rough footpaths to the shore of the mighty Wash and walk further to the internationally-famous
RSPB SNETTISHAM bird and wildlife reserve, which many Patch guests come especially to experience.
Many visitors come in the winter, to view the awe-inspiring flocks of birds, in particular the huge gatherings of pink footed geese, which travel thousands of miles from Siberia to overwinter on the rich mudflats of THE WASH.
You can find out everything you need to know about the wildlife reserve by visiting the website of the #RSPB and navigating to the #Snettisham reserve.

Straight out of the gateway to The Patch - take yourself on a blustery walk along the almost-deserted track that follows the line of the beach. On the other side of the track you walk past an eccentric community of bungalows, chalets and adapted caravans - parallel with a chain of long, narrow lakes created in the last century from shingle quarries. Reach the skeletal remains of the old shingle jetty, from which vast quantities of shingle used to be loaded, to be taken off to create many of the airfields of World Wars 1 and 2. Sit in the Rotary bird hide with views over the inland lakes, and from the other side over the vast expanse of The Wash. Carry on to Waders Watchpoint with a few benches set ready to view flocks and skeins of birds flying in and out, calling as they go. Walk further round the end of the lake, to find Knots Landing - a fabulous hide with big viewing windows and raked seating.
These are the things that bring people to this very special place!
Oh - just a warning - there are NO TOILETS UP HERE - BE WARNED!


Here are a few of the major attractions in the wider area: -

SNETTISHAM FARM PARK - a working farm, but very much geared up for visitors. Play barn for children, young animals, tractor rides to see the deer herd. Excellent cafe and farm shop.

PONY RIDES available nearby.

BIRCHAM WINDMILL - no longer working, but in its authentic preserved state, a great place to explore, and wonderful views from the gallery near the top. Tea shop, animals, sheep feeding, bicycle hire.

A couple of miles away is WILD KEN HILL, featured in several seasons of BBC TV's Spring, Autumn and Winterwatch nature series. A wonderful rewilding project is taking place, drawing in birds, insects, amphibians and mammals. Beavers, otters, rough-coated cattle, pigs are amongst them. It's very much a working environment with a serious purpose. Sign up for a tractor and trailer ride around the farm to learn all about it.

A few miles in the opposite direction is #SANDRINGHAM, the Royal Family's Norfolk estate. A number of big events are held here during the year - fairs, concerts and shows, and you can also visit parts of the house and gardens. You may even catch a glimpse of the occasional Royal!

CASTLE RISING is a must-visit destination for families with children in particular - a perfect mediaval castle steeped in history, surrounded by a grassy rampart, with spiral staircases, corridors leading to stony rooms, arched windows and of course a long-drop garderobe toilet. Summertime re-enactments some weekends, a tea shop and shop, and plenty of room for picnics and running around.
The village is very attractive, there's a great pub, The Black Horse, and lovely welcoming tea room. A beautiful historic church, with the heads of cats carved around the ancient font. And several interesting shops.

KINGS LYNN, the largest town in the area with lots of shops and plenty to see and do. Swimming pool, leisure centre, museums, cinema and so on.

HUNSTANTON - a cheerful seaside town, purpose-built for holiday makers in Victorian times. Theatre/cinema, swimming pool and leisure centre, permanent fairground rides, lovely beach, lots of cafes and ice cream shops.
And...THE BIGGEST JOKE SHOP IN THE COUNTRY!