Overstrand Sea House United Kingdom
Holiday Home Rental Description
The name of this wonderful property gives the game away. This beautiful gem sits in the north Norfolk coastal village of Overstrand with sensational uninterrupted sea views. It is a beautiful place with three bedrooms, delightful modern living space and a gorgeous garden but it is those views that get the top marks!
Overstrand was once a modest fishing station but became popular and known as ‘the village of millionaires’ in the latter part of the 19th century. The London journalist and travel writer Clemend Scott came to the village in 1883 and christened the area ‘Poppyland’. Many others from London society then came and the Edwardian architect Sir Edwin Lutyens designed Overstrand Hall. The Overstrand biplane bomber was named after the village, having been made at the Boulton & Paul aircraft factory in Norwich in the early 1930’s. Overstrand Beach is unspoilt and absolutely glorious. The village is full of charm and character. Just two miles away is Cromer followed by Sheringham, Weybourne, Blakeney and Wells-next-the-Sea. You can walk along the beach to Cromer. In the opposite direct, you will discover Mundesley. Holt is a gorgeous market town and Norwich is also within easy reach, as are the Norfolk Broads.
Overstrand Sea House is beautifully presented with stylish decor, a calm, neutral colour palette and walls of glass that ensure that this wonderful house is drowned in natural light and offers those superb sea views. Built in the 1960’s, the house enjoys Art Deco design and has recently been renovated to a very high standard. It is set back from the cliff overlooking the sea and offering a luxury self-catering retreat for families or groups of friends. It is beautifully chic, effortlessly stylish and oozes a warm and welcoming ambience. Soft pastels decorate the walls, whitewashed ceiling beams add character and you can crank up the wood burner if a coastal chill descends on the evening.
The living room enjoys sumptuous sofas and chairs where you can snuggle while watching a movie after a busy day on the beach, that is of course if you can take your eyes off the captivating sea views. The dining room is smart and attractive with a large table and chairs and access to the enclosed back garden. There is also a delightful snug, a perfect place to disappear to with the Sunday newspapers and a cup of tea. The country kitchen sits in between with its excellent appliances and joyful colour splashes.
The master bedroom suite enjoys a lavish super kingsize bed, adorned with hotel quality linens and pretty soft furnishings. It also offers an ensuite bathroom and a stylish wooden ceiling. With a wrap around window to let in the unique sparkle of the Norfolk light, the morning sun makes this a fabulous master. The other bedrooms are a lovely double with a kingsize bed and a single room. Guests staying in these rooms share the family bathroom plus there is a toilet on the ground floor.
The garden is beautiful, overlooking the sea and offering alfresco dining with a barbecue. It is beautifully kept with colourful plants and mature shrubs. There is a wonderful alfresco lounge area, perfect for pre-dinner drinks and a family boardgame or two. Overstrand Sea House is located in the charming village of Overstrand on the north Norfolk coast. In enjoys a fascinating history and is a wonderful spot to explore the north Norfolk coast, the Norfolk broads and the many characterful villages and towns. The beach is absolutely beautiful and totally unspoilt. You can walk along to the lively seaside resort of Cromer.
Cromer is a quintessential British seaside resort. It is famous for its delicious Cromer crabs, wide open beaches, its lighthouse, its iconic pier and its proud tradition of RNLI service. The Henry Blogg Museum offers a wonderful insite into the lifeboat service’s history. Cromer boasts many small local independent shops and restaurants and feels a little as though you have gone back in time.
On the other side of Overstrand is the charming Victorian seaside village of Mundesley. Set in another Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, visitors enjoy breathtaking coastal walks on the Paston Way and the Norfolk Coast Path. Mundesley became popular with the Victorians after the opening of a railway in 1889.
National Trust lovers can enjoy Blickling Hall, Felbrigg Hall and Blakeney Point. Blickling Hall is a beautiful Jacobean mansion in 4,600 acres brimming with ancient yew hedges, stunning mature gardens, hiking and cycle routes.
Sheringham is another traditional seaside town. It was once an old fishing village and now boasts a Blue Flag beach, scenic walks along the picturesque promenade, pastel-painted beach huts, a theatre, museums, cafes, tea rooms, restaurants and many special events. There is a Viking Festival each winter, celebrating the town history and the Crab and Lobster Festival and Sheringham Carnival in the summer months. There is also a Steam Gala in the autumn, celebrating the heritage North Norfolk Railway which runs from Sheringham to Holt, through Kelling with awesome sea views along the way. The National Trust’s Sheringham Park is a popular excursion with miles of hilly countryside covered with gorse and purple heather. Fantastic views can be found at the top of Beeston Bump, a large grassy hill 103 metres tall.
Further inland, Norwich is a wonderful city with its cathedral, unique shops and an exceptional gourmet dining scene. Its restaurants include the vegetarian Benedict’s and Roger Hickmann’s. Norwich also boasts many cosy pubs including The Fat Cat and St Andrew Brew House where delicious craft beers are made on the premises. Norwich Cathedral stands in all its majesty with the ancient beauty of stained glass windows, a booming organ and hushed cloisters. You can enjoy free guided tours and learn how the cathedral survived riot, war, plague and fire. There are peregrines that nest in the cathedral’s spire. The observation point is manned by expert volunteers from the Hawk and Owl Trust so that you can get a good view of them. The cathedral plays host to many reverent and impressive concerts and recitals throughout the year. Norwich also boasts dozens of churches from its medieval heyday, some of which have been repurposed into cultural and exhibition spaces such as the Norwich Arts Centre. The Forum is a huge glass edifice and the home of BBC Norwich as well as being a thriving library and boasting restaurants and a bustling cafe. Norwich’s open-air market delights shoppers with traditional fruit and veg stalls alongside gourmet tea and coffee vendors, artisanal bakers and others.
Alternatively, for shopping you can head to the gorgeous Georgian market town of Holt. Holt is home to some excellent art galleries, antique and book shops, butchers, greengrocers, delicious eateries and a maze of 18th century Georgian buildings hiding in wonderful courtyards and alleyways.
The ever popular North Norfolk coast offers sensational beaches, big skies, superb gastronomy and a true sense of calm. As well as the beaches of Mundesley, Overstrand and Cromer, you will also enjoy exploring the fantastic beaches of Wells-next-the-Sea and Holkham, both backed by dunes, pine woods and nature trails. Wells enjoys a long row of attractive beach huts. Holkham’s beach is totally unspoilt with a glorious semi-circle basin filling to form a spectacular shallow lagoon at high tide. The beach is famous for the closing scene in Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘Shakespeare in Love’. The 25,000 acre Holkham Estate is rich in history, architecture and wildlife. Holkham Hall is the seat of the Earl of Leicester, an 18th century mansion still lived-in as well as open to visitors. There are six acres of walled garden, walking and cycling paths, lakes, deer, a tree top high ropes course with its swings, bridges and ziplines, rowing boats, canoes and kayaks on the lake and a woodland play area. The gorgeous seaside town of Wells-next-the-Sea boasts a family friendly feel with novelty shops, amusement arcades, gift shops and lots of fish and chips which can be eaten on the splendid quay wall while watching the boats at high tide. Wells’ lovely leafy green ‘The Buttlands’ is home to several gastropubs. You can take the Wells to Walsingham Light Railway for an afternoon excursion.
Another must is a trip to see the seals off Blakeney Point. The famous, picturesque village of Blakeney offers a pretty harbour, fishmongers, butchers and galleries, gastropubs and its amazing landscape of marshes, sand hills and mud banks. Within this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Blakeney National Nature Reserve offers uninterrupted views of the coastline and you are very likely to spot migratory birds as well as the seals at Blakeney Point. Trips can be taken from Blakeney and Morston Quay to visit the seal colonies. The pups are born during November to early January with over two thousand seal pups being born each year. Just down the road is the enchanting artisan village of Cley-next-the-Sea with its iconic windmill, galleries, pottery, deli and smoked fish shop. The marshland was used for horse races up to the early 19th century as well as being a regular haunt for smugglers. The area is excellent for birdwatching so look out for ringed plovers, oystercatchers, brent geese and common teal. Norfolk Wildlife Trusts’ Cley Marshes Visitors Centre offers a cafe as well as wonderful birdlife. Wighton is an ancient Norfolk village with a listing in the Domesday book. It is pretty, tranquil village, three miles from the sea and with a charming village pub. Also worth a visit is the fascinating village of Walsingham, famous for its religious shrines in honour of the Virgin Mary. It contains the ruins of two medieval monastic houses including the abbey which looks spectacular when the snowdrops are out.
You can also easily head for Wroxham and the Norfolk Broads. The Trinity Broads are three lakes that are found in the north eastern region of the Norfolk Broads. These are land locked and not connected to the main Norfolk Broads waterways. The Trinity Broads are comprised of Ormesby Broad, Rollesby Broad and Filby Broad. Fishing is very popular, there are a number of boardwalks, a wonderful waterside restaurant and pub and a sailing club. Locals often refer to the area of the main Norfolk Broads as ‘Broadland’. The beautiful Rivers Yare, Ant, Waveney, Chet and Bure meander their leisurely way through Norfolk and Suffolk connecting beautiful inland lakes, creating waterways and wetlands that make up The Norfolk Broads. Wildlife is abundant and conservation has been very successful in reintroducing species such as otters and herons that struggled for some time to survive. To the eastern side of the Norfolk Broads, the sandy beaches and stunning coastline caress the Broads at Horsey Mere with the salt water of the North Sea coming within a hare’s breathe of the the fresh water. Grey and common seals thrive on the shoreline. Guests love watching them at Horsey Gap. Boat hire on the Broads is very popular and an absolute must. Any visit to the Norfolk Broads really should include a visit to the bustling town of Wroxham, the hub of boating activity and a tourist mecca. It has everything, shopping, attractions, cafes, restaurants and beautiful local walks.At Excellence Luxury Villas, we pride ourselves on going that little bit further for our guests. From private chefs to travel services, we can help you arrange those little extras that make it a truly memorable holiday. Simply fill in the
concierge request form or contact Excellence Luxury Villas Concierge Team, who will be happy to help. We can typically help you arrange any of the following:
– Maid service/extra cleaning – Private chef/cook/catering – Welcome hamper/pre-stocked fridge – Local day-trips or tours – Airport pick-up/drop-off
Simply fill in the concierge request form or contact Excellence Luxury Villas Concierge Team.
Please note that all extras are subject to availability and must be requested in advance of the holiday (prices on request). Due to some rural/remote locations, not all services will be available at all properties. However, we will always do our best to fulfil your requests!