Norfolk Coastal Cottages with mYminiBreak

A two-minute walk inland from Heacham’s South Beach is where you’ll find The Old Barn, a dog-friendly, self-catering cottage sleeping four. It’s part of a small complex of cottages and rooms that are the result of the careful conversion of a former dairy farm. The rural character remains, with chickens pecking around a communal courtyard and exposed stone and brick walls throughout, but it’s the coastal location that provides the big draw.

The vast sands of Heacham Beach are one of just a few places on the Norfolk coastline which face west. That means sunsets over the sea while you walk your dog across the sands, eat fish and chips on the beach or enjoy a glass of wine from a picnic blanket. This location has long been attracting holidaymakers but most of them head for the nearby seaside resort of Hunstanton or the vast caravan parks. The Old Barn and the Norfolk Coastal Cottages offer something different: a country cottage appeal in a location that’s close to the coast.

The tasteful conversion of The Old Barn means it offers comfortable accommodation for a couple or a family of up to four (in a double and a twin bedroom), with an open-plan living and dining room and a well-equipped kitchen too. It has been cleverly designed with a connecting door to an optional annexe, The Churnery, which offers an extra en-suite room for two. If booked separately, The Churnery is one of four B&B rooms at Norfolk Coast Cottages, and there are four self-catering rooms as well. Each offers a compact, characterful room with its own front door, and all of the accommodation has access to a shared courtyard with outdoor seating and a fire pit. If that sounds appealing, you may be interested to know that part of the adjacent former grazing land is also used for holiday accommodation – as a cute little camping and glamping site.

Adding to the collection, the Dairy is their latest self-catering coastal cottage – formerly a working dairy, it's been lovingly restored to house three bedrooms (a double, single, and one with a funky and modern bunk bed), a large family bathroom, a fully-equipped kitchen, and a downstairs shower room. Relax on the sofa in the spacious living/dining area while enjoying the sun set across the vast open skies beyond. And on warm days, chill out in the garden, where you'll find wicker patio furniture, a barbecue, fire pit, and fantastic views of the scenic Norfolk countryside towards Wild Ken Hill.

This former farm site is the buffer zone between Heacham village and the countryside. It sits on the edge of the rewilding project on Wild Ken Hill and isn't far from RSPB Snettisham. You can walk to the beach in a couple of minutes and then it’s a ten-minute stroll to Heacham where you can buy fish and chips or head to shops, cafés and pubs. The seaside resort of Hunstanton is three miles north, Sandringham is seven miles south and the whole of North Norfolk is within easy reach for day trips.