North Norfolk, a land of big skies
If you have read any of my previous posts you will already have noted my love for the wild coast of North Norfolk. At least once a year I make an annual pilgrimage to the land of big skies, taking the opportunity to feast on mussels, crab or samphire (depending on the season) and walk beaches big enough to get lost in, letting the stresses of modern life dissolve into the salty sea air. Norfolk is my birthplace as well as facing the North Sea, across which, lies the land of my mother's family, so maybe there is some unseen force that pulls me back each year. All I know is that I love it immensely and as soon as I'm on my way back home, I'm planning my next trip.
For our latest visit, we rented a small fisherman's cottage in East Runton, just outside of Cromer. A charming, end of terrace, built at the turn of the 19th century by a local doctor and named after his daughter, Melinda. It was light and airy with a well equipped kitchen leading out on to a pretty raised garden. Best of all, it was literally yards from the beach.
I am not so familiar with this side of North Norfolk, the beaches are a mix of pebbles and sand with crumbling mud cliffs. There is a lot of evidence of coastal erosion and parts of the cliff edge fencing have tumbled down to the beach. Crab and lobster boats wait for high tide at the end of the slipway and the small tractors used to pull them out of the water rust silently in the sea spray. Looking right from East Runton, Cromer pier glints in the distance, well within easy waking distance along the beach at low tide. On the left, hidden from view is West Runton, home of the mammoth, its bones found on the beach one winter years ago. The beach is famed for it's fossils and we spent many hours, heads down, looking for such treasure amongst the pebbles. To our surprise we found belemnites, commonly known as thunderstones, bullet shaped remnants of an ancient squid like creature and other strangely marked stones that kept their mysteries hidden.
With a handful of recommendations received via Instagram, we headed for the first on the list one rainy and blustery afternoon. No 1 Cromer is easily spotted from afar, painted a distinctive blue and sitting proudly on the cliff facing the pier. The restaurant is the latest venture for Galston Blackiston, the Michelin starred chef famed for Morston Hall. Downstairs there is an informal fish 'n' chip restaurant and takeaway as well as an ice cream parlour. Upstairs there is a separate restaurant offering a more varied fine dining menu. We arrived in the nick of time, just before the heavens opened and a queue snaked around the front door. We sat in a small booth overlooking the sea front (only slightly marred by the dust bins in front which threatened to set sail in the strong wind). The service was attentive and quick if slightly distant as we decided on the daily special, a Cromer crab burger, which seemed appropriate given that the town is famed for it's crustaceans (although I was sorely tempted by the cockle 'popcorn' too).
The burger arrived, hot and crisp, sandwiched in a fresh sesame seed coated bun, with a cone of chips and small dish of sweetcorn relish. Rich and full of crab meat it was delicious, well worth the price of just over £10 each. I burnt my mouth in greedy haste to take another bite of the sweet tasting crab and it's crisp crunchy coating, luckily a glass of crisp cold white was on hand to sooth it. The restaurant goes to great lengths to source all it's produce ethically and locally and the quality of the seafood was evident as my eyes followed enormous dishes of battered fish heading out to other diners and listened to the gentle hum of contentment as conversations halted whilst lunch was scoffed. If you are heading to Cromer put this place on your list and treat yourself to an extremely well cooked traditional British favourite with a twist.
For our latest visit, we rented a small fisherman's cottage in East Runton, just outside of Cromer. A charming, end of terrace, built at the turn of the 19th century by a local doctor and named after his daughter, Melinda. It was light and airy with a well equipped kitchen leading out on to a pretty raised garden. Best of all, it was literally yards from the beach.
I am not so familiar with this side of North Norfolk, the beaches are a mix of pebbles and sand with crumbling mud cliffs. There is a lot of evidence of coastal erosion and parts of the cliff edge fencing have tumbled down to the beach. Crab and lobster boats wait for high tide at the end of the slipway and the small tractors used to pull them out of the water rust silently in the sea spray. Looking right from East Runton, Cromer pier glints in the distance, well within easy waking distance along the beach at low tide. On the left, hidden from view is West Runton, home of the mammoth, its bones found on the beach one winter years ago. The beach is famed for it's fossils and we spent many hours, heads down, looking for such treasure amongst the pebbles. To our surprise we found belemnites, commonly known as thunderstones, bullet shaped remnants of an ancient squid like creature and other strangely marked stones that kept their mysteries hidden.
With a handful of recommendations received via Instagram, we headed for the first on the list one rainy and blustery afternoon. No 1 Cromer is easily spotted from afar, painted a distinctive blue and sitting proudly on the cliff facing the pier. The restaurant is the latest venture for Galston Blackiston, the Michelin starred chef famed for Morston Hall. Downstairs there is an informal fish 'n' chip restaurant and takeaway as well as an ice cream parlour. Upstairs there is a separate restaurant offering a more varied fine dining menu. We arrived in the nick of time, just before the heavens opened and a queue snaked around the front door. We sat in a small booth overlooking the sea front (only slightly marred by the dust bins in front which threatened to set sail in the strong wind). The service was attentive and quick if slightly distant as we decided on the daily special, a Cromer crab burger, which seemed appropriate given that the town is famed for it's crustaceans (although I was sorely tempted by the cockle 'popcorn' too).
The burger arrived, hot and crisp, sandwiched in a fresh sesame seed coated bun, with a cone of chips and small dish of sweetcorn relish. Rich and full of crab meat it was delicious, well worth the price of just over £10 each. I burnt my mouth in greedy haste to take another bite of the sweet tasting crab and it's crisp crunchy coating, luckily a glass of crisp cold white was on hand to sooth it. The restaurant goes to great lengths to source all it's produce ethically and locally and the quality of the seafood was evident as my eyes followed enormous dishes of battered fish heading out to other diners and listened to the gentle hum of contentment as conversations halted whilst lunch was scoffed. If you are heading to Cromer put this place on your list and treat yourself to an extremely well cooked traditional British favourite with a twist.
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