Though very much an East Coast resort, Hunstanton contrarily faces west, looking out over the Wash. Because of this orientation the town is largely sheltered from the east winds that at times can bite elsewhere in the region. Hunstanton is an easy place to access, sitting as it does on the A149 coast road that curves all the way from King's Lynn to Great Yarmouth. There are really two towns here: Old Hunstanton, the ancient fishing port - there have been Neolithic finds in the area showing it was occupied several thousand years ago - and Hunstanton the resort. The resort was the brainchild of Henry Le Strange, a great local landowner who began developing the new quarter in 1846, his work given a boost when the railway arrived in 1862. The railway went in 1969, but the town still knows how to serve discerning connoisseurs of the English seaside. Although there are more modern amusements, Hunstanton still has a slightly Victorian feel to it, with fairground, aquarium, theatre and a lovely long promenade enhancing that atmosphere. And of course there is the beach, long and sandy, backed by the famous cliffs rising about 60 feet up from the sands. With a white chalk layer over the red limestone the cliffs look a bit like an iced cake. Fossils in abundance have been found, and still are, in the rocks here, but for safety's sake and conservation please don't hack at the cliff face - look for fresh rock falls away from the base of the cliff, and remember where those falls came from. If you enjoy wildlife Hunstanton can offer you plenty of choice - there are grey seals in the Wash, and generally boat trips available to see them; and north of the town there are marshes and dunes with an abundance of birds. Sandringham House, the winter residence of the royal family, is about 10 miles south, but of perhaps greater charm are the many little villages and towns on the North Norfolk Coast just above Hunstanton: Brancaster; the Burnhams where Nelson was born; Wells; Stiffkey with its celebrated cockles, the so-called Stiffkey Blues; and Blakeney. Three stories of great interest attach to Hunstanton. The first is that the Anglo-Saxon king Edmund, later martyred by the Danes, landed here, a fact commemorated in the 13th century by the building of a chapel whose ruins can still be seen atop the cliff. The second concerns the Le Strange family, Lords of the Manor for centuries, in particular Armine Le Strange whose ghost still haunts the place long after her home at Hunstanton Hall burned down (for more detail see our Lore and Legends section). And the third gives a snapshot of how wild and insular this place once was, and not so long ago: in 1784 on consecutive days an excise man and a dragoon were killed by smugglers, and though some of their number were repeatedly tried, no jury in the district would convict them!
Attraction
Holme Bird Observatory Reserve
Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary
Searles Sea Tours
Cottage
Lavender Corner
Norfolk Holiday Homes
The Beach House
Doctor
Estate Agent
Abbotts Estate Agents Ltd
Birds Estate Agents
Rice David
Thain & Co
Golf Club
Heacham Manor Golf Course
Hunstanton
Searles Resort, Golf & Country Club
Holiday Park
Manor Park Holiday Village
Searles Leisure Resort
Inn
Market
Glebe House School Car Boot
Hunstanton Market
Pub and Bar
Lodge Hotel & RestaurantRose & Crown
Saddle Room
White Horse
Restaurant
Briarfields Hotel
Cassie's Restaurant
Fishers Of Hunstanton
Lifeboat Inn
Lodge Hotel & Restaurant
Platters
Rendezvous Restaurant
Rose & Crown
Seagull Restaurant
White Horse
School
Glebe House
Smithdon High School
Self-Catering
Manor Park Holiday Village
Norfolk Holiday Homes
Searles Leisure Resort
Solicitor
S.J.P Solicitors (Staveley,Johnson & Procter)
Taxi
Ben Cars
Colins Network Car Hire
Thaxters
Sports Clubs
Hunstanton Sailing Club (Sailing)
Shops
Westgate Books & Wool
Witley Shops
Scent With Love
Boots
The Pet Shop
F Maltby Ltd
Parker & Leach
Legge Of Hunstanton
Robin Legge Ltd
Ringstead Gallery
Courtyard Farm
Antiques
Hunstanton Antiques & Collectables
Activities
Searles Sea Tours(Boat Trips and Cruises)
Places to Stay near Hunstanton
Golden Lion (0.08 miles)
Marine Hotel (0.11 miles)
The Shellbrooke (0.14 miles)
The Shellbrooke is a small and friendly boutique hotel that benefited from a total refurbishment and renovation in Jan 2011. The result is an absolutely beautiful luxury building, full of ... More
Norfolk Holiday Homes (0.16 miles)
We have a varied selection of holiday homes along the North West Norfolk Coast and Countryside, all close to numerous places of interest and many other holiday amenities. Large, small, modern or traditional. Bungalows, houses, cottages and apartments ... More | visit website
The Gables (0.21 miles)
Searles Leisure Resort (0.72 miles)
Searles Leisure Resort has so much to offer, young and old alike. A warm welcome will be had by all guests and our facilities are second to none, only 200 Meters from Norfolk's beautiful beaches. ... More | visit website
Le Strange Arms Hotel (1.08 miles)
Situated on the coast in Old Hunstanton, with grounds that stretch down to the seashore to one of the finest beaches in Norfolk, the hotel offers old world charm complemented ... More | visit website
Lodge Hotel & Restaurant (1.14 miles)
Situated amid quaint country cottages in the village of Old Hunstanton on the beautiful North Norfolk Coast, The Lodge is just 400 yards from beautiful, quiet sandy beaches, providing the perfect environment for wonderful walks ... More | visit website
Caley Hall Hotel (1.23 miles)
Caley Hall Hotel and Restaurant is set around a Manor House dating back to 1648. More recently the old farm outbuildings have been converted to provide the spacious en-suite bedrooms, ... More
Heacham Manor Hotel (1.51 miles)
This charming Grade II listed house, steeped in history and dating back from the 16th century, has been carefully restored and converted into a luxury boutique hotel with lovely gardens and golf course. Heacham Manor ... More | visit website
Brit Quote: |
|
On this day: |