Published in Feast, issue 41 – November 2019.
Canal Side, a three-storey beautifully kitted out holiday home, is part of a former granary barn at Ebridge Mill, a Victorian red brick corn mill. It’s one of five or six properties at the site, and has been restored and converted with both flair and sympathy, keeping vaulted ceilings, huge beams and plenty of unexpected nooks and crannies.
It has three spacious balconies, all overlooking the canal which add a real wow factor to the property, and provide perfect places to simply sit and read, with that vital glass of something nice, obviously.
On the ground floor is a lovely Shaker-style kitchen, with a table that sits eight, a central island, granite worktops, and doors that open onto a terrace and a pretty, enclosed garden. Here is another large table where we took quite a few of our meals, watching the dog charge in and out of the water, each time looking more and more pleased with herself. The garden has a boules pitch, a barbecue and you can launch canoes and kayaks from the water’s edge which is something I fancy doing next time.
There’s also a utility room (with both a washing machine and tumble drier) and cloakroom.
On the first floor, and with great views over the surrounding countryside, is a fabulous lounge, with a nice big telly, massive sofas to simply sink into, and a woodburner for those cosy nights in.
And the top floor has three bedrooms; a large ensuite master with its own balcony, a double and a twin, and another bathroom. If I was being picky, I would say the bedrooms are a bit of a squeeze, given all that splendid living space on the floors below. But they are comfy, with everything you need from full length mirrors, to good showers, and a telly in the master.
It’s the sort of place you can settle into straightaway, with plenty of information about local attractions, DVDs, books, cookbooks and more – I could move in without any trouble at all! And I loved all the old photos of the mill, capturing both its heyday and subsequent decline.
As we had a four-legged friend with us, we spent a lot of time out walking and exploring the immediate vicinity. Bacton Woods are across the road and have numerous trails to enjoy, and the walk along the side of the canal is lovely, with views back to the statuesque mill. We spotted a heron or two, and the property itself has a friendly kingfisher who likes to come calling!
Happisburgh is just a short drive away and is another great walking option. The beach is dog friendly, and has lovely sand so is a favourite destination for my family. We enjoy walking along the beach to Cart Gap and then climbing the bank to the clifftop path. Just don’t go too near the edge as this area suffers greatly from coastal erosion. Enough said! The village pub, The Hill House, has plenty of local produce on its menu but we settled for drinks, with a Bloody Mary receiving particular praise!
In fact, the kitchen and entertaining spaces are so lovely at Canal Side, we didn’t actually eat out, but we did visit The Shambles in nearby North Walsham for drinks and cakes. It is a fun place, quirky, with interesting dishes, and we also took early evening drinks at The Gunton Arms, mingling with the Bright Young Things, and enjoying a Norfolk Gin or two! Sitting outside, at a long wooden table, with the sun setting as the deer gently grazed in front of us, it’s a remarkable place – and that’s before I mention the art work inside!
Canal Side is a perfect property for group bookings. We enjoyed a ‘Feast On Tour’ trip here with team members spending three days, walking, talking and of course, eating. It is so spacious, there’s room for all, whether they want to catch up with the news on TV, watch the wildlife outside or create scrumptious meals on the Range cooker.