Category Archives: About Oaktree Cottage

What’s new about Oaktree Cottage

Making the Grade – AA Four Star

We are delighted to announce that Oaktree Cottage has been awarded a Four Star rating by the AA.

four-star holiday accomodation in Norfolk
Oaktree Cottage has been Awarded an AA four star rating

The inspector, fresh from a two day job at one of London’s flagship hotels, commented on the wealth of extra facilities that we provide, and rated us as ‘a good four star cottage’.

If you have already stayed with us you will know that we have made Oaktree Cottage a cosy and welcoming home from home.

If, on the other hand, you’re looking for somewhere that little bit special for your next holiday in Norfolk, you might just have found it!

Staying connected?

For some, holidays are all about getting away from it all, incuding the phone and the Internet.  But most of us like to be able to contact friends and family, and, perhaps more importantly, to be contactable in case of emergencies.

Since the mobile phone coverage in Norfolk can be quite patchy (especially in a building where the walls are 2 feet thick!), we have recently installed a landline telephone and Wi-Fi Internet access in Oaktree Cottage.

We will provide you with the telephone number when you book – it’s up to you who you pass it on to!

New Year Late Availabilty Cottage Break in Norfolk

If you are looking for somewhere cosy to celebrate New Year with freinds or family, we still have availability…

Take a short break (30th December to 2nd Jan) for cosy nights by the fire and the chance to enjoy Holt Christmas lights, or a full week if you’d like to check out the sales in Norwich and the local towns and villages…

Sorry – New Year now booked…  Book now for next year !!!

New Year Cottage Break

Oaktree Cottage Reflected in a Bauble

Gone Crabbing!

Like most webmasters, I keep an eye on how people arrive at our site, and one of the most common queries relates to crab fishing.  So, as they say, by popular demand, a bit more information on the subject!

Why go crabbing?
Well for a start you’re not going to catch your supper, but crabbing is a great activity for the kids for a number of reasons:
-Go to the right spot and use the right bait, and you will get results!
-…and get them before the boredom creeps in.
-Crabs are also pretty alien looking, so you also get the Urgh! factor that kids love!

So where are the right spots?
Since crab lines just dangle from a reel, you need somewhere with vertical access to deepish water.  Two top spots for this in North Norfolk are Wells harbour (when the tide is in), or Cromer Pier at any state of the tide.

…And the best bait?
Crabs find their food by smell, so in short, smelly food!  When I’ve been out on the crab boats, fish which is ‘less than fresh’ shall we say, seems to be the favourite.  But for crabbing from the pier or harbour, raw bacon or fish is a good bet.  If you’re planning on enjoying a cooked breakfast at the cottage, then put some of the bacon rind aside first.

What equipment do you need?
If you are staying at the Oaktree Cottage, you should find all you need in the shed.  Basically you need a bucket (to keep your catch alive in sea water until you release them), and some crab lines.  The lines need a means of attaching the bait in a way that the crabs can’t just grab it and run – so a small mesh bag is ideal.

And isn’t it cruel?
Uniquely for fishing, you won’t catch a crab that doesn’t want to be caught!  Crab lines use no hooks, and do not trap the crabs in any way.  The way that you catch them is that the crabs get hold of the bait, and then don’t want to let go as you reel them in.

So if you’re on holiday in the area, why not have a go at reeling in a Cromer crab?

The Three Horseshoes in Briston

After about a year with only one pub, Briston is soon to see the re-opening of The Three Horseshoes.
The Stracey Inn, which closed in the late summer of 2010, is now reverting to its original name, and opening under new management.
The Three Horseshoes is a lovely building dating back to the 17th century, although there has reputedly been a pub on the site since the 15th century, making it one of the oldest in North Norfolk.
So, although we are not exactly lacking in places for a meal out from Oaktree Cottage (the Hunny Bell and The Pigs both offer excellent pub grub at reasonable prices) it will be great to have another option, especially as it is less than a 5 minute walk from the cottage.  After all, it’s nice not to have to self-cater on a self-catering holiday!

More from the guest book.

It has been a while since we last posted – but many thanks to everyone who has left a message in our visitors book. It is truly rewarding to see that you are really enjoying the cottage so much.
Thanks also for those of you who have already booked repeat stays – we see this as the ultimate compliment!

Some of your more recent entries…

Cosy comfortable cottage in great position from which to travel. We have been lucky with the weather so the outdoor furniture was useful!

Tastefully furnished cottage. Everything provided. Loved the tree lined lanes. Best seaside Hunstanton, lovely walks through Stody. Stody Garden and Blickling are stunning.

I have had a great stay in Oak Tree Cottage Briston. We explored the area and found a beautiful location with lovely friendly people.
We will definitely be back, possibly in July for the flower show at Sandringham!
Thank You!

We loved our stay at Oak Tree Cottage + Exploring the surrounding area. Brilliant cottage, great weather, and an excellent holiday.
Thank You.

Cosy, warm, relaxing cottage in great position for local attractions.

We have enjoyed our stay in this lovely cottage. Beautifully decorated – we love the art works – and everything provided to a high standard. We have particularly enjoyed the birdlife here, on the coast, and at Pensthorpe. We shall need 2 weeks next time.
Thank You.

A beautiful and well equipped cottage. We just love the coastline here, and the bird life. The coastal Hopper bus has been most useful!
We hope to return!
Thank you!

Wild about North Norfolk

There are many formal wildlife attractions in and around North Norfolk, from the bird reserves such as Pensthorpe and Cley, to the seal trips from Morston and Blakeney, but you are also likely to encounter plenty of variety just while getting around the countryside.

If you keep your eyes peeled around the fields and woodland early in the morning or evening, you will most likely spot red deer, muntjak, or Chinese water deer.  Along country lanes and fields keep an eye out for hares – which whilst once once quite rare, are now becoming much more abundant.

Other recent ‘spots’ include a barn owl – resting in a tree during a daylight hunting foray, and a sparrow hawk, making a breif but acrobatically spectacular visit to the garden of the cottage.

From the guestbook…

If you have been following our blog, you will know by now that this is the first season that we have let Oaktree Cottage.
So we were delighted that our first guests had such an enjoyable short break…

“Fantastic Cottage.
Superb Location.
Had a wonderful stay, and hope to be back later in the year.
THANKS.”

Come on in, and look around…

We’ve been booking self-catering holidays for years now, and the biggest put-off for any property, whether advertised in a brochure or a web site, was not being able to get a view of what it was like inside and out.  Call me paranoid, but I wonder what there is to hide!

Well with the Internet, there is no excuse not to show everthing, which is why we have added video tours of the main rooms (see Accommodation > Look Around).

At least you’ll know we have nothing to hide!