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AN UNUSUAL HOTEL - CLEY WINDMILL
While our great British road trip had taken us all over the United Kingdom, to all sorts of places and accommodation. The buildings we’d slept in had all been fairly standard. It’s not often you get to stay somewhere different, where the hotel is as much the lure as its surrounding area. One of the last places on our epic 6000 mile road trip was one such hotel with a twist. The Cley Windmill in the town of Cley-Next-The-Sea.
Yes this really is a windmill, built in the early 18th Century, it was once a fully working windmill with wonderful curved walls, sails and all the mechanisms that go with milling grain . Situated near to the coast of Norfolk, driving up to it is where the excitement starts as this was quite unlike anything else we’ve stayed in on our Great British Road Trip.
The hotel now includes bedrooms and self catering apartments both inside the windmill and other buildings surrounding it. We of course had to stay in the windmill itself and were shown to the Wheat Chamber, once used to store the produce milled here, kept dry and away from the elements outside. The room was perfectly round and very cosy. The interior deign suiting an old and unusual building such as this. A large double bed, sofa, television, cute mock fireplace and a cosy but well designed en-suite bathroom. The colours are warm and inviting with some great thought put in to materials and artistic decor. In fact new curtains we fitted during our stay so its great to see the windmill is well maintained. A structure like this takes a lot of love and no doubt a lot of money to keep this 300 year old building in top condition.
The rooms in the windmill are stacked on top of each other so there were occasional creaking floorboards in the morning but generally it was very well presented and the complimentary sherry is the perfect tipple after sightseeing or bird watching, a popular hobby in the area thanks to the marshes nearby. There’s a balcony up one level from our room which clings to the wall and offers great views over the marshes. The views from the bedroom windows are especially good during sunset as well. If the other rooms are not occupied I recommend asking for a tour of them as its not often you get a chance to explore the inside of a Windmill! Seize the opportunity!Exploring Cley
The village of Cley is a quiet and cosy place to visit. Perfect for walks with a couple of pubs that do great food. The George is just a couple of minutes walk and the Three Swallows is a 2 minute drive to Newton-Green. Both do great pub food, perfect for lunch before you head back to the Cley Windmill for an afternoon Sherry! There’s a few cute local shops in Cley-Next-The-Sea with lots more to visit in nearby villages and towns, especially Holt.If you’re a nature lover the marshes and beach are a must around here. There’s some great walks right from the windmill that take you down to the beach, along the edge of the marsh where great swarms of birds take off and circle overhead. The beach is a must for some great extended walks and even a chance to witness families of seals sunbathing further down at Blakeney Point. Whatever the weather the windmill is a beautiful sight all of its own so a walk will give you some great views of where you’re staying. Be sure to take your camera.
During the warmer months there are also boat trips that can take you out to see the seals and along the coastline. This can be a real highlight if the weather is good. Saint Margaret’s Church is also worth checking out. You can’t miss it as it sits prominently on a hill overlooking part of the village green. Its the largest church in the Glaven Valley and well worth a look round.
Dinner at the Cley Windmill
Back at our cosy windmill evening meals are served in a suitably quirky fashion to match our accommodation. Sitting is at 7:30pm with drinks served in the gorgeous lounge from 7pm. A roaring fire and a chance to select a wine for our meal. The meal is set with a choice of veggie if required and dietary options available if there’s any issues. It’s a great way to meet your fellow guests and creates a wonderful atmosphere in the small but well presented dining room. The food was very well presented and extremely tasty. Just the right size portions to enjoy every course. We retired to the lounge once more after our meal to relax in front of the fire. We felt well fed and well looked after.Our stay at the Cley windmill was very enjoyable. The novelty of staying in such an iconic and historic structure really added an edge to the experience. Our room was well equipped and warm. The bed could do without a foot board for tall people like me but I often experience that in hotels. While the stairs in the windmill might be a little steep for some in the top rooms, the chance to stay somewhere so different is well worth it.
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