Broadland

Good eating in Broadland tends to start with a decent pub. Villages scattered across this stretch of the Norfolk Broads have long relied on their local for a Sunday roast, a pint after a walk along the water, or somewhere to warm up after a day on a boat. The food here doesn't try too hard - it's the kind of cooking built around what's local: Norfolk beef, game in season, and fish that's not travelled far from the coast.

Most visitors base themselves in one of the area's self-catering cottages, and there's a wide spread to choose from - 107 in total, ranging from converted barns to characterful village houses. Properties like Archie's Barn, Barn Court and Bee Roundhouse sit well back from main roads, giving a genuine sense of rural Norfolk, while others such as Alexandra Villa or Auckland House suit those wanting a bit more space, perhaps for a family gathering or a longer stay. Barley Cottage and Apple Tree Cottage are typical of the smaller, cosier options, good bases for exploring on foot or by boat.

The Broads themselves are the obvious draw beyond the table - hiring a boat, walking or cycling the flat lanes between villages, or simply watching the water from a cottage garden. It's an area that suits people who like their days active and their evenings unhurried, finishing with dinner somewhere that knows its regulars by name.

Staying self-catered here means you can go either way - cook with ingredients picked up from a village shop or farm stall, or head out to one of the local pubs for an evening that needs no washing up. With cottages spread right across Broadland, from 1 Brandiston Barn Cottage out in the countryside to properties closer to the larger villages, it's easy to pick a base that suits whichever balance you fancy.