Travel: A stay at The White Horse in Brancaster Staithe 2023

A landscape of tide-carved marshland marked by curious sea plants, and soundtracked by a cacophony of myriad visiting birds – from gulls and egrets, to ringed plovers and godwits. 

Perched right on the edge of one of the most northerly points of East Anglia is The White Horse, lauded by the AA and Good Hotel Guide for its food, accommodation and, of course, location. 

The inn gives little of its secrets away from the roadside. The exterior looks much like any other country pub. Turn into the car park, however, and you’ll see it’s a different story altogether. 

An arc-shaped series of garden rooms, Hobbit-like in style, swerves around green space. The dining terrace juts out above, giving sweeping views across the marshes, flanked by a contemporary glass-encased restaurant. 

We arrived pre-Christmas a little late and rather bedraggled. You see, it was one of the coldest weekends of December, and our car decided it didn’t want to start – so there was a kerfuffle with jump leads and shuffling all our luggage into my parents’ spare motor. 

The welcome we received when we entered The White Horse (after briefly checking out the nicely landscaped drinking and dining area at the front of the pub) couldn’t have been warmer. A fire glowed in the hearth, some pretty delish scents were drifting through from the kitchen, and front of house staff were on top form, being just so friendly and charming. We felt like old, returning friends. 

Our hideaway for the night was the split-level Room at The Top, with unending views over the water to Scolt Head Island giving the accommodation real ‘wow’ factor. 

Decorated in calming ‘seascape’ colours, with a pitched ceiling and beautiful chunky furniture, the room was spacious, but supremely cosy, offering a giant, comfy bed, lounging space, enormous telly, spotless bathroom with Bramley toiletries, and a skylight positioned at just the right angle for star gazing at night from the double-ended bath. 

Carrying on with the gazing theme, and an additional touch in the Room at the Top (which also has robes and a well-stocked hospitality tray complete with a flask of fresh milk) is a telescope. My husband tells me he was bird watching (really he was checking out all the boats and plotting his next sailing adventure). 

I also have to point out the really good information pack in the room, detailing loads of things to do in the area, and with maps marking out decent local walking routes. 

It would have been rude NOT to sample dinner in the oft-awarded glass dining room, where hints of the sea are echoed in the décor of rope detailing and lobster basket-style lamp shades. 

Gently warmed by candle and moonlight, there was a ‘soft’ atmosphere in the eatery, headed up by executive chef Fran, who takes a lot of care to work with local suppliers, including her own husband ‘smoky Phil’ down in the smokehouse at the bottom of the pub’s car park. 

There’s an extensive drinks list of local beers, cocktails, gins (with a gin of the week) and the like. Sadly the local drop of Brewdolph had sold out, but Mr J was happy with a pint of good old Adnams Ghost Ship. 

I have a bit of a penchant for kombucha so was delighted to spy Suffolk-made LA Brewery’s Tropical Ginger with Yuzu on the menu. Tangy, bright and low in sugar, it’s a refreshing alternative to syrupy lemonade if you’re not ‘on the sauce’. 

Picking from the menu was difficult – it all sounded yummy – but we settled on plump Cromer seeded bread with whipped butter to begin proceedings. 

This was followed by Phil’s rich but delicate smoked salmon with capers and lemon, and a slightly overcooked dish of soy pigeon with miso caramel, puffed rice and an Asian-style salad. 

More successful was the utterly gorgeous picanha steak. Now, I would never, ever...ever (get the picture) order a rump cut. If I’m choosing steak it’s going to be a buttery ribeye, drenched in its own fatty juices. But this came highly recommended. And boy, was it worth taking a punt on. I can honestly say I’ve never had a rump as yielding or delicious as this one. Cooked medium, it cut through beautifully, and every mouthful, dosed with café de Paris butter and nuggets of sweet, sticky shallot, was a delight. 

Our hake fillet was also cooked to perfection, flaking into juicy pieces under a crisp skin. The accompanying champ potato was seasoned well, as was the kale (often an unloved understudy to the main part of the dish). I only wish the caramelised cauliflower puree had been warmed through. It was cold, so didn’t marry as well as it could have with everything else on the plate. 

There was, as ever, room for dessert. For him a melting pot of 70% chocolate cremeaux with boozy cherries, and for me a bouncy, gorgeous sticky toffee pud in a pool of sauce, with locally-made Dann’s Farm pretzel caramel ice cream, which I will definitely be seeking out at a farm shop nearby soon. 

While the food was good, what recommends the restaurant is its staff. Our waitress was wonderful. Knowledgeable about the menu and the area, so enthusiastic. A total asset. 

I couldn’t resist the chance to admire the full moon from the comfort of our bath after dinner. And sleep came easily – especially with a good meter in the bed between me and the husband (no hands whacking me across the face in the middle of the night). 

Breakfast is a simple affair of continental pastries, toast, yoghurts and fruit, with your pick of hot dish. Despite having actually choked on a kipper bone (be careful) a few weeks before, I was undeterred in choosing Phil’s cured herring with a dab of butter and lemon. I was brought up on the east coast’s famous export and always find it a light but fortifying way to start the day – though I do feel sorry for the kitchen staff who have to cook them! 

Mr J was very pleased with his smoked haddock (also from the onsite smokehouse) served Benedict style with a creamy sauce, spinach and runny-centered egg over a toasted muffin. 

Well fed, we were ready to explore. There is so much to see and do in the local area. Wells and Burnham Market (recently named one of the chicest places to live in the country) are a short drive away. Visits can be arranged by boat to Scolt Head Island. And the magnificent estates at Sandringham and Holkham are practically on the doorstep. 

But I say go for simplicity and take advantage of the pleasure of a walk from the pub, which sits on the Norfolk Coast Path – a long distance route spanning Hunstanton all the way over to Sea Palling. The stretch of path to the west from Brancaster Staithe had a diversion in place on our visit, but you can also head eastwards towards Morston and Blakeney. Brancaster’s beach, reached on foot or by car (there’s a small car park) isn’t to be missed either. Pressed into the dunes, the sandy beach glistens in the sun all year round and is abundant with birdlife. A peaceful place to walk, read a book, or just ‘be’. 

A one-night midweek stay at The White Horse starts at £140 for a small double with two sharing on a bed and breakfast rate, or £190 for dinner, bed and breakfast. The room at the top, on the same basis, is either £230 or £280. Find out more and book at whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk