ANGELA SWANN winds down with a weekend in the beautiful flatlands of the north Norfolk coast.

Sitting on the patio of our hotel, glass of wine in hand, enjoying a view of the setting sun over the Norfolk coastal marshes, we asked ourselves does a weekend away get any better than this?

OK, so it may seem like a long way to go for a couple of days but after a stress-free three-hour car journey watching the landscape flatten out like rolled pastry, my husband and I felt we’d really managed to get away from it all.

Just a few weeks after sampling the delights of Suffolk (and there are many) we were setting out on our latest voyage of discovery to the more northerly county of Norfolk and the unspoilt stretch of coastline that runs from Holme Next The Sea (no, I haven’t missed any words out) to Cromer.

Our hotel, the White Horse at Brancaster Staithe, was a comfortable cross between a gastro pub and a boutique hotel, with stylish rooms and lovely views from the conservatory restaurant over the marshes to the sea.

Initially I was sceptical about just how attractive the views could be – let’s face it, I reasoned, at low tide it’s just going to be a big patch of mud.

But by dinner on the first day, I was won over. The combination of vast skies reflected in the pools of water stretching across the marshes created a quality of light that would have the artists of Venice reaching for their palettes.

As part of our weekend we had bicycles booked at Bircham Windmill, one of many pretty windmills dotting the landscape that have been converted into everything from homes and workshops to galleries and restaurants.

This one, however, is still used as a flour mill and visitors can climb the five floors up to the sails and, when possible on windy days, see them turning the milling machinery. There’s also a bakery, petting animals, a tea shop, camping and, of course, bikes to hire.

We managed to dodge the showers that threatened all day and cycled out, map in hand, on an hour-long ride through the countryside – returning invigorated but red in the face after discovering the landscape wasn’t quite as flat as it appeared.

To recover we ate at the Jolly Sailors, a traditional 18th century free house pub just a short walk from the White Horse and boasting an appetising but unpretentious menu – and a stone pizza oven, which made it a winner with my husband.

The next day dawned bright and clear and we set out, armed with a Coasthopper pass to, well.... hop along the coast.

The highlight of the day was Wells-Next-The-Sea, which is as delightfully English seaside as you can get, and wasn’t in the least bit spoiled by the lavish classic motorbikes cruising in to take part in an enormous rally.

We caught the Wells Harbour Railway which takes you to the wide sandy beach in about five minutes and oohed and aahed over the wonderfully quaint and colourful beach huts with their own verandahs (and an astonomical price tag too, no doubt).

Stopping at several villages on the way to Cromer, which has a fabulous pier, we gradually succumbed to the relaxed pace of life that makes the area perfect for a laid-back holiday.

The diverse landscape with its beaches, pine forests, saltmarshes and mudflats make it easy to see why this part of the coast is popular with birdwatchers, wildlife enthusiasts and the birds themselves!

* visiteastofengland.com l Bircham Windmill, birchamwindmill.co.uk, 01485 578393. Open daily to the end of September, 10am to 5pm. Working windmill, cycle hire, bakery, tearoom, animal collection, camping and holiday cottage.

* CoastHopper bus – coasthopper.co.uk * The White Horse, Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk, PE31 8BY. 01485 210262 reception@whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk * The Jolly Sailors, Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk, PE31 8BJ. 01485 210314 info@jollysailorsbrancaster.co.uk jollysailorsbrancaster.co.uk