33EVENING NEWS www.edinburghnews.com FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2012

MARSH MELLOW: Titchwell Marsh RSPB reserve at twilight; below, Titchwell Manor and bottom, a stylish bedroom and dining room at Titchwell

BOOKING a table for one to a seven-course ‘Conversation’ tasting menu seems like a rec-

ipe for discomfort, if not disaster.I have never dined out alone by

choice and I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to regale myself with amusing an-ecdotes for that long.

But sadly the friend I am visiting in Norfolk cannot join me at Titchwell Manor for dinner tonight and I only learn the title of their tasting menu as I arrive, when staff explain that it is served slowly to encourage relaxed de-bate among diners about their culinary experience.

Luckily there is also a ‘Brief Conver-sation’ menu of a mere four courses, which I opt for in the interests of not seeming like too much of a lunatic.

The friendly waiter who brings my lone starter is slightly baffl ed initially, until I explain, after which he puts me at my ease with occasional comedy en-quiries as to whether I am perhaps en-gaging in a little ‘texting’.

As he describes the delicately pre-sented combination of dainty squares of feta cheese, smoked marshmallow, raspberries and spiced bread in front of me I really do wish I could phone a friend to discuss it.

Luckily all the waiting staff are chat-ty as they deliver each dish with the right mix of professionalism and per-sonality.

The fl avours go surprisingly well and every course offers the same im-aginative approach, fi nishing with a refreshing lemon sorbet, served with little cubes of pea parfait and pistachio cake.

Titchwell is a boutique hotel with immaculate lawns and luxurious rooms near the village of Brancas-ter on the narrow coastal road which winds along the north of Norfolk.

It is within easy walking distance of the RSPB Titchwell Marsh nature reserve, which I wander down to after breakfast.

Twitchers here are easy to spot, hef-ting paparazzi-style camera gear and standing for hours in the same place looking intently into the distance.

I can confi rm that there are defi -nitely plenty of birds to look at, though aside from a few elegant avocets and a noisy fl ock of geese I can’t say for sure what species they are.

Ambling in the sunshine along wooden walkways past purple sea lav-ender and dark bullrushes swaying in the breeze it’s hard to imagine a more peaceful place.

But about 60 years ago this stretch of coast was devastated by fl ooding and 300 people died as high tides and stormy seas swept inland.

Today the RSPB is fundraising for

sea defences to combat tidal erosion of the dunes, which threatens the fresh-water habitat here.

Reputedly the fl attest county in England, Norfolk is not blessed with the kind of landscape which offers protection against the elements. It is, however, an ideal place to get around by bicycle, unless you’re a mountain biking fanatic.

We set off from Sheringham Park, another of the area’s beautiful stately piles where the last owner, one Tom Upcher, used to hold rhododendron champagne parties in the 1950s invit-ing ladies who would team their fi nery with wellington boots as they paraded about admiring the vibrant colours of his famous fl ower collections.

Today the property is run by the

National Trust, which also hosts na-ture-based jaunts, including ‘Reptile rambles with Rob’, one of the rangers who guide visitors around the grounds seeking out Britain’s only venomous snake, the adder. There is no men-tion of bubbly sadly so we cycle off as planned through the woodland.

Even without Rob we soon encoun-ter a toad as we peddle on to the vil-lage of Upper Sheringham, where the houses are built in traditional, local style using pebbles worn round by the waves as bricks.

Further on is Sheringham, once a major fi shing station and now a sea-side resort lined with beach huts and people in deckchairs.

Every other shop seems to be a chip-pie and we are soon sitting on the

beach happily tucking into our fi sh suppers.

A few braver souls are swimming, unaware that not far off a seal is also bobbing about in the water.

Inland, North Norfolk also attracts hordes of visitors to the village of Wal-singham.

Known as England’s Nazareth, it draws more pilgrims than anywhere else in the country with over 300,000 people journeying here each year to visit its two shrines.

In medieval times, Walsingham even rivalled Canterbury with most of the kings and queens of England making pilgrimages, from Henry III to Henry VIII.

It is another sunny summer’s day, but there is a strangely cold and sub-dued atmosphere in the village centre.

I’ve always veered between agnostic and atheist, though, and I’m not here to see the shrines, I’m here to embrace my faith in good food.

Thanks to the Walsingham Farms Shop, the village is fast becoming a mecca for gourmets too.

Inside a mix of locals and tourists peruse shelves laden with edible de-lights.

North Norfolk has been described as ‘one big thriving hunk of surf and turf’, and while Cromer crab is per-haps one of its most famous products, there are all kinds of new offerings too.

At the delicatessen counter I am given a tasting of Mrs Temple’s Chees-es.

Fast becoming a hit near and far, the range is produced by a local farmer and includes her versions of classics from brie to mozzarella.

I try a tangy sample of her bestsell-ing Binham Blue, which is like a gor-gonzola, and is named after the nearby village where she is based.

As I leave it’s impossible to resist the aroma of fi sh and chips wafting over from the shop’s sister restaurant, the Norfolk Riddle.

And a takeaway brought back to the coast as the sun goes down makes a perfect dinner for one, two or 20.

TRAVEL FACTSROOMS at Titchwell Manor Hotel cost from £110 per night B&B. The Conversation Menu starts from £45 per person for four courses (www.titchwellmanor.com)Prices at Deepdale Bike Hire are £16 per bicycle per day (www.deepdalefarm.co.uk)For more information about Wal-singham Farm Shop and the Nor-folk Riddle restaurant visit www.walsinghamfarmsshop.co.uk

A brief taste of Norfolk

TRAVEL

Julia Horton gets on her bike and samples the delights of Norfolk’s fl at landscapes, bird watching and local cuisine for one

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