Stylish house Broads’ village nr coast sleeps 4/5

The setting is perfect, almost opposite the northernmost edge of the Norfolk Broads (if you have your own kayak you can walk out of the house, cross the road and drop it on the water!), and the beach is about 12 min drive - Walcott is nearest, but Waxham & Happisburgh are close (15 mins) as are the seals at Horsey. Dilham is a quiet village surrounded by farming and paddocks, with two pubs within walking distance. Norwich 30 mins, Wroxham 15 mins. The house has a spacious secure garden. **Please do read the listing before you book, as I want you to have a great holiday and to be sure my house is right for you** I live here when the house isn't rented to guests and perhaps it is a bit more quirky than your average holiday rental, with some retro styling to fit the 1930s build of the house with some mid-century furniture I've gathered. I really hope you like it as much as I do. I’ve tried to get most things second hand with a view to having less impact on the environment (the mattresses and all bedding, plus kitchen and bathroom are new!). The house has three bedrooms but is most comfortable sleeping four in two of them. There is a big double front bedroom, overlooking the paddocks opposite - you can catch a glimpse of the water in the Broads just over the road. The second bedroom is quite big and has a full-size trundle bed, so can be set up as a single, a twin, or a double (two twins pushed together). The third bedroom I use as an office, but can easily sleep an extra person on a 4ft fold-out Jaybe bed, or if your kids want their own room (note I only have one bathroom with a toilet, so more than four could involve a bit of queuing!) All beds are very comfortable for adults or children of all sizes. (No shoes or pets upstairs, please.) Downstairs - please use the side door to enter! I try and take my shoes off when I go in so I don't get mud everywhere. There is a mop if you forget and want to tidy up a bit. This takes you past the downstairs bathroom and into the kitchen diner. This room was only finished in April this year and can comfortably seat four at the dining table (this pulls out and can seat six). I'm personally very excited by the new induction cooker which is amazing, though I'm afraid if you have a pacemaker you should steer clear of it apparently. Feel free to use what equipment you find (**please do wash up what you use**). The first cupboard has space for guests to use. Note the fridge freezer is 3/4 size so storage space isn't huge. The kitchen fireplace does NOT work and the old back boiler is still in there so PLEASE don't use it. The living room fire is fine to use, and feel free to do so if it's cold enough. Wood and smoke-free fuel are both available at Fairview garage nearby. If you are not in the room all the time when it's lit, please use the fireguard, and please make sure the rug is covering the parquet in case it sparks. In the living room, there is a 44" Samsung TV which has a Chrome Cast attached so you can stream your own content. There are some books and pamphlets about Norfolk and the area in the wall cupboard to the left of the fire. Also some board games and jigsaws. Feel free to use what you find. There are two small sofas so four can be comfortable, plus a small armchair. The heating is electric and is set to come on when it's 15C or less. You can override this in each room but please don't leave it on full blast when you go out. There is no gas in the village so the only other option was oil which is very polluting (The electricity supply is from a green provider). Please do NOT put clothes on the radiators, they must not be covered or they can get damaged. Hot water is via an immersion and again comes on every morning and should last well enough for handwashing in the bathroom. It can be VERY hot first thing so be careful. The tap in the kitchen is supplied by a water heater under the sink so this never runs out. There is a booster switch if needed in the airing cupboard in the kitchen. There are better instructions in the house for the heating and hot water. There is free street parking and you'll see a small car parking space out the front of my house you can pull into . Feel free to drive a little onto the lawn if you have a big car, or just park on the road. It can get a bit muddy if it's been very wet. There are lots of great walks nearby - the canal by Tonnage bridge is a favorite, and you could easily fill your days walking in the area. For the adventurous its perfectly possible to walk to the coast, it's about three leisurely hours each way to Happisburgh (17 mins in the car - great seafood shop there by the way, I always get crabs there, and samphire when it's in season). Pubs: The Cross Quays in Dilham is good for kids as the garden is huge, and they have a pizza oven. The Crown in Smallburgh (also walkable, about 15 mins) has a much prettier but less child-friendly outdoor space and does some homecooked food along with the pub standards. Shops: None in the village I'm afraid, the nearest for the basics is the Fairview garage - but there is also a small roadside stall on Yarmouth Rd that does eggs and some veg (and other random bits and bobs) which you'll pass on your way. The petrol station has basic wine options and a remarkably good selection of Polish lagers. The petrol station closes at 9pm, 7 days a week. See supermarkets below! Fish & Chips: I always got to Broadland Fish and Chips in Stalham. It's amazing. Do not ask for large portions unless you *really* mean it. Deliveries. The only one I ever use is Oasis 2 Indian in Stalham. They will deliver for orders over £20, and prefer cash. It's perfectly good when you can't be bothered to cook. Supermarkets: Stalham - Tesco. Medium size Tesco, very handy and hardly ever busy, I usually go here, you can park, shop and have a pootle about the town. A handful of interesting shops and some nice charity shops. North Walsham - bigger with the nearest Lidl and Waitrose, plus quite a big Sainsbury (and more charity shops!). For decent meat, I suggest taking a trip to Aylsham (25 mins) and going to G F White. Nothing else nearby comes close IMHO. And of course, there is Meale's Garden Centre and Vera's coffee shop. They sell most things there and the home-cooked goodies are really good and can be bought to take away. They also sell local meat and Norfolk cheese and other local stuff. Finally Roys of Wroxham - ‘the largest village store in the world’ shopping complex in Hoveton (not Wroxham which is the other side of the bridge), but a really handy small department store for things you've forgotten, and the supermarket has a good selection of Norfolk products and the meat is pretty good quality too. Boat hire: there are loads of places to hire day boats and kayaks nearby. Bates Boates does kayaks and Wayford Mariner has day boats (I like their picnic boat with a loo, though that does cost more but essential is you’re having a tipple on the boat - you need to book as soon as you know you’re heading this way). I’m always available by phone and via Airbnb there are two pubs within walking distance (Dilham Cross Keys, Smallburgh Crown) and a children's play area opposite the pub, lots of lovely walks, and Broads access if bringing your own kayak. You will need access to your own transport. The train station (Worstead) is about an hours walk or 15 mins or so on a bike. I will send you a guide to the house a few days before you check in. PLEASE do **download** a copy as the phone signal is rubbish in the village. Please also read it, as it explains where everything is and how things work. This is my home when I'm not away working, and my neighbours are my friends and I'd dearly like it to stay that way. Please respect them and our community. If you're using the garden in good weather, you will hear families having barbeques and enjoying the weather, kids playing and generally having a nice time. You are very welcome to do the same.