About East Ruston and the cottages

East Ruston
A quiet, unspoilt village, set in the heart of rural Norfolk but on the edge of the Broads, just south of the delights of North Norfolk, within easy distance of Norwich and only moments from the coast – the best of all Norfolk has to offer! 

The Cottages
Both properties are dog and child friendly. They are both in the village and about a mile apart from each other.  They also have the advantage of being on one level making access for those with limited mobility much easier and ideal for little ones - no stair gates needed!  Dogs are genuinely very welcome and free of charge (there is a small charge for more than 4 dogs in the Forge) – just let us know how many you are bringing.  Our ‘It’s a dogs life’ page shows just how welcoming we are! 

We are also gay/lesbian friendly and biker friendly, all faith friendly - everyone is welcome! 

Should you wish to travel to either of the cottages by train bus or coach we will be happy to collect you from the local stations of Wroxham, Worsted or North Walsham and take you back again at the end of your holiday. 

What we provide
All bed linen and towels.
Tea, coffee, sugar and enough milk for first cuppa when you arrive.  Plus a cake or other tea time goodies. 
Good selection of cooking/serving equipment.  All place settings, glasses, table linen. Tea towels.
Fresh toilet rolls and kitchen roll.
TV with Freeview.
Information on places to visit.
A selection of walking routes/books.  Other books - fiction and non fiction.
A selection of games and dvds.
For doggy provisions please see It's a dog's life
Optional Internet access via a BT dongle (£15/week charge)
If there is anything else you would like to ask about please do email or call. (see our Contact page for details)

The Old Forge
The Old Forge is set amongst farmland on the road to the coast. A small lane runs down the back of the property - walks into the village and onto the Weavers Way can start from here. It has great charm, with original beams and brick and flint walls, and is furnished in an eclectic style with lots of books and paintings and lamps to add a homely touch.  The Old Forge is not owned by us and is not on our land but is managed by us.

The large living room with its raised open fire - an original feature, wonderful in the winter - has plenty of space for comfortable country evenings.  There are a couple of cosy nooks where you can curl up and read, a large table for meals or board games and welcoming sofas to relax on after a day exploring. 

The five bedrooms are each named after a local bird – this is great bird-watching country – and allow for couples, singles and children.  The three bathrooms – one en suite - are small but and brightly decorated.

The Old Piggery
The Old Piggery was converted from an old farm building in 2007/8 and is proving very popular with those who have stayed.  It is located next to the old New Barn (it was new once!) and has its own secure, walled and gated barn yard outside. The conversion work has been carefully carried out to a high standard. The accommodation is furnished in a simple, rural style and the main living and kitchen areas are open-plan with high beamed ceilings and provide a very easy living space for couples or families. 

The cottage is on the corner of a quiet lane and surrounded by fields and is right at the bottom of a bridle path - Munn's Loke - so you can start a walk straight from the cottage door. 

The Old Piggery is part of Sue and Dermot’s own 3 acre property which is run as a very small holding.  Depending on the time of year there may be lambs/sheep and pigs.  There are always chickens and Atticus, the horse, is sometimes in the field next door.

We are always developing the small holding to attract wildlife and plenty of species can be spotted around here. There are a large number of red deer in the area and sitings of them are common at certain times of the year - groups of half a dozen or so are not unusual and the most we have seen in one go was 28!  Muntjac and Chinese Water Deer populate the area all year round.  A Barn Owl has been seen in the yard and also going into the barn and can be regularly seen hunting over the nearby hedges and banks.

If you want to bring bicycles, motorbikes or trailers there is space in the barn or stable, by arrangement, to lock them up safely.  Also useful for windsurfers, surfboards, golf clubs, fishing tackle etc.

Places to eat
There is an excellent fish and chip shop in Stalham High Street, good Chinese in Stalham and North Walsham, pizza and kebabs in Stalham High Street again. So many villages and small towns have tea rooms and cafes that there are just too many to mention.  The Tour Norfolk site has got a fairly comprehensive list.

Our village pub, the Butchers Arms, is within walking distance (about a mile) of both properties and there are plenty of other welcoming pubs and places to eat in the immediate area.  The Lighthouse and The Star are the next nearest and popular with guests.  The Harnser at Sutton and The Swan at Ingham are both under 10 minutes away. Slightly more upmarket pubs are the Recruiting Sergeant and The Kings Head at Coltishall, about 20 minutes away.  Further afield, but well worth the effort, is the Saracen's Head at Wolterton and The Black Boys in Aylsham. Ideal for lunch after a visit to the magnificent Blickling Hall.  Just outside Aylsham is the Banningham Crown, a lovely old pub with good food in a nice location.  The Goat Inn at Skeyton is another not too far away. 

Many of these pubs are dog friendly - worth calling first to check.  If you want to find other dog friendly pubs try the Doggie pubs website. 

Good restaurants in the area include The Bure River Cottage Restaurant and The Staithe and Willow at Horning, the Olive Branch at Tunstead and, slightly confusingly, the recently opened Olive Tree at North Walsham where The Chubby Panda (Chinese and Thai) can also be found.  Cromer has La Griglia and Bolton's Bistro in The Cliftonville Hotel along with lots of little cafes/fish and chip shops.  Wroxham also has a number of places to eat - from the dreaded McDonalds to the very posh Broads Hotel

Good local hotels for food include the award winning Beechwood Hotel in North Walsham and the Elderton Lodge Hotel, a country house hotel set on the edge of Gunton deer park, about 15 minutes drive. Of course, Norwich is full of great pubs and places to eat - way too many to list here. If you are planning on visiting some of the fabulous North Norfolk beaches and towns there are many, many other good places to eat from wonderful cafes through some award winning pubs to a Michelin starred hotel. Google it and take your pick!

Each property has a list and a selection of leaflets/sample menus.  For more information try the Tour Norfolk website - all sorts of useful things here for your stay. Tour Norfolk. 

Local artists
We are very lucky to have a number of artists in working in different mediums in and around the village. Click here for details.

If we can't accommodate you...
Then we can highly recommend The Old Rectory at Ridlington  run by Fiona and Peter Black. Self catering in The Garden room and bed and breakfast accommodation in the house and Fiona does the most fantastic home cooked breakfast with local produce and fresh bread every day.  Ollands Farm Barn in Happisburgh is also recommended, they are particularly dog friendly too. 

And finally...... we aim to please.  If you need something not mentioned on this website to make your stay more enjoyable - eg a birthday cake, a champagne welcome for a special occasion, a pamper evening, tickets for an event or attractions, dog sitting service - do get in touch.  We will be happy to help.  

Wild red deer photographed at the back of The Old Piggery, one of our Norfolk Grey hens and one of our lambs.