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 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 welcome free of charge – just let us know how many you are bringing.  See ‘It’s a dogs life’ page. 

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.
Information on places to visit locally, in North Norfolk, Norwich and Great Yarmouth and further afield
A selection of walking routes/books.  Other books - fiction and non fiction.
A selection of games/dvds and, in the Old Forge, videos
For doggy provisions please see It's a dog's life
If there is anything else you would like to ask about please do email or call.

The Old Forge
The Old Forge is a sprawling building set amongst farmland on the road to the coast. 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 large living room with its open fire 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 stretch out on while you chat, watch a dvd, or simply relax after a day exploring. 

The kitchen is spacious, with a table for breakfast or for a quick meal for the children.  A beautiful and unusual abstract painting adds a modern touch to this traditional beamed room.  

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, brightly decorated and modern.

The Old Piggery
The Old Piggery has been taking bookings since March 2008 and is already 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 from an old piggery has been carefully being carried out to a high standard. The accommodation is clean and fresh in a simple, rural style with the main living area being  open plan with high ceilings and exposed beams.  There is a sweet little wood burning stove in the feature reclaimed brick chimney - this complements the under floor heating from the ground source heat system which keeps the pamment floor toasty in the coldest weather.  The property's green credentials are further demonstrated by the rain water harvester which supplies a large proportion of the property's water needs (see our Green page for more information) The cottage is on a quiet lane and surrounded by fields and is 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.  In spring there may be lambs needing bottle feeding and there are usually a couple of rare breed pigs who are always pleased to see visitors.  Atticus, the horse, is sometimes in the field next door.

We are always developing the small holding to attract wildlife, with native species of hedge plants, a wildlife pond, bird feeders and bat boxes.  There are also 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.

If you want to bring cycles or motorbikes 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 'famous'  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 Star Inn at Lessingham and The Swan at Ingham are both 5 minutes away. The Harnser in Sutton (just outside Stalham) also fits the bill.  Slightly more upmarket pubs are the Recruiting Sergeant and The Kings Head at Coltishall, about 15 minutes away.  Slightly further afield, but well worth the effort, is the Saracen's Head at Wolterton and The Black Boys in Aylsham. 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.

There are restaurants in Horning - Taps The Bure River Cottage Restaurant - and a newly opened one in Stalham Staithe.  The Olive Branch at Tunstead is another new restaurant, very well worth visiting.  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.  There is a very good Thai restaurant in Wroxham and we have just tried the Broads Hotel in Wroxham - very lovely.  Try their cream teas out on the lawn in the sun!  Of course, Norwich is full of great pubs and places to eat - way too many to list here. 

There are plenty more and 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.

Seasons delights in Norfolk
In summer, pack up a picnic and roam along one of the many footpaths which take you deep into the heart of the countryside accompanied by the songs of skylarks as they soar into the infinite blue of the Norfolk sky. 
A two mile walk across country will take you to some unspoilt sandy beaches - you will often be the only people there. Go early in the morning, and you may see a seal catching its breakfast.  And ask the locals where the best bass fishing is – they might even tell you!  Norfolk is a soft fruit growing area, so you should visit the wonderful pick your own farms or seek out inexpensive, locally grown asparagus. 

In the winter, venture into the lanes first thing in the morning after a snow fall and see how many night time tracks you can identify – we have rabbits, hares, foxes, stoats, weasels, badgers and deer all living close at hand.  And being a county of churches, just before Christmas, join the candlelit carol service in East Ruston's redundant church just a few minutes walk away, or visit magnificent Norwich Cathedral for sublime choral singing.  Norwich market is busy and bustling and the shopping in the city is arguably the best in the region and quieter in the winter than any other time. The park and ride service into the city is excellent if you plan a daytime visit, and parking in the city itself is ample in the evening – lots of places for a night out. 

Autumn is a great time for enjoying the bounty of the countryside.  No need to go far to pick blackberries, but of course, the finest ones are to be found in the unfrequented lanes around East Ruston.  There are enough sloes in the hedgerows to yield enough for a good few bottles of sloe gin.  Careful seeking will yield delicious mushrooms (there are mushroom identification books in both properties). Many garden gates have a pile of home grown apples and other produce for sale very cheaply. 

Spring offers a feast for the senses, with the hedgerows filled with wild flowers and the dawn chorus a masterpiece every day.  Revel in the sight of ladies smock and poppies, find hidden primroses, violets, honeysuckle and wild roses – and that’s just on your way to the local pub for a pint of local ale. 

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