Spring has Sprung at Happy Valley

Wedding Season is about to kick off here at Happy Valley and we’re reminded of some of the beautiful Spring Weddings from last year.

There’s endless back drops to choose from for your outdoor ceremony whether you’re looking for an “I Do” on the island surrounded by water or immersed in the forest for a Woodland Wedding. There’s nothing quite like nature to calm those Wedding nerves.

No need to panic if Spring has sprung a leak. We’ve got 2 barns and a gorgeous undercover area to hold your ceremony when the great British Weather ins’t playing ball.

The amazing suppliers we had the pleasure of working with for Jennie and Jamies special Spring Wedding -
Photographer - Aurora Grey Photography Flowers - @wildfolkflowers Catering @funnellskitchen Film - @shutterboxfilms Music @boujeemusiclive

Gorgeous reminder of Kate & Ollie’s beautiful May Wedding at Happy Valley last year.

Kates vision came to life with this stunning outdoor ceremony on Willow island followed by woodland pics & a barn wedding reception. Photographer - @artandstorystudio Florist - @thenorfolkfloralstudio Videographer - Moon Cast Cake - @bunsoffunemma Evening Caterers @SquillaandSquidge Daytime Caterers - Tom Oldridge

Elly & Billy rocked an April Wedding at Happy Valley using the wizard tree as the alter with the water in the backdrop. Supported by some amazing suppliers below -

Hayley Clark Make up, Dick Ropa Entertainment. The Nashville Heat. Alice Cunliffe Photography Wild Folk Florist

Wishing you all a wonderful Easter Holidays and can’t wait to see you for celebrations this year.

LOVE the little Happy Valley Crew.

x

A Summers Escape For Couples

Norfolk is a fantastic place to get the first taste of summer, and it's even better for couples at this time of year. June and July make great months for romantic getaways because it’s the time of year you can escape before school holidays and before a season of social events go into full swing. In this tranquillity, you can disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with each other. Happy Valley Norfolk could be your answer for a unique first getaway for you and your loved one or a spontaneous change from jetting abroad for those looking for something different. Premarital couples can strengthen their foundation as they prepare for marriage, and long-term couples take their relationship to the next level - all with the help of a little nature.

Our gorgeous bell tents are now available to book. Great for couples looking for a luxe glamping experience in a whimsical woodland.

The great thing about nature is that it’s more than what meets the eye, especially when it comes to couples. By unplugging ourselves from our daily lifestyles, stresses and technology and immersing ourselves in nature, we have precious time to focus one on one - mind, body, and spirit. No distractions, just peace, bonding and strengthening. Studies have shown over the years that time spent in nature reduces anxiety, blood flow improves and also your mood improves. This being said, it’s not only good for bringing us closer it’s also vital for our health. It's almost magical how a couple can become closer and enjoy each other's company more with a little help from Mother Nature.

Woodland and wildlife greet you just outside each cabin and bell tent door. Three of our cabins also have their own private luxury hot tubs, making your stay at our retreat even more special. We are set in 9 acres of woodland and there are an extra 200 acres of woodland adjoining Happy Valley, meaning that there is plenty to explore with your partner without even leaving our retreat. In addition to all of our romantic getaway guests, we have witnessed so many gorgeous marital proposals and woodland weddings throughout the years. We are truly blessed with a retreat constantly filled with love. To book your romantic getaway at Happy Valley Norfolk, head over to the “Glamping” section of our website.

Days Out In Norfolk That Won't Break The Bank

The warmer weather is right on our doorstep and as much as it can be wonderful to spend some extra time with your loved ones, it can also feel stressful trying to plan things to do. Not to fear, because we have put together a list of budget family days out in Norfolk, that will help you keep the full family entertained and make some marvellous memories, whilst sticking to a budget. We are so lucky to be so rich in history, nature and culture and lots of it are free to visit. For nature lovers, there are miles upon miles of beaches, woodland and wildlife sites. The county is bursting with things to do, that you won’t find in other places.

1) Be A Royal For The Day At Sandringham Estate Walk the woodlands - Free / Sandringham House & Gardens - £13 just for the Gardens or £23 for both

The Queen's Country Retreat and the Royal Family’s only private home and estate in England. “Explore Sandringham Royal Parkland this spring, by foot or by bike. The 600 acre Royal Park has two way-marked trails winding through woodlands & parkland with further unmarked paths for you to explore.” Alongside the vast woodland and grounds to explore, there is also The Sandringham House and gardens to soak up some history in. Take a break at in the courtyard for some refreshments and browse the estates favourite produce in the gift shop. A great event coming up is Sandringham’s Food, Craft, and Wood Festival which will be taking place on April 30th, 1st & 2nd of May.

2) Explore The Unknown With Norfolk Hidden Gems From just £22 for the whole group

“As you travel you earn points by visiting destinations, solving clues & completing challenges. The Travel League lets you compete with fellow explorers! Each season win amazing prizes & become the UK’s Greatest Explorer!” Norfolk Hidden Gems is a self-guided tour and treasure hunt travel experience and all you need is a mobile phone, to use the smartphone travel tool. You can explore over 100 destinations and challenges, avoid the crowds and it’s flexible to start at anytime. Just pack your sense of adventure and get ready to discover hidden gems & incredible places you may never find alone.

3) Visit The South Asia Collection For A Dose Of History & Culture Admission - Free

If you like a dash of city life and love discovering culture, in the heart of Norfolk the city of Norwich, there is plenty to do and see for free such as visiting The South Asia Collection. Housed in a restored Victorian roller skating rink in the centre of Norwich, just a short walk from the market place. “A Grade II listed architectural gem, with a dramatic arched wooden roof, the Old Skating Rink was first opened on the 19th September 1876. Over a hundred years later in 1993 Philip and Jeannie Millward, the founders of The South Asia Collection, purchased the building and embarked on a major refurbishment. Today, exhibition displays and large carved architectural pieces from South Asia can be seen beside the galleries where admiring Victorians once looked out across the skaters beneath the impressive arched roof.”

4) The Norfolk Coastline Free To Explore

There's plenty to see and do along Norfolk's 90-mile coastline, from beautiful beaches with salt marshes to shingle spits, fine sand and estuaries. There are tons of coastal villages and towns to visit including Sheringham which is well-known for its beautiful beaches and cliffs, Wells-Next-The-Sea where families enjoy crabbing and multiple events during the year and of course, Heacham and Hunstanton, which are practically on our doorstep.

We are very fortunate to be located near a variety of activities to do and places to visit for free. We have the highest concentration of mediaeval churches in the world, with 659. North Norfolk is one of the few sites in the UK where you can view the northern lights, and the vast beach at Holkham and Wells-next-the-Sea is routinely rated the best beach in the country.

To book your stay at Happy Valley for a truly unique glamping experience, click on the “Glamping” tab at the top of this website.

A Lovely Review For Our Woodpecker Tree Temple

“A beautiful place to stay. So cosy and relaxing. We had lashing rain when we arrived and then bright sun the day after, and The Woodpecker was a lovely place to stay for both. If the weather is rubbish then cosy up with a book and get the wood burner going, and if you get sun then head out on one of the local walks or heat up the hot tub and enjoy the beautiful view. Thank you for a lovely couple of days. We loved staying in The Woodpecker and hope to come back again.”

A huge thank you to Nicola for staying with us and leaving us such a lovely review! Woodpecker is a great cabin for a family of four looking for a woodland escape or even a couple wanting a luxury glamping experience. With a wood fired hot tub to soak the day away in and a sumptuous kingsize bed, you can leave Happy Valley feeling relaxed and refreshed.

Enjoy relaxing in the heart of nature in the wood fired hot tub. To view our other cabins with hot tubs included, click the glamping tab at the top of the page.

The Woodpecker Tree Temple in all it’s woodland glory.

Bring your walking boots and reap the benefits of all the great local area to explore. Picture here is our Willow Island, a renowned wedding ceremony spot.

To book your stay in The Woodpecker Tree Temple or to view what else we have to offer, head over to the glamping section of our website.

Autumn Equinox

Today is the Autumn Equinox, aka Mabon, a powerful time of the year where day and night dance in perfect balance, where the sun and moon equally share the sky. We open the doors to Autumn and give thanks and honour the harvest just gone. Even when the harvest wasn’t quite what was expected there’s always something to be grateful for.

A time of balance between the seasons. Holding this transitional space without fear is on our Happy Valley affirmations list and not always easy in the current climate. But we all know that fears makes the wolf look bigger & we turn to Mother Nature for a word of wisdom.

The Equinox is a time honoured by many cultures including us here at Happy Valley. The nights become chillier and before we even see the change in the landscape our senses notice the changing seasons. We can marvel at how Mother Earth shows us that nothing is constant and how this is reflected in our world.
This too shall pass.

We celebrate the land and its history for it has seen this all before and we celebrate all of you who’ve shared this crazy journey which is 2020. We’ve made it to Autumn & that is worth celebrating.

Coming Home to the Exclusive Hire of Happy Valley

We are but a web of stories, woven and interlocked through random dates, fleeting moments, and the passing of time. If you saw your life through the eyes of all those who have ever seen you, ever known you, ever formed an impression of you, what is it you would find?

To those who have visited us before, we wonder how you would imagine your life in the snapshots that took you from where you started your journey, to how you ended up staying with us:

The ticket seller at Kings Cross station who wished you safe travels and wondered why you were carrying flip flops and wellies.

The woman sitting next to you on the Great Northern Rail who who listened to you share your plans of adventure on a Woodland Wilderness Retreat.

The taxi driver who picked you up from Kings Lynn station and made you laugh. How she smiled when you arrived at Happy Valley’s gates and said you were in for a ‘real treat’.

The farmer who nodded his head at you behind the wheel of his tractor, as if to welcome you to this happy corner of the world. How you knew you’d made the right decision and felt the first bubbles of excitement, of freedom.

The child squealing with delight as they were pushed on the tyre swing in the grounds and begged their parent to let them melt more marshmallows over the campfire that evening. How it made you think of all the firepit recipes you’d like to try after a long day walking in the woods.

The elderly couple in the local pub at Great Massingham, holding hands, warming themselves by the open fire with a simple meal of fish and chips and a bottle of Norfolk ale. How you thought it would be nice to return to Happy Valley again someday but next time, with all your family and friends.

And now, in the present, scrolling through your Instagram feed, you see the same photos of acres of trees, standing proud and tall, ripples in the lake surrounding Willow Island and you think of Happy Valley, wondering about all of the people you met and wondering if anyone is thinking of you, too.

Well, we are. We remember welcoming strangers and saying goodbye to friends. We remember the arrival of weary souls and the departure of rejuvenated spirits. We’re here, we’re thinking of you and we want to welcome you back but this time, exclusively. We are now open for Exclusive Use Hire of our accommodation and grounds, for up to 20 guests for a three night weekend stay or a two night midweek stay. Please see our Exclusive Hire tab for more information: https://www.happyvalleynorfolk.co.uk/exclusive-hire

We can’t wait to host you and your guests soon!

With love,

Katy, Kirsty and the team at Happy Valley xx

Carry on Glamping...

“Nature itself is the
best source of healing for mental and emotional disorder”

- Paul TP Wong

“A walk in nature,
walks the soul back home”

- Mary Davis

2020 is the year where the world grew silent and its people grew still, where we yearned to touch but remained distant and where the sound of the news broadcast was an unwelcome invasion into our fortress of solitude. We’ve cried, we’ve fretted, we’ve sighed, perhaps we’ve even thrown a thing or two and yet we were the lucky ones. As our doors begin to creek open and we tentatively take our first steps into society again, we wonder what it is we will find and we wonder who it is we will find. Though we are moving forward, we are not moving on and we will not forget the NHS heroes who fought for us, the household members who held onto us or the loved ones who tragically left us.

Pre-pandemic, we were a society who knew the cost of everything but understood the value of nothing. Now, we’ve seen the beauty in the kindness of strangers, we’ve felt national pride watching our community come together and we’ve watched in wonder as the earth has begun to heal and nature has reawakened to the dawn of what we hope will be a new era. How we began 2020 was beyond our control but how we end it, is up to us.

Here at Happy Valley, we invite you to push the reset button and enjoy the simple pleasures in life.

Happy Valley Post-Pandemic

Reflect – curl up on the sofa in our treehouse lodge and look out onto a panoramic vista of nature. Use this time to think about what matters to you, consider how you’ve felt in recent months and how you want your future to look like. Write it all down and then cast it into our log burner and as the fire turns it to ashes, begin to rise up and start again.

Remember – in nature we can bare our soul. Our lake will catch your tears, our trees will hear your cries and our lands will hold you. Nature will remain by your side and will be your quiet companion as you remember those you have loved and those you have lost. There is no right way to think, no correct way to feel; Nature will not judge you, will not report you but it will console you.

Rejuvenate – they say time is a great healer but nothing speaks to us more than walking through the woods and grounding ourselves among trees that have seen a lifetime of loved ones walk our lands and watched every story of our ancestors unfold. It’s here that we feel close to them and here that we feel able to breathe again and ultimately, give ourselves permission to live again.

Reset – we can hurt without having to hide and we can heal in allowing ourselves to find happiness. Embracing the future does not mean forgetting the past. At Happy Valley, we invite families to reconnect and friends to reunite. Hug, sing, dance, laugh.

Hopefully, from the 4th July onwards, our glamping will be open again. Each cabin/tent will have its own private facilities and can only be booked by those who have been isolating in the same house. Extra measures have been put in place so please take a look at our Covid page on the website to see how this may affect your stay.

Our doors will soon be open to welcome you back and we hope we can give you the opportunity to end 2020 in a very different way to how it began.

We can’t wait to see you,

With love,

Katy, Kirsty and the team at Happy Valley xx

Tribe Norfolk Weekend

Save the date!

22 - 23rd September 2018

So excited to announce that the first Tribe Norfolk Weekend will take place at Happy Valley

Inspired by Norfolk for people who Love Norfolk

#TRIBENORFOLK 

Tribe Norfolk was created in December 2016 to connect individuals, businesses and all who love Norfolk, a county in which we are all spread out but have an abundance of wonderful producers, makers, musicians, crafters, growers.... right on our doorstep that we may not even know about.

Tribe Norfolk Instagram, Facebook & Twitter were created to provide a platform for people to connect, unite, discover, collaborate and celebrate everything about Norfolk. 

A positive vibes only platform welcome to all who want to bring back some community spirit.

Guests will be able to enjoy - 

The Beauty of the Wild, the Splendour of Norfolk creatives, taste fabulous cuisine, dance to an array of Norfolk Musicians, buy local treats at the Norfolk Produce and Makers Market. Enjoy a range of activities for all ages plus enjoy holistic therapies in the nurturing and supportive community in which Tribe Norfolk has become. 

Pic up some beautiful Vintage one offs.

Pic By Emily Jane - Vintage Deli Dress

There will be a fabulous Makers, Vintage and Produce Market at Tribe Norfolk Weekend where you can pick up some local one offs and discover the fab independants on offer in Norfolk. Can't wait to tell you who else we've got coming. 

Enjoy Tribe Norfolk Weekend in laid back luxury with a Weekend Glamping Ticket.

*TICKETS will be released at the end of April*

Glamping & camping at Happy Valley - 

A mix of Shepherds Huts, Tree temple, New Woodland Lodge and Bell Tents. Happy Valley sits on a Norfolk Wildlife Trust site in rural North West Norfolk. Immersed in nature with incredible woodland walks and close to the Norfolk Coast. The perfect place to switch off from the world and to start making memories. Reap the benefits of Forest Therapy. 

There will also be camping options so you can bring your own tents & campervans.

Enjoy Glamping at Tribe Norfolk Weekend - Pic taken from a photoshoot which included 2 posh 2 pitch and Wedding Wheels next to the Sea. Photo Credit - Rebel Heart Team

A chance to make some priceless memories with the whole family. Try Woodcombing, Nature Photography, family yoga, Dance like nobody is watching, sing along if you fancy it. This is a festival where inhibitions are left at the door. Get dressed up and come and have some fun in the wild.

A Wild Woodland Venue in unspoilt Norfolk Countryside. Close to Massingham, Sandringham, Houghton and the North Norfolk Coastline. 

If you'd like to get involved as a trader, musician, producer, performer, caterer etc then please go to the landing page of the website and follow the link.

www.TribeNorfolk.com

If you LOVE instagram, Twitter or Facebook  then you can find Tribe Norfolk - @TribeNorfolk 

Please use the Hashtag #TribeNorfolk so you can be discovered.

We can't wait to celebrate with you all in September

From all of us at Happy Valley,  Tribe Norfolk and Creative Orchard

xxxx