THE LOWDOWN

The Three Horseshoes pub and inn in Warham

Gliding through the winding country lanes of Warham in North Norfolk you’ll find The Three Horseshoes. A family-owned, family-run village inn known just as much for its home-cooked pies and hearty grub as is it for its friendly and welcoming atmosphere, proper olde worlde pub vibes, cosy rooms and banging beer garden. The kind of pub any Norfolk villager wants within walking distance, yet it is definitely one worth travelling to, especially to refuel after a ramble along the coast at Wells-next-the-Sea, which just so happens to be two miles down the road. Talk about a prime location!

With some parts of the pub dating back to 1725, stepping inside The Three Horseshoes is like stepping back in time to the pubs of yore. Think pamment-tiled floors, exposed beams, scrubbed wooden tables with mismatched chairs, doorways that the tallest amongst us need to stoop to get through and an open fire. All this paired with rich, regal coloured walls with vintage beer and brewery paraphernalia dotted around and a higgledy-piggledy layout which takes first time visitors a while to get to grips with (the amount of times I ended up in the kitchen or behind the bar became a running joke). They certainly don’t make pubs like The Three Horseshoes anymore.

One of the double bedrooms in The Three Horseshoes in Warham.

Of course there have been some updates over the years, case in point the six double bedrooms which are above the pub and spill into what was the Old Post Office just next door. Named after nearby North Norfolk villages, each of the rooms has been individually decorated embracing all of the buildings quirky charms, and just like the pub downstairs, the rooms are charms a plenty. Feature fire places, wonky walls, exposed beams and brickwork, but certainly not short of luxe touches – hello king size beds, rustic boucle carpets, clawfoot bathtubs, walk-in showers and natural toiletries. All the amenities you need to enjoy a lush weekend escape to the North Norfolk coast.

the lodges at The Three Horseshoes in Warham

Perhaps the most modern looking areas are the walled garden and the four additional lodges outside, boosting the total number of rooms available to stay in up to ten. Open for just over a year now, they are situated to the left of the pub, they are far enough away to have some privacy, including your own little outdoor seating area amongst the lavender, but close enough that it’s not far to stumble after dinner. The decor inside is classic cosy cabin vibes with faux fur blankets, buttery leather furnishings, wooden floors – in a word, divine.

pub walled garden at The Three Horseshoes in Warham

Even on the rainy day I visited, the Walled Garden is a treat. There’s room enough for kids and dogs while parents can prop up the outdoor bar – I know, I want summer back too! There’s undercover seating for when the British weather takes a turn and I did hear talk of it turning into an après ski sorta chalet for the run up to Christmas – talk about a pub for all seasons.

the pool room in The Three Horseshoes in Warham

Despite these new additions every inch of The Three Horseshoes is used including two out buildings which are now home to a dartboard, pool table and cosy leather arm chairs – every inch the man cave your husband has been angling for. Whether you’re just popping in for a drink or are in need of the comfort of a home cooked meal or a cosy place to stay, The Three Horseshoes has managed to create a space for every type of pub goer, pleasing everyone including me.

THE VIBE

A proper pubby pub. The vibe is overwhelmingly British, it could be mistaken for a real locals local but luckily you’ll find no withering stares from said locals if you’re visiting from out of town, everyone is incredibly welcoming.

Immediately, the sense of community is palpable at The Three Horseshoes. On the Friday night I visited it was a jovial mix of Warham locals popping in for a liquid dinner, plus couples also staying over and making themselves at home, reading books and chatting by the fire. There was also friends catching up over drinks, who unless I overheard incorrectly were from Essex! It’s definitely a place that you’ll not only remember, but will want to visit time and again.

one of the bedrooms at The Three Horseshoes in Warham

There was no music playing and yet The Three Horseshoes was not without a buzzy atmosphere and I loved the fact there was no TV on. It’s super casual, so no feeling like you need to don your best frock to pop out for a midweek bite. From the moment we arrived, the incredibly lovely staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome. We were talked through the menu options, drinks appeared in a blink, and throughout the night, service was efficient and delivered with a big friendly smile – even when we forgot to order peppercorn sauce with our steak after the kitchen had closed. Yep, we were those people.

SCOFF & QUAFF

You’ll find a tempting list of traditional, warming British food on the menu. There’s a pinpoint focus on supporting local producers here, so expect to see wares from the likes of Mrs Temple’s famous cheeses and 3 Arthur Howell’s trad pork sausages. With drinks from Tropic coffee, Nelson and Norfolk Teas, Whatahoot gins and proper ales from Woodfordes and Adnams.

pulled pork croquettes and prawn ceviche at The Three Horseshoes in Warham

Considering we are mainly talking good, honest, crowd-pleasing pub grub, there is a lot of choice at The Three Horseshoes. There was the seasonal menu available (autumnal favourites like sausages and mash and fish and chips on the day I visited), a specials board and the famous pies and puds menu. After whetting our whistles with a pint of Woodforde’s Once Bitten and a glass of Negroamaro we got stuck into our starters. A zingy king prawn ceviche for my fellow diner and the crispy pulled pork croquettes with sweet and sticky barbecue sauce for me which were sooo good I could have eaten three more!

As the pub is famous for its pies, it would have been remiss not to see what all the fuss was about. There’s about five on the menu ranging from traditional – chicken, tarragon and bacon, to the seasonal – lamb, rosemary and garlic. But it was the slow cooked beef smothered in Mrs Temples Binham Blue cheese which caught my attention.

It arrived with that perfectly imperfect home-cooked look, with a side of steamed veggies and a generous helping of the kind mash your mum used to make. Salty, buttery, heaven. As for the pie? Let’s just say I was glad I hadn’t scoffed three more croquettes beforehand! The pastry was light and moist, the filling generous with chunks of melt in your mouth beef. Proper soul food.

steak and chops at The Three Horseshoes in Warham

My foodie friend went for the sirloin steak from the specials board which came with triple cooked chips, grilled mushroom and tomato and a garden salad. The forgotten order of peppercorn sauce, perhaps the pièce de résistance of the dish, was like everything at The Three Horseshoes done properly, and by that I mean using whole peppercorns with a good helping of cream and brandy.

Chocolate torte at The Three Horseshoes in Warham.

Dessert is another must at The Three Horseshoes – seriously save room. Populated by more classics – steamed puds, local ice cream and cheese. My other half can’t resist the allure of chocolate so naturally the dark chocolate torte was a no brainer. Sweet and bitter in equal measure, and, as you can see, he couldn’t wait to start mopping up the chocolate sauce before the picture was taken!

Cheesecake of the day at The Three Horseshoes in Warham

Anywhere that has a cheesecake of the day has my vote! I greedily devoured the maple, coffee and walnut cheesecake which was to die for. Light and creamy on the right side of rich. Forget pumpkin spice, if autumn was a dessert, it would be this. Satisfied and full to bursting we rolled away to our rooms, after accidentally walking into the kitchen again on the way.

classic English breakfast at The Three Horseshoes in Warham

Breakfast is served between 730am and 1030am which is lovely and leisurely and much needed after the feasting the night before. Cereals, pastries, fruit, juices and yogurts are there for the taking with a separate hot food menu made to order. A bottomless cafetière of coffee accompanied our breakfast, a full English with all the usual trimmings for my fellow diner. And for me, drop scones – which were lighter than air and utterly perfect – served with bacon and maple syrup. Just the kind of fodder to set us up for a day bracing the wind and rain along the coastal path.

PILLOW TALK

Stiffkey bedroom at The Three Horseshoes in Warham

Aside from the four lodges, there are six boutique boudoirs to choose from. Two up above the pub, and the rest next door. We stayed in Stiffkey, and after debating the pronunciation (this Norfolk local is adamant it’s Stewkey) we fell into bed. Despite being right on the road it was sooo quiet and peaceful that a deep and comfortable night’s sleep came easily.

one of the clawfoot baths at The Three Horseshoes in Warham

The rooms maybe individually designed but they have comfort at the heart. There’s armchairs for lounging, a TV, hairdryer, kettle, teas, coffees and cookies and a mini hamper of gorgeous natural toiletries to use. The bathrooms are surprisingly spacious, they all have large wet room style showers, some have gorgeous claw-foot bath tubs like the above. And you can bet your bottom dollar I made time for a dip before leaving!

ACCESSIBLE?

Pubs and inns this age aren’t always the most accessible, yet staying true to the big warm welcoming vibes, The Three Horseshoes just about manages it. The pub itself is all on one level and spacious to move around in. There’s a few small steps to navigate but aside from this all fine. Room wise, the lodges are the most accessible with surprisingly spacious bathrooms and walk-in showers. Roomy enough to fit a wheelchair in the only thing missing is grab rails.

CHILD FRIENDLY?

kids room at The Three Horseshoes in Warham

Yes, the room called Warham is the family room with a cool TV snug come bedroom for kids and these cool futon style single beds to sleep on. Cots are also available and all of the rooms are big enough to accommodate all the baggage you need for a night away when travelling with littlies. There are two rooms which can be made into twins if you’re travelling with older kids (or are having a girls trip away).

DOG FRIENDLY?

Oh yes, the furry four-legged members of your family are also welcomed here with open arms and cute doggy treats. Two of the lodges are dog-friendly as is the pub and garden.

WHAT ELSE?

santas grotto at the three horseshoes in warham Norfolk

As everyone is so friendly at The Three Horseshoes I spent ages wandering round with proud members of staff talking about the place. The new timber staircase they had put in to safely access the top bedrooms, the wedding receptions and private parties they have coming up in the garden next year, and, very seasonably, the Santa’s Grotto which will transform the out buildings aka the aforementioned man cave. With Santa apparently arriving by tractor – honestly it’s all just wonderful.

OUT & ABOUT

The Three Horseshoes is perfectly situated for all sorts of Norfolk fun making it the perfect base to any staycay. Wells-next-the-Sea is literally down the road which can easily entertain for a few days what with coastal walks, seal trips, candy coloured beach hut spotting and a mooch round the town. You also have the coastal delights of Blakeney and Holkham in either direction (Holkham Hall is always a great place to visit) and the market town of Fakenham a bit further inland. Kids in tow? There’s Pensthorpe Nature Park, Norfolk Lavender, Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure Park and The Bug Parc, the UK’s largest invertebrate zoo, all not far away.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: The casual pub crowd who enjoy a truly local feel, service with a smile, and just decent British grub. It’s perfect for families, and as a homely base to explore the local area.

Not for: Serious foodies who like food that challenges their palette. There’s no frills, foams, bells or whistles here, it’s crowd-pleasing, simple and classic.

The damage:

Reviewed by Claire Hool

The Three Horseshoes, 69 The Street, Warham, Wells-next-the-Sea, NR23 1NL. Phone: 01328 710547.

Review: The Three Horseshoes, Warham

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