Activities for larger groups

You'll have seen how much there is to do when staying at White Lodge Farm but organising activities for larger groups can be daunting. This page aims to suggest activities, requiring varying degrees of (or negligible) physical exertion, and some rather more gentile and refined than others, which are particularly suited to larger groups.

The order in which they appear is random.

Please bear in mind that, whilst pre-booking will be necessary for most activities listed, many will provide special rates or facilities for large groups (by which they usually mean 10 or more people). If you're looking to make a day or half a day of it many offer corporate (if you're not a 'corporate' group don't be deterred by the label!) packages which include light refreshments or more substantial meals.

If you're not travelling by bike or train, you may want to hire a minibus. We can provide details of private hire firms in the area.

Ten pen bowling

Number Ten is a modern facility with 30 lanes. Just by the Royal Norfolk Showground, it's a 20 minute drive from White Lodge Farm.

A little smaller, with 10 lanes, is Strikes in Dereham and, in Brandon, there's Mr G's Bowling Centre with 8 lanes.

Paintball

You're a bit spoilt for choice here with paintballing at Necton, 40 minutes' drive from White Lodge Farm, at paintballing at Thetford, about 30 minutes away, and paintballing at Norwich, about 40 minutes' drive.

Cycling

For information about hiring cycles to be delivered to your cottage, from where you can cycle on country lanes to village pubs and pretty villages, see the Cycling page. Cycling maps are available at White Lodge Farm and we'd be happy to suggest some routes.

Or perhaps go to Blickling Hall, Thetford Forest , the North Norfolk Coast or the Norfolk Broads and hire bikes when you get there to explore around your destination. Travel by train is possible to some of these destinations.

Ballooning

This one is weather-dependant, of course!

Balloons flights, with baskets carrying up to 12 people, take off from several sites with 30 minutes' drive of White Lodge Farm. It's quite an eery, but very uplifting experience.

Whereas Broadland Balloons has a launch site close to to the junction of the A11 and A47. Breckland Balloons launches from Wensum Valley Golf Club or Mattishall Golf Club and Virgin Balloons from Dunston Hall, Earlham Park and Wymondham. All of the launch sites are within 15 to 20 minutes drive of White Lodge Farm, Dunston Hall being the furthest by a few minutes.

Long walk

You might set off directly from White Lodge Farm onto the miles of stewardship tracks which surround us. For example, there's a round trip walk of two to three hours mainly on grass tracks, with the only road walking being on an unclassified country lane.

If you want to go further afield, how about a drive to Wells or Holkham, around an hour away, followed by a walk on Holkham or Wells beaches? Depending on the state of your finances, you might finish with lunch, dinner or tea at The Victoria at Holkham, in the Holkham tea shop, or with fish and chips at Wells.

The fit and adventurous might consider walking out to Blakeney Point or along the marshes, but appropriate clothing and footwear is needed.

An afternoon's (or evening's) horse racing

Newmarket, Great Yarmouth and Fakenham racecourses are all within an hour's drive of White Lodge Farm. Take a look at the Horse racing page for more information. Why not take a box and have a meal to make it more of an occasion?

Cooking

This is one of the more leisurely suggestions. The cooking page gives more detials about enhancing your cooking skills in a working kitchen, something which is fun to do in a group.

Pampering

Also requiring of little effort is a pampering session.

Clay pigeon shooting

Within an hour's drive of White Lodge Farm you can try you hand-eye co-ordination with some tuition and practice from Churchills of Dereham , who offer tuition at a variety of grounds, the Mid Norfolk Shooting School or the Suffolk Shooting School.

If you're coming from the south you could drop into the Suffolk Shooting School whilst en route. One for the girls and boys, but for girls who are new to the sport, why not try the lighter 20 gauge guns if they are available.

Groups can generally benefit from a hospitality package including coffee and bun or bacon butty on arrival and lunch or tea afterwards and complete beginners are catered for.

Off-road driving

Fancy driving a 4x4 over some challenging terrain? Off-road driving is available at Suffolk Shooting School, less than an hour from White Lodge Farm. You could also go for a corporate package or try your hand at some other sports as well.

River boats

A double decker river boat leaves Wroxham for a jazz night every Thursday from 4 June 2009 to 30 July 2009. Whereas on Wednesday nights from 1 July to 26 August the same vessel offers the 'dance sounds of the last four decades'.

If you want to have a stylish evening you could have a private hire of the Southern Comfort, a double-deck paddle boat purpose built for the Broads, with capacity for 100 passengers and moored at Horning. To add to the experience a 3- or 5-piece jazz band can also be booked.

Go karting

Go karting is available at Anglia Karting, 35 minutes from White Lodge Farm, at South Pickenham. "Turn up and drive" sessions are offered, but you might want to book the track for your party's exclusive use for an hour or two.

Bad weather rarely closes the track, but it does make for some interesting karting!

If you're looking for a venue that's a litte more sophisticated there's also a karting track at Cromer, about an hour's drive away and another at Suffolk Shooting School. Again, both are outdoor tracks.

Yachting

How about a half day or days' sailing tuition at Norfolk Sailing School?

Self-drive day boat on the Broads

How about a self-drive launch (or two if your party is larger) on the Broads?

Garden trip

A number of the gardens and nurseries on the Gardens and growers page will be happy to organise a guide if you wanted to visit as a party, or you might simply visit and wander as the mood takes you.

Theatre trip

Party booking rates are available at most theatres in the area. See the Performing arts page for more ideas. Why not take a picnic to one of the many outdoor performances (in the summer!).

Private charter

If a self-drive hire is not your thing, how about hiring a boat on the Broads with a skipper, with tea served on board, perhaps? See the Norfolk Broads page for more information.

For something really different you could charter The Excelsior, a traditional sailing trawler, for a day. The boat is crewed, but help is seldom refused!

Catering

If you're looking to have a celebratory or special meal without stepping outside your cottage there are a number of caterers willing to prepare a meal and serve it to guests at White Lodge Farm. We'll be happy to provide you with details. We can also provide you with details of local pubs and restaurants serving food, some with private dining rooms.

Skiing

Yes, we are serious. There's a dry ski slope in Norwich operated by Norfolk Ski Club, which offers day membership. There's a 180m long main slope, a 140m intermediate slope, a large nursery slope, a fun park with quarter pipe and a mogul run. These are served by a Poma lift and/or travelators.

Guided tour of Norwich Cathedral

The magnificent Norwich Cathedral dates from Norman times.

The roof bosses in the nave and throughout The Cathedral, which number 1,106 in total, are unparalleled in Christendom in their range, quantity and theological comprehensiveness.

Booked guided tours are available for groups who wish to book private guided tour with their own Cathedral Guide all year between 10.00am and 4.00 pm any day. Tours last 1 hour (approx), or longer, depending upon group requirements.

Haunted Norwich walk

Ghosts walks leave from the Adam and Eve Public House, Bishopgate, Norwich on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings throughout the summer, putting an interesting slant on a walk around some of the medieval heritage of Norwich.

Go Ape!

Situated in Thetford Forest, about 45 minutes from White Lodge Farm, Go Ape! is an assault course set in the tree canopy, with cargo nets, rope ladders and zip wires. Only moderate fitness is required but there is a minimum age and height limit. It's great fun and may tell you a lot about your friends. Allow half a day.

Those preferring to stay on the ground can walk or cycle in the forest with bike hire available from Bike Art adjacent to Go Ape!

A round of golf

There are 13 18-hole golf courses within as many miles of White Lodge Farm. All offer "pay and play", subject to pre-booking, although some require proof of handicap. The three courses nearest to White Lodge Farm Cottages are only a 10 minute drive(!) away.

If you're not a golfer and are looking for something else to do whilst the others play golf, the two most local clubs have a spa and/or swimming pool and offer day memberships. There's more information on the golf, swimming and pampering pages.

Open air theatre

Why not take a picnic to one of the many outdoor performances or concerts (in the summer!). See the Perfoming arts page for more ideas.

Norwich charabanc tour

Hire a charabanc for a summer's evening private tour of the more historic parts of Norwich (12 people max).

These are just some thoughts. Let us know if none is to your taste and we'll think some more!

Contact details

• Paintball, Necton 01603 715141
• Paintball, Thetford 0800 849 4911
• Paintball, Norwich 01508 481841
• The Victoria at Holkham 01328 713230
• Anglia Karting 01760 441777
• Norfolk Sailing School 01692 582864
• The Excelsior 01621 851433
• Jazz boat, Wroxham 01603 782207
• Southern Comfort 01692 630262
• Norfolk Ski Club 01603 662781
• Go Ape! 0845 643 9215
• Bike Art 01842 810090, or 07818 417267
• Norwich Cathedral 01603 218440
• Norwich Charabanc 07917 664472
• Blickling Hall 01263 738030
• Broadland Cycle Hire 01603 783096
• Huff and Puff Cycles, Sheringham 07747 012616
• National Horse Racing Museum 01638 667333
• Newmarket Races 01638 675500
• Fakenham Races 01328 862388
• Yarmouth Races 01493 842527
• Broadland Balloons 01603 495004
• Breckland Balloons 01362 687006
• Virgin Balloons 0871 663 0047
• Churchills of Dereham 01362 696926/07850 038323
• Mid Norfolk Shooting School 01603 860436
• Suffolk Shooting School 01638 751985
• Mr G's Bowling Centre 01842 813111
• Strikes (10 pin bowling) 01362 696910
• Number Ten (10 pin bowling) 01603 740730

Guests say ...

"Would really recommned Viking Laser in Thetford Forest."
    -K, P, B, J, J, etc.

"As a local, I can thoroughly recommend the extremely beautiful Thetford Forest. You will appreciate the size and beauty of the place if you go and explore."     P,K G&F

"Helen & Tony have been so helpful in helping us organise activities for the weekend and always seemed to have a solution really quickly."
    -K, P, B, J, J, etc.