Cley Windmill

‘In an idyllic spot’, amid ‘reed beds on the former quayside on the River Glaven’, this five-storey, 19th-century tower mill is home to an unusual B&B. ‘There is a certain romance to staying in a windmill,’ say our inspectors, who signed a waiver to sleep in the Wheel Room, reached ‘via a steep, carpeted ladder’, with ‘another steep ladder to a shower room, where you can see the old mill machinery in the ceiling’. It was ‘characterful, with a small four-poster beneath a timber ceiling’ and slightly tired cottage-style decor. ‘A wood-effect fire makes it even cosier in winter and there is a mini-honesty bar with fresh milk and cookies’, though an extra loo behind a screen, while practical, ‘detracts from the romance a bit’. There is less hazardous, more modern accommodation in the old storehouses and boathouses. The restaurant wasn’t operating (this may change), but a hamper with wine in the ‘cute, curved dining room’ brought ‘a superb feast, beautifully presented’, including ‘warmed bread’ and salmon from Cley’s famous smokehouse. ‘Sitting by the window of the windmill as sun set over the marshes was pretty special.’