stressed? This 17th-century Norfolk pub with rooms could be the pick-me-up – it offers over 100 types of gin

The vast Norfolk is best explored along lanes that weave past hedgerows and heads to reveal impossibly cute flint cottages, ancient abbeys and tiny harbors where fishing boats chop drunkenly on the mud flats.

But perhaps Norfolk’s real superpower is its abundance of wildlife. The entire country is a mosaic of protected areas crowned by a radiant halo of pristine sandy beaches and a tumultuous who’s who of migratory and domesticated birds.

No wonder Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan once again hosted Autumnwatch from West Norfolk’s 4,000 acre Wild Ken Hill Reserve.

Upstairs is The Gallery, “a small but perfectly formed two-story rustic-chic suite” that houses Jennifer

The bedroom in The Gallery is hidden in the eaves

We will be staying at The Gin Trap, a handsome 17th century coach house in Ringstead – a stunning village set on a sheltered chalk meadow four miles from Wild Ken Hill.

There are 13 rooms and suites, plus three self-catering cottages, all with a pleasant mix of antique and modern furnishings with fun touches such as puzzles, wildlife observation books… and gin, just one of 100 varieties on offer.

We’re in The Gallery, a small but perfectly-proportioned two-story suite with rustic chic, original wooden floorboards, rough whitewashed walls and exposed stonework.

The lower floor is dominated by a large sofa, but there is also a kitchen and lounge area. Upstairs is the cutest bedroom tucked into the eaves, along with a freestanding bath and en-suite shower room.

The Gin Trap is popular with locals – some are even on the menu, including lamb from the Sandringham estate ten miles away and Brancaster oysters harvested by a 70-year-old fisherman called Cyril.

Award-winning chef Gareth Rayner specializes in seasonal British dishes with a twist, and as we walk through the spacious bar, with thick beams and comfortable seating around a roaring fire, we doubt whether we’ll be dining in the comfortable glass-walled conservatory, or al fresco in the stylish wooden houses in the garden, but make yourself comfortable in the cozy library restaurant.

The oysters are delicious (nice, Cyril), as is the halibut with caramelized cauliflower and saddle venison with honeysuckle and parsley root.

Blackberries reappear in the 1970s Tribute dessert – a decadent rum baby with spicy poached blackberries and sorbet. Amazingly, the next morning we manage to finish off a spectacular Staithe Smokehouse kipper breakfast with lightly poached free range eggs and whole grain toast.

The spacious bar has thick beams and comfortable seating around a roaring fire.

The photo on the left shows the fire in the pub and on the right one of the log cabins in the garden

Immerse yourself in the beautiful countryside on the doorstep of The Gin Trap Inn.

We walk to Ringstead Downs and follow the path to Hunstanton, accompanied by rich birdsong. At RSPB Titchwell Marsh, five miles up the coast, guides point out resplendent ibis, grebes and grebes.

Enjoying a pure blast of uplifting nature, it’s fair to say that staying at the Gin Trap Inn was a complete lift.