We have dinner at The Carpenters Arms in Wighton.
Wighton is less than four miles from Wells-next-the-Sea – but when we visited, it felt peaceful and far from the holiday hubbub of the coast.
We had arrived via Walsingham, that international hub of pilgrimage for almost 1,000 years. Wighton missed out on the miracles and remains richly rural – but I was impressed to find we could have got here by either bus or train, with Wighton Halt a request stop on the Walsingham to Wells line which bills itself as ‘the world’s smallest public railway.’
If you alight at Wighton there are walks (to coast and countryside), a medieval church – and The Carpenters Arms.
The pub is a delight – a long, low cottage-like building. Inside the attractive décor includes wooden floors and tables, statement light fittings and a double-sided wood burner for chillier times.
Leading through, from the main bar and dining room is a smaller room, its end wall lined with bookshelves.
We arrived for an early dinner and got stuck into reading (the menu) right away – finding a lot to like.
It was a Sunday so the extensive normal menu, ranging from chicken katsu curry to beer battered haddock was supplemented by roasts.
I was sorely tempted by the starters – mushroom, spinach and pine nut and gorgonzola gnocchi sounded amazing; Norfolk smokehouse salmon with celeriac and apple remoulade; this is an imaginative and impressive menu. Even the sides were fancy – not cheesy chips but truffle and parmesan fries.
But with dessert on my mind I dived straight into the roasts.
The nut roast was a winner - a good-sized chunk of nutty loveliness, served with roasties, roast veg, green veg, gravy and a humungous Yorkshire pudding.
My husband chose BBQ braised and glazed Swannington farm to fork pork ribs with fries and a salad of cherry tomatoes, olive and beetroot.
It’s one of the many dishes where the pub’s commitment to local producers is evident, and successful. The succulent Norfolk pork fell off the bone and he was also particularly impressed with the generous and interesting salad.
Pudding was ice cream for him, a very fine crème caramel with shortbread for me.
Whether you arrive by car, foot, bus, bicycle or rail the Carpenters Arms is an excellent destination.
carpentersarmsnorfolk.co.uk
Our review visits are unannounced and we pay for our meals.
