Five Norfolk things to do in March

1. Eat, drink and be très merry

In the first of an occasional series, Briarfields is to host its first wine pairing evening with gourmand Graham Donaldson. A Taste of France will feature six wines served over five French-inspired dishes, and Graham will explain the science behind classic flavours, why they work (and even why some pairings don’t). Informal, fun and decidedly unstuffy, Donaldson will entertain and educate as you sip, sup and relax. Tickets are priced £50 per person – taxis recommended, or treat yourself to an overnight stay and breakfast to recharge the morning after.

2. Crack-ing good fun at Holkham

Easter is early this year but the Holkham Estate is ready to host families for plenty of ‘egg-cellent’ fun over the bank holiday weekend. Meet the Easter Bunny, ice a biscuit in the Old Kitchen, let the little ones have their faces painted as a bunny or a chick and enjoy Holkham’s latest ‘Field to Fork’ farming exhibition to learn about where our food comes from. Of course there’s also acres of estate to explore so make it a an ‘egg-citing’ weekend.

3. Dilly-dally at Dalegate

To celebrate the season, on Easter weekend (25-28 March) Dalegate will be holding a spring market, packed with local artisan producers and crafts showcasing and selling their wares. There’s always a good range of stalls to browse and treat yourself afterwards with a warming coffee by the wood burner at nearby Briarfields if it’s nippy.

4. Watch the birdies

This year the Norfolk Wildlife Trust celebrates its 90^th anniversary, so join the trust and head to Holme Dunes to see how many wildlife species you can spot at the original ‘Seahenge’ site. Alongside migratory birds, natterjack toads, butterflies, dragonflies and coastal plants have all been spotted so get the kids’ wellies on and explore!

5. All of a flutter

Enjoy day at the gee-gees on Bank Holiday Easter Monday at Fakenham Race Course and some family fun. Gates open at 11am and racing gets underway at 2.15pm with the last race at 5.45pm. Whether you back a winner or not, it’s tons of fun to shout your rider home.