About Norfolk
Follow in the footsteps of the Anglo-Saxons and explore the vast expanse of Norfolk coastline. Jump forward to Victorian times when the railways reinvigorated Norfolk coastal towns and seaside resorts. Head to the 21st century and visit independent shops and cafes, and treat the kids to a magical day out.
Norfolk really does have so much to give, making it a great holiday destination for everyone; families, couples, and friends. Whether you are looking for a relaxed or romantic break, or a more active holiday cycling or canoeing, everyone will find something special to cherish in Norfolk.
The Norfolk Coast has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for 50 years; with stunning walking routes and beautiful isolated beaches and dunes. The vast skyline is often broken only by isolated medieval church towers and stunning windmills.
We also have fabulous Georgian towns, with independent shops, cafes and restaurants; and if you want to explore East Anglian heritage, from Norman settlements and Jacobian mansions, to the wool trade and WWII defences, Norfolk is the place to be.
Whichever mode of transport you prefer there’s something for you; cycling, walking, canoeing, or even a sailing boat.
Just don’t forget to leave time for the iconic boat trip to see the seals at Blakeney Point, fish and chips at Wells-Next-the-Sea, or an ice cream on the pier at Cromer.
Our most recommended guide book is Rough Guides: The Rough Guide to Norfolk and Suffolk (2016).
Norfolk Muddy Stilettos is also a good place to look for recommendations as the awards are voted for by the public, https://norfolk.muddystilettos.co.uk
Nature
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty since 1968, the Norfolk coast is one of 46 AONB’s in the UK and is well worthy of this title. The area includes;
- 90.8km of coastline
- 453 square kilometres of sand dunes
- open chalk downland
- secluded river valleys
- woodlands
- miles of quiet country lanes
- diverse habitats supporting many internationally important species.
See the AONB website for much more information on the area;
http://www.norfolkcoastaonb.org.uk
Blakeney Point – 4 mile walk to the point, nature reserve which is famous for colonies of seals and terns. Inc the old Lifeboat House owned by the National Trust. Boat trips run from Blakeney and Morston.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blakeney-national-nature-reserve
Cley Marshes Nature Reserve – Cley Marshes Nature Reserve, a haven for migrating birds and rare waterfowl. You can buy a permit for entering the nature reserve from the Visitor Centre.
https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-in-norfolk/nature-reserves/reserves/cley-marshes
Holt Country Park – a 100 acre woodland with oak, pine and silver birch trees, picnic areas, nature trails and an adventure playground.
https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/tasks/your-community/find-out-about-holt-country-park/
Walking/Cycling
Long-distance footpaths;
- Norfolk Coast Path from Holme-next-the-Sea to Hopton-on-Sea via Cromer and Great Yarmouth.
- Peddars Way from Holme-next-the-Sea to Rushford.
See www.nationaltrail.co.uk/peddars-way-and-norfolk-coast-path
Kelling Heath – described by Natural England as a “fine example of oceanic heathland” forms part of the Comer Ridge, among the highest land of East Anglia. Kelling Heath is also designated a Dark Sky Discovery Site. http://www.darkskydiscovery.org.uk/dark-sky-discovery-sites/map.html
Sheringham Park – nearly 1000 acres of landscaped gardens by Humphry Repton laid out in 1752-1818. There are 4 waymarked routes of between 1 and 5 miles, including coastal views.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sheringham-park
Felbrigg Hall Mountain Walk is a circular walking route of 16 miles (approx. 6 hours). There is also a shorter 2.6 mile historic walk taking in the church and ice house. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/felbrigg-hall-gardens-and-estate/activities
Sandringham Country Park has two waymarked nature trails and a shorter sculpture trail. “In 1968 an area of 142 hectares of The Queen’s private Estate at Sandringham was designated a Country Park. It has subsequently been enlarged so that today nearly 243 hectares are available for visitors to enjoy.”
https://www.sandringhamestate.co.uk/sandringham-visitor-centre/country-park/
The Norfolk Coast Partnership as a series of free online guides for walkers, go to www.norfolkcoastaonb.org.uk
Bike Hire;
- www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/bike-hire
- Holkham Hall cycle hire www.holkham.co.uk
- www.sites.google.com/site/overlandcycles
- www.broadlandcyclehire.co.uk
- www.broadsbycycle.co.uk
- www.huffandpuffcycles.co.uk
- www.black-bikes.co.uk
- www.seapallingcyclehire.com
- www.norfolkcyclehire.co.uk
Paddles and Peddles – www.thecanoeman.co.uk
Heritage
| Langham Dome was built in 1942-3 as an anti-aircraft gunnery on the edge of RAF Langham, and is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Langham Dome is fully restored and has a mission to reveal the significance of the dome and RAF Langham during WWII. https://langhamdome.org
RAF Air Defence Radar Museum is a museum, located on the site of the world’s longest continuously operating radar site, housing 20 exhibition rooms and hosting talks. Holkham Hall is a stunning 18th century stately home, still very much lived in by the family who own it. There is also a deer park and Holkham beach is open to the public. New visitor facilities were opened in 2016 and include a courtyard café, shop and agricultural exhibition. https://www.holkham.co.uk National Trust – https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/days-out/norfolk Blakeney National Nature Reserve – “Spectacular wildlife and uninterrupted views of beautiful coastline.” Sheringham Park – “Landscape park and woodland garden with miles of stunning coastal views.” (also see Walking.) Blickling Hall – “One day is never enough. Discover a complete Norfolk estate with something for everyone.” Don’t miss the Bucks Arms just outside Blickling Hall, renowned for a great pub lunch. Felbrigg Hall, Gardens and Estate – “Truly a hidden gem.” Jacobean mansion, gardens and parkland. Oxburgh Hall – “15th-century moated manor house.” English Heritage – http://www.english-heritage.org.uk Baconsthorpe Castle (NR25 6LE) – Moated ruins of a fortified manor house dating from the Wars of the Roses, with a turreted gatehouse added in Elizabethan times. Binham Priory (NR21 0DQ) – Much more than the imposing ruins, the priory nave is now a working parish church with Norman arches and printed screens. Castle Rising Castle (PE31 6AH) – One of the most complete Norman keeps in England. Castle Acre Castle (PE32 2XB) and Caste Acre Priory (PE32 2XD) – Caste Acre is a rare and complete planned Norman Settlement; including castle, town, parish church, monastery and extensive defensive earthworks. The site hosts a family trail and many display to bring the history of the site alive. Cow Tower, Norwich (NR1 4AA) – Strategic artillery Blockhouse c. 1398. Creake Abbey (NR21 9LF) – Ruins of a flint-walled Augustinian abbey church set in beautiful, tranquil countryside. Grimes Graves (IP26 5DE) – Pre-historic flint mine, the “Devil’s holes” formed by over 400 shafts and quarries make this unique lunar like landscape well worth a visit. A family explorer kit is available to help interpret clues about the site. |
Coastal/Beaches
| North Norfolk is a wild coastline punctuated by fabulous beaches.
Our TOP FIVE BEACHES NEAR TO CLEY-NEXT-THE-SEA;
Visit Picnic Fayre deli to grab everything you need for a delicious packed lunch, and follow the signs to the shingle and pebbles of Cley Beach. Turn left to enjoy a relaxing walk towards the sands of Blakeney Point. Look out for the Watch House on your way, imagine you’re looking out for smugglers or ships in distress.
Award-winning dog-friendly beach. Park your car by the quay and enjoy a relaxing, short narrow gauge railway ride right to the beach.
Holkham Bay is part of the Holkham Hall estate and has fabulous golden sand, pine covered dunes, a natural lagoon which forms at high tide, and of course beautiful brightly colourful beach huts.
Park your car on the quay (watch out for the tide) and walk along the embankment to the isolated and beautiful sandy beach at Scolt Head Island.
Miles of golden sand perfect for dog walking and kite surfing. When the tide is out you can see the the remains of SS Vina, supposedly used by the RAF for target practice prior to the D-day landings. |
Food
There are so many truly amazing places to eat in North Norfolk.
Listed here are a select few we have heard good things about.
We are still working our way through the list to test them all out, which is not such a hardship!
Byfords Cafe, Holt
- Cley Smokehouse, Cley next the Sea
- Cookie’s Crab Shop, Salthouse
- The Duck Inn, Stanhoe
- Eric’s Fish & Chips – Thornham
http://www.ericsfishandchips.com
- French’s Fish and Chip Shop – Wells-next-the-Sea
- The George Hotel – Cley next the Sea
http://www.thegeorgehotelatcley.co.uk
- The Gin Trap, Ringstead
http://www.thegintrapinn.co.uk
- The King William, Sedgeford
http://www.thekingwilliamsedgeford.co.uk
- Lifeboat Inn, Thornham
http://www.lifeboatinnthornham.com
- The Moorings, High Street, Blakeney
http://www.blakeney-moorings.co.uk/index.php
- The Neptune, Old Hunstanton (Michelin Star)
- North Street Bistro, Burnham Market
http://www.20northstreet.co.uk
- The Old Bank, Snettisham
https://www.theoldbankbistro.co.uk
- The Orange Tree, Thornham
http://www.theorangetreethornham.co.uk
- The Owl Tearooms, Holt
- Picnic Fayre – Cley next the Sea
- Rose and Crown, Snettisham
http://www.roseandcrownsnettisham.co.uk
- Titchwell Manor, Brancaster
- The White Horse – Blakeney
http://www.whitehorseblakeney.co.uk
- White Horse, Brancaster Staithe
https://www.whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk
- Wiveton Hall Café, Wiveton
http://www.wivetonhall.co.uk/restaurant-cafe/
- The Wiveton Bell – Wiveton, Nr Cley next the Sea
Also visit https://www.enjoynorthnorfolk.com/eat/for more recommendations.
Family
| Amazona Zoo is home to over 200 tropical animals including Jaguars, birds of prey, Pumas, Parrots, Monkeys, Snakes, Flamingos and Tapirs. Amazona also has a Guinea Pig village, an outdoor adventure play area, and a soft play area for under 12’s.
Banham Zoo is an award winning zoo, open since 1968 it houses over 2000 animals and is set in 50 acres of parkland. http://www.banhamzoo.co.uk BeWILDerwood – Adventure park where you can immerse yourself in a mystical childrens book, take the boat ride to the park and you’ll really feel like you’ve travelled to another world of treehouses and strange new creatures. https://www.bewilderwood.co.uk Crabbing Best spots for crabbing:
Dinosaur Adventure – dinosaur trail, crazy golf, splash zone, award winning indoor play area and outdoor adventure playground. http://www.roarrdinosauradventure.co.uk Doodle Pots ceramic café is perfect for a rainy day. https://www.doodlepotsnorfolk.co.uk Felbrigg Hall has a 1.5 mile family walking route set out on all weather paths https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/felbrigg-hall-gardens-and-estate/activities Fossil hunting – head to the stretch of coast between Weybourne and Happisburgh for the best fossil hunting. Norfolk Childrens Book Centre – https://www.ncbc.co.uk Pensthorpe Natural Park “Naturally inspiring every generation for 30 years”, but more importantly Pensthorpe has a great adventure playground! Sandringham Country Park has two nature trails, a shorter sculpture trail and a children’s adventure play area. https://www.sandringhamestate.co.uk/sandringham-visitor-centre/country-park/ Wiveton Hall has a giant maize maze from mid-July to mid-September every year, with food available at the Wiveton Hall Café (booking recommended). http://www.wivetonhall.co.uk Wroxham Barns has craft shops, café and restaurant, small petting farm, mini-golf and a funfair during school holidays. https://www.wroxhambarns.co.uk |
Unique to Norfolk
| Cromer Pier – originally built in 1822 this pier is stunning and perfect for a stroll while eating an ice cream from one of the fabulous ice cream parlours on the sea front. Cromer Pier hosts the “Folk on the Pier” 3 day festival in May each year. https://www.cromerpier.co.uk
Wiveton Hall – Fruit Farm, café and farm shop – as featured on the TV programme “Normal for Norfolk”. Norfolk Broads – explore the reed beds of the Norfolk Broads National Park, which is the UK’s primary wetland. The Broads have been abandoned to flooding since the 15th century, are a haven for wildlife and perfect for water sports http://www.visitthebroads.co.uk See if you can spot the legless smuggler rumoured to haunt Happisburgh Beach; or the ghost of Anne Boleyn who is said to ride her horse up the drive of her childhood home Blickling Hall. Miles of waterways perfect for canoeing, if you don’t have your own see www.thecanoeman.co.uk for hire information. Dark Sky Discovery Sites – Three areas in Norfolk have been designated “Dark Sky Discovery Sites”, where you can access exceptionally dark sites, unaffected by light pollution, so you can view the night sky and stars as you’ve never seen them before;
http://www.darkskydiscovery.org.uk/dark-sky-discovery-sites/map.html National Trusts Textile Conservation Studio (selected days only) https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/the-textile-conservation-studio/features/tours-and-talks-at-the-textile-conservation-studio |
Towns and major villages
Cley-next-the-Sea
Cley was once a busy wool port, centred around what is now the village Green. The Green was once the harbour but over the last few hundred years the landscape has been transformed by a gradual silting up of the harbour. Cley is now a wetland beauty spot with a lovely little deli and good food available at the George Hotel or Wiveton Bell, and art galleries.
Lets also not forget the unforgettably lovely 18th century Cley Windmill, this well known landmark is not to be missed.
Cley also falls on the designated Norfolk Coast Path which also gives access to the Cley Marshes Nature Reserve, and Norfolk Wildlife Trusts Visitor Centre, a haven for birdwatchers in search of a cup of tea and slice of cake.
See;
http://www.thegeorgehotelatcley.co.uk
http://www.pinkfootgallery.co.uk
Holt is an idyllic Georgian town centred around a marketplace, with many independent shops and cafes tucked into pretty courtyards. Take the Holt Owl Trail, by following the owl pavement plaques and you will be sure to see all that Holt has to offer.
See;
Sheringham has a long fishing heritage, which you can find out more about in The Mo Museum with their collection of vintage fishing boats. Sheringham is the main station on the North Norfolk Railway, this steam railway runs between Sheringham-Weybourne -Holt. Don’t miss the annual beer festival held on Sheringham station and hosted in the vintage carriages.
See;
https://www.experiencesheringham.com
http://www.sheringhammuseum.co.uk
Norwich is a large Cathedral City with a stunning Cathedral, Norman castle, pubs, restaurants and shops and a castle.
Look out for hidden jems too, such as the secret “Plantation Garden” and the listed Victorian roller skating rink.
See;