Top Five Free Things to Do in Summer in North Norfolk

There's plenty of free family fun to be enjoyed in north Norfolk during the summer holidays, without spending a penny. Here are our top five free things to do.

Bountiful beaches. There is so much do to along north Norfolk’s 45 miles of coastline with its award winning and Blue Flag beaches. From building sandcastles, to swimming (stay in the lifeguarded areas for safety), to playing games on the beach, there is plenty to do for all the family. Head to West Runton beach to try fossil hunting and rock pooling, play in the white sands at Wells. It's quite common to see seals bobbing about in the water! Find out more about beaches here. For quieter beaches, there are several that are off the popular beaten track - try Walcott, Sea Palling and Weybourne. There are beaches that are more accessible such as Cromer and Sheringham where you can also hire beach wheelchairs. 

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Get back to nature. North Norfolk is home to several nature reserves and you can spend a day at Titchwell Marsh Nature Reserve without spending a penny. There are three signposted nature trails to choose from within the reserve and you can enjoy a spot of birdwatching along the way. (Parking fees apply).

You can also head to Holkham National Nature Reserve and explore the pinewoods, sand dunes and marshland. See if you can spot wildlife including Natterjack toads, Barn Owls and Little Terns.

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For night time adventures, try star gazing. North Norfolk’s skies are well known for having little light pollution and when it gets dark, check out the wonderful views of the Milky Way, the Plough and Orion’s Belt. North Norfolk is one of the few places in the UK where you can see the northern lights (aurora borealis).

Two sites, Wiveton Downs and Kelling Health Holiday Park, have Dark Sky Discovery Status, which means the area is unaffected by light pollution, ideal for stargazing. If you’re camping, you have the perfect opportunity to sit back and watch the stars.

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Explore history and heritage. If boating floats your boat, head along to Wells Lifeboat Station. Take a close look at the boats and often crew are around to tell you more about the lifeboat station. Open evenings are also held during the summer. Also worth a visit is the Henry Blogg Museum in Cromer. Henry Blogg was the most decorated lifeboatman in the Royal National Lifeboat Institution including medals for gallantry. Find out more about the history of lifeboats in Cromer and details of Blogg’s lifeboat rescues. There are a number of free and varied events are held at the museum.

For a more unusual museum visit, pop along to the Fakenham Museum of Gas and Local History, the last surviving town gasworks within Wales or England and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Explore the diverse collection of gas manufacturing equipment as well as lighting, cooking and heating displays.

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Discover the Deep History Coast. North Norfolk is home to some of the earliest evidence of human British civilisation, the world's biggest mammoth skeleton remains were found at West Runton and a 550,000 year old flint axe was discovered in Happisburgh. There's so much history to explore! The Deep History Coast Discovery Trail gives visitors the chance to find out more about the ancient history of the area through augmented reality and a free App, which can be downloaded for free. Meet the Hominin family as they explain what life was like for them and the kind of animals alongside which they existed. Find out how Norfolk was linked by land to Europe and try games and quizzes on the App. 

Another great free activity is hunting for fossils along the Deep History Coast. Fossil hunting is an exciting activity as you may well find your own piece of history dating back millions of years! There are many different types of fossils you can come across along the Deep History Coast, each telling a different story about the creatures that lived here. And up to 10 September, there is a GoGo Discover Trail around north Norfolk.  A humongous herd of 24 Steppe Mammoths, which will appear around Norfolk (eight in north Norfolk) in towns and popular hotspots. Find out more here. 

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Wonderful walks. For woodland walks, head to Bacton, near North Walsham and Holt Country Park (parking fee applies). See what wildlife you can spot, what ‘treasure’ you can find or play a game of hide and seek. Holt Country Park also has a tearoom new for 2019, but there are plenty of picnic spots of you take you own refreshments. From coastal to countryside walks, there are a huge amount of trails of varying distances. The Coasthopper bus service runs regularly to get you back to your car if you’re on a one-way trail along the Coast Path or there are plenty of circular routes. The site also has cycling trails. And print out our I Spy sheet and see how many things you can spot along your walk.