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There is nowhere like north Norfolk to experience the natural world. Famous for its seal colonies, unique birdwatching, fields full of Norfolk poppies, gardens and parks, fantastic nature reserves, the Broads National Park and wonderful walks and woods, exploring natural north Norfolk is a real delight.
North Norfolk has such a varierty of wildlife habitats. The ancient woodlands, chalk rivers, fens, broads, farmland, marshes, wetland and sandy beaches means the area is home to many fish, birds and mammals.
Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a protected landscape covering 450 km² of coastal and agricultural land, the stunning north Norfolk landscape and flora changes throughout the season making each visit special.
Unique to Norfolk is the Broads National Park, home to over a quarter of the rarest plants and animals in the UK and is Britain's largest protected wetland. With its many nature reserves, the Broads is an excellent place for birdwatching. There are 230 nationally important invertebrates in the Broads, such as beetles and moths including the Fenn's Waistcoat and reed leopard, and enjoy the darts of colour of dragonflies and damselflies.
Also unique to north Norfolk is ‘Britain’s Great Barrier Reef’, the Cromer Shoals Chalk Bed on the Deep History Coast. Created in the Mesozoic Era when dinosaurs roamed, it is the longest chalk bed in the world at 20 miles long and you can see it by swimming out and snorkelling. Marine life is abundant with over 30 species of sea slug, shoaling fish, blue mussel beds, harbour porpoises, seals and occasional sightings of basking sharks. The purple sponge was found here, a species new to science discovered in 2011.
The changing seasons bring different visiting animal and bird life, making natural north Norfolk, a magnificent place to visit all year round.
Spring in north Norfolk sees carpets of snowbells and bluebells especially at Walsingham Abbey, Pensthorpe Natural Park and Sheringham Park. Take a trip to one of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s ancient woodland nature reserves where you will be treated to the spectacular sight of colourful wildflowers including the amazing carpets of bluebells. Keep an eye out for brown hares in fields of spring wheat and barley, heathlands and coastal marshes.
Summer brings dancing dragonflies and clouds of male silver-studded blues flying over heather. Warmer weather sees the famous Norfolk poppies come into flower as well as saltmarsh sea lavenders which turns stretches of the north Norfolk coast a shade of delicate scented purple.
In Autumn, you may catch sight of otters, often spotted at dawn and dusk along the Broads or at NWT Ranworth. Wandering through the woods is a treat with the stunning array of colours as leaves begin to turn from their summer green and sweet chestnuts and conkers start appearing on branches. NWT Holme Dunes nature reserve is a good place to see butterflies before they hibernate, such as small coppers, brown graylings and mottled greys.
Winter is wonderful for wildlife! One of the most impressive spectacles is large skeins of pink-footed geese. Over a third of the world's population of this species migrate to Norfolk for winter, mainly in January and February. Roosting together at night, the geese are very noisy and their dawn and dusk flights to inland feeding areas, are an amazing wildlife sight best seen at NWT Holme Dunes, NWT Cley Marshes and RSPB Titchwell. Winter is also when the seal colonies are well worth a visit. Snowdrops also make an appearance from late January and there are plenty of places to see this amazing sight. Find out more here.
Taking a boat trip is the safest and best way to see the unique north Norfolk seal colonies. Blakeney Point is home to Common and Grey seals and is one of the biggest colonies in winter in England, with around 2500 pups. Grey seals have their young, born with white coats and large black eyes, between November and January and common seals have their pups between June and August. Boat trips go from Morston Quay and Blakeney harbour or take a ride on The Wash Monster amphibious boats, from Hunstanton. Often you can see seals bobbing around and basking in the sun in Wells harbour and Sea Palling or on the sandbanks at Holkham.
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Whatever time of year you visit north Norfolk, the nature and wildlife experienced in each season is truly fascinating.
Number of results: 42
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Morston Quay
Beans Boat Trips, a family run business, to see the seals and birds at Blakeney Point. We operate throughout the year. A great trip out for all the family. The boats operate in the harbour we don't go out to sea.
South Walsham
Visit the tranquil 130 acres of ancient woodland with over 3.5 miles of paths. We have a tearoom, gift shop, bird hide, children's nature trail and plant sales area.
Upper Sheringham
Wander through Sheringham Park and you will discover why it became the personal favourite of its designer Humphrey Repton. The park has colour, wildlife and stunning sea views.
Wells-next- the-Sea
Explore acres of parkland with a stunning stately home, tranquil Walled Garden and fascinating Holkham Stories Experience. With cycle an boat hire, ropes course, delicious food and drink, tempting shopping and a multitude of amazing events.
Filby
Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens, near Great Yarmouth has a 250-year-old landscaped garden, play areas and a wide selection of Asian mammals, birds and reptiles including tigers, crocodiles and storks.
Explore magical gardens, take a trail through our spacious reserve and gardens, and get up close with feathered friends.
For little nature lovers, there are awesome indoor and outdoor play areas, off-road rides, and lots to learn. Don’t forget to…
Norfolk
Holt Country Park is only a short walk from the historic market town of Holt on the edge of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
King's Lynn
Big skies, a fabulous sandy beach and bird-filled reedbeds, lagoons and marshes are just a few gems tucked away inside Titchwell’s treasure trove of natural delights.
Sandringham is the much-loved Country Retreat of Her Majesty The Queen, and has been the private home to four generations of British monarchs since 1862.
Cromer
Amazona Zoo, Cromer, is home to over 200 tropical animals and birds. With indoor and outdoor play areas, you're sure of a Braziliant day out!
Norwich
A unique complex surrounded by 4 acres of exquisite gardens and home to some of the region's most accomplished craftspeople. Shopping, gardens and cafe.
Hoveton
There is so much to see and do at Wroxham Barns, including shopping in craft studios, delicious food from the onsite café and coffee shop, and seasonal fun on Junior Farm and Fun Park.
Lenwade
BugzUK is a tropical invertebrate zoo, displaying hundreds of amazing, huge and colourful insects and other invertebrates from around the world, and you can book to hold some of the animals too in our daily handling experiences.
Bacton Wood is just north of North Walsham with orienteering and walking trails.
King's Lynn
This is one place to witness two of the UK's great wildlife spectacles. On big tides, as the water covers the mudflats, tens of thousands of wading birds are pushed off their feeding ground and settle on inlands in front of the RSPB hides.
Norfolk
Holkham is the most extensive, diverse and dramatic nature reserve on a coastline famous for nature reserves.
Hunstanton
One of the North Norfolk Coast's most attractive landscapes, with a tangible air of fragility. It's location makes it an important bird watching site and 320 species have been seen.
Hunstanton
Rolling chalky landscape with wonderful views.
North Walsham
Head for a rural and peaceful corner of north-east Norfolk where a sleeping beauty has awoken and is welcoming visitors all year round - and for free!
Holme next the Sea
Nature reserve with over 320 species of birds recorded since 1962. One of 18 bird observatories in the UK. Various species of dragonfly. Over 50 species of flora.
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