BeWILDerwood, out first things to do in North Norfolk, is an adventure park for families located in Horning. It is situated in a woodland area and includes, rope bridges, treehouses, zip wires, slides, a maze, and two areas especially for under-fives called “Tiptoe Valley and “Toddlewood-on-the-HIll. A journey along the river takes young adventurers into a world of treehouses, slides and rope bridges. The park is based on events and characters in “A Boggle at BeWILDerwood” and “The Bewilderbats”, books for children written by Tom Blofeld, the owner of BeWILDerwood. Approximately an hours drive from our cottages, BeWILDerwood is a fabulous day out for families with children.

Only a 10 minute drive from the North Norfolk Coast, Pensthorpe Natural Park is a natural home for many species of mammals, birds, plants and invertebrates. Here, you can explore and discover the beautiful landscapes, inspiring sculptures, and diverse habitats as they change through the seasons, providing year round colour and interest. 

Visitors can enjoy the woodland and wetland walks, stunning gardens and wonderful indoor and outdoor play areas.  Interactive trails, bird hides and boardwalks meander through the wilderness of the nature reserve, whilst children can get involved with activities such as pond dipping, spotting wildlife and feeding the birds enabling them to get closer to the native and visiting wildlife.

Holkham Estate has lots to see and do throughout the whole year. Explore the marked walks around the park and see some impressive landmarks such as the obelisk and monument to Coke of Norfolk, alongside other intriguing buildings like the old icehouse and Great Barn. Holkham Hall, sitting proudly within the deer park, is a magnificent stately home which is open to the public and for events throughout the year. There are nature trails with a fun family quiz and boundless amounts of nature and wildlife to see. To explore further afield, bicycles can be hired from the cycle hire centre and canoes, kayaks or rowing boats can be hired on the big lake.

Titchwell Marsh nature reserve is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Countless migrating birds pass through Titchwell in the spring and autumn, and many spend winter here, giving an outstanding opportunity to see many species of seabirds, ducks, waders and geese. As the days get longer, birds such as Curlews leave to fly north, whilst others such as Sand Martin and Wheatear are arriving from Africa.

Titchwell Marsh Nature Reserve is one of The RSPB’s most popular reserves.  With marvellous Marsh Harriers sky dancing overhead, wide sandy beaches, lagoons and reedbeds – it is a birdwatcher’s paradise!

Cley and Salthouse Marshes was purchased almost 100 years ago to be held ‘in perpetuity as a bird breeding sanctuary’. It has grown to a single coastal reserve of more than 300 heatares. Today, Cley and Salthouse Marshes is one of the most popular birdwatching sites in the UK, attracting more than 110,000 human visitors each year. The six hides give incredible views that are managed to attract migrating and breeding birds. The award-winning visitor centre features exhibitions, and a well-stocked gift and book shop. The Education Centre provides popular events, workshops, performances, guided walks and seasonal festivals.

The famous sweeping beach in Wells-next-the-Sea is famous for its colourful beach huts and miles of soft sand reaching to Holkham. Enjoy the sea air, relax, unwind and feel the sand between your toes and have fun paddling in the shallow waters in the warmer months. In colder months enjoy walking the dogs, flying kites, bird watching or playing family beach games.

There is ample parking in the beach car park and the Beach Cafe offers plenty of fabulous snacks and drinks.

You may even enjoy hiring a beach hut for the day!

Pop Up Shops change every week at Dalegate Market. You’ll usually find four new and interesting Pop Up Shops, in the beach huts behind Deepdale Cafe, from Thursday to the following Tuesday each week throughout the Summer and weekends in the run up to Christmas.

Full listings of all Pop Up Shops can be found on the Dalegate Market website and the listings will be updated as Pop Up Shops are confirmed.

A large part of the path will take you through the stunning landscape of the Norfolk Coast, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. From Hunstanton to Sea Palling, it passes through areas rich in wildlife, extensive sandy and shingle beaches, saltmarshes, freshwater marshes and pine woodland. Look out for large flocks of geese in the winter, coming in to safely spend the night on Holkham Nature Reserve, and the views out to Blakeney Point, known for its colony of seals. Walk as far as you chose and then return to your cottage on the Coasthopper bus.

Built in the 1720s, for Sir Robert Walpole, Britain’s First Prime Minister, Houghton Hall is one of the finest Palladian Houses in England. The Hall is now the home of the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, Walpole’s descendent, and his family.

Surrounded by traditional parkland, Houghton has a spectacular herd of white fallow deer. The award winning five acre Walled Garden includes a spectacular double-sided herbaceous border, a formal rose parterre, and a rustic temple designed by Julian and Isabel Bannerman. There is also a sculpture park featuring an impressive collection of contemporary sculptures acquired by Lord Cholmondeley.

Sandringham is the much-loved Country Retreat of the Royal Family, and has been the private home to four generations of British monarchs since 1862.

Sandringham Royal Parkland spans over 243 hectares for visitors to enjoy. It is open daily throughout the year to walk or cycle and is dog friendly with a natural woodland Children’s Play Area, there are also two waymarked Nature Trails and an orienteering trail.

Eight main ground floor rooms used by The Royal Family inside Sandringham House, full of their treasured ornaments, portraits, and furniture, are open to the public from April -October along with the sixty-acre gardens include the formal North Garden, the Stream Walk and Queen Alexandra’s Summerhouse, perched above the lake.