Things to do

National Trust

Blickling Estate Blickling Hall is a Jacobean stately home situated in 5,000 acres of parkland in a loop of the River Bure, near the village of Blickling north of Aylsham. The lovely House and Gardens are just 20 minutes from the Beechwood Hotel

Felbrigg Hall is a 17th-century English country house near the village of that name in Norfolk. Part of a National Trust property, the unaltered 17th-century house is noted for its Jacobean architecture and fine Georgian interior. Outside is a walled garden, an orangery and orchards.

Sheringham Park – landscape park and woodland garden with coastal views, near the town of Sheringham. The park surrounds Sheringham Hall, lying mostly to its south. The parkland is open daily from dawn to dusk, with an amazing collection of rhodedendrons. There is a Courtyard Café near the Park entrance

National Trust Horsey – Horsey Windpump is a windpump or drainage windmill in the care of the National Trust in the village of Horsey, on The Broads near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. The structure is a grade II* listed building. There are some lovely walks to Horsey Mere and Horsey Beach from here

East Ruston Gardens and Tea Room

Open from the beginning of March to the end of October. A beautiful 32 acre modern garden which contains many “garden rooms” including herbaceous borders, gravel gardens, sub-tropical gardens, a box parterre, sunken rose garden, Mediterranean garden, Desert Wash, large woodland garden. 

Amazona Zoo

This lovely small zoo on the outskirts of the seaside town of Cromer is open all year round.  They have a wonderful variety of South American animals including tapirs, macaws and jaguars.  They are open daily.

Seal Viewing at Horsey

Horsey is about a 25 minute drive from the Beechwood Hotel, well signposted by brown signs from Stalham for the nearby Horsey Windpump.  There are seals on the beach and in the sea at Horsey all year round, and in the winter months the beach is cordoned off so that people do not disturb the pups being born there.  Instead you can follow a path along the top of the sand dunes where you can look down over the beach.

Sandringham Estate

A longer drive from the Beechwood than the other places of interest, Sandringham House, Gardens and St Mary Magdalene Church are open from March until October. The Royal Parkland and Courtyard facilities are open all year.

Deep History Coast

North Norfolk’s Deep History Coast is the 22-mile stretch of coastline between Weybourne and Cart Gap which has revealed the most spectacular finds.  Happisburgh became the oldest archaeological site in northern Europe when a 550,000 year old flint axe was discovered there and West Runton has yielded the oldest and largest fossilised mammoth skeleton ever found in the UK. 

North Norfolk District Council has installed a Deep History Coast themed Discovery Trail with visitor points at Weybourne, Sheringham, West Runton, East Runton, Cromer, Overstrand, Trimingham, Mundesley, Walcott and Happisburgh

The North Norfolk Information Centre in Cromer has been refurbished to include a Deep History Coast discovery centre offering interactive displays, activities and signposting to local museums.

A Deep History Coast app has been created, where users are able to see what life was like for humans living in the area at that time.

Pensthorpe Natural Park

A true showcase for British wildlife, Pensthorpe is a Nature Reserve on the River Wensum with beautiful gardens and adventure play.

The Park, Courtyard Café and Gift Shop are open daily, from 10am–4pm.

The Sainsbury Centre Norwich

The outdoor Sculpture park is situated across the university campus with 350 acres of attractive parkland is free and open to everyone to enjoy art, architecture and the natural environment.  The indoor art and sculpture exhibition area changes seasonally, check their website for ticket prices. Closed Mondays, including Bank holidays.

Boat trips on the Broads

Day boat hire:

Broads Tours of Wroxham                          

Norfolk Broads Direct at Wroxham

Richardsons Day Boat Hire at Stalham and Horning

Herbert Woods at Potter Heigham          

Riverside Rentals at Horning

Guided Tours:

Southern Comfort Mississippi Paddleboat from Horning

Miniature Worlds Wroxham

The largest indoor modelling attraction in the UK stretching over 10,000 square feet with some of the largest model railways in the world on permanent public display.  The attraction is made up of many zones including model railways in various scales, slot car displays, a whole city made from LegoTM bricks, model boat displays, Vintage Penny Arcade, Interactive Flight Simulators, Train Simulators, new railway layouts some of which you can drive yourself, and a host of toys from across the decades there is something for the whole family to enjoy.

Wroxham Barns

Leisure and shopping complex with boutiques, craft studios, a kids’ farm, funfair and restaurant. Open Daily 10am – 5pm

Norfolk Wildlife Trust

The Visitor Centre at Cley and Salthouse Marshes is open, with frequent art exhibitions on display and bird watching hides throughout the site

Hickling Broad reserve is open from dawn to dusk daily, the visitor centre opens from March to November

Ranworth Broad reserve is open dawn to dusk daily, the visitor centre is open from March to November

Guided boat trips are available from Easter to the end of October

Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden

130 acres of cultivated, wild and natural plantings, a haven for wildlife enthusiasts.  Open Saturday to Wednesday 10am to 4pm. 

North Walsham and Dilham Canal

There is easy parking at Ebridge Mill just a few minutes’ drive from the Beechwood Hotel.  Access to the canal has been improved in recent years, with weeds cleared and the canal opened up, there is a lovely path along the canal for a walk, with an approximately 1 mile journey to Mill Road.  There are plenty of opportunities to see wildlife and good fishing as well.  The group restoring the canal are always making improvements, with a restored lock, new gates and much more.

The Weavers Way

Named after the once important weaving industry, which flourished in the Middle Ages around North Walsham, Weavers’ Way runs for 61 miles between Cromer and Great Yarmouth.  If you come out of the Hotel and turn right, over the traffic lights and on the left hand side you will see an entrance to a footpath.  When you come to the road turn right.  Follow Skeyton New Road on the left and you will soon find the entrance to the Weavers Way, a footpath through fields which extends as far as Aylsham.  This part of the trail has been newly resurfaced and is suitable for cyclists and horse riders. 

Henry Blogg Museum, Cromer

Celebrating the most decorated lifeboatman in RNLI history, who served for 53 years on Cromer’s lifeboats. With the assistance of his crew, he saved 873 lives from the North Sea. Opening hours Wednesday-Sunday 10am–4pm

Priory Maze and Gardens, Sheringham

10 Acres of beautiful gardens, cafe and hedge maze. Open from Easter to the end of October

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