National Trust
Blickling Estate opening hours: House 11am to 3pm daily, Gardens 10am to 4pm daily, Parkland dawn till dusk. During their Christmas events November 29 – December 19 all tickets are pre-booked and the site will close 2-3.30pm each day between sessions.
Felbrigg winter opening hours: House and Gardens 12pm to 3pm Saturdays and Sundays only, Parkland dawn to dusk daily. Only the ground floor of the hall is open during Winter to allow the team to complete conservation work.
Sheringham Park – landscape park and woodland garden with coastal views, winter opening times: parkland open dawn to dusk, Courtyard Café open at the weekend between 10am – 3:30pm.
National Trust Horsey – the car park is open daily from dawn to dusk, the tea room is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 3pm, the Windpump is open from 11am to 3pm Saturdays and Sundays
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. Open Wednesday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays from 12 noon until 5.30pm. You do not need to book.
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 from 10am to 3.30pm, tickets must be purchased in advance.
Sandringham Estate
Sandringham House and Gardens are now closed until Spring 2022. Sandringham Royal Parkland and Courtyard facilities are open all year.
This winter Luminate Sandringham, the enchanting winter light trail returns to the Royal Parkland, with an extended route and the addition of a vintage fairground. Running from 12 November – 19 December, entry times from 4.15pm – 8.30pm.
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.
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 (which remains closed). 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.
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
Winter opening: Open weekends only 10.30am to 4pm. 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
Bird watching hides are open
Hickling Broad reserve is open from dawn to dusk daily, from November to March the visitor centre is open 10am to 4pm Thursday to Sunday only
Ranworth Broad reserve is open dawn to dusk daily, the visitor centre is closed from November to March
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. Please pre-book online.
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