Hello summer! Nature and wildlife in Norfolk
June brings us into the heart of summer, and with the season in full swing, it’s an ideal time to relish a getaway at Heacham Manor and spend days basking in the beauty of Norfolk’s coast and country. Our two-night mini break, which includes breakfast, dinner and complimentary access to our Wellness Centre, starts at just £139 per person and a little ‘me-time’ could make a big difference to your wellbeing. Norfolk’s beautiful fauna and flora are in full bloom this season, so pack your camera, binoculars and spend time outdoors reconnecting with nature.
Skies the limit – birdwatching in Norfolk
Norfolk is one of the UK’s best birdwatching destinations and June is still a great moment to catch the action with migratory birds arriving and the breeding season in full swing. Just ten miles from Heacham Manor as the crow flies, RSPB Snettisham is twitcher territory and if you follow the trail to one of the four hides you’ll be in prime position to spot the avocets, terns, little egrets and nesting marsh harriers which land to feed on the mud flats.
Colonies of breeding birds can be spotted all along the coastline and a walk on beautiful Holkham Beach, part of the Holkham National Nature Reserve, is one of the most scenic spots to enjoy Norfolk’s stunning landscape and wildlife. If you are visiting with dogs, please be aware that restrictions are in place from April until the end of August to protect the birds from disturbance.
Another fantastic spot to marvel the landscape and see colonies of skylarks, egrets, oystercatchers, sandwich terns and little terns is Scolt Head Island, just off Brancaster Staithe. Book a boat tour of the harbour with one of the local guides before landing and climbing the hill at Scolt Head for a panoramic view – you might even spot some grey seals bobbing in the water, or head further along the coast to Blakeney for a traditional seal boat trip.
Wildflowers and woodlands – Norfolk’s spring blooms
Early in the month it’s still bluebell season and, while there are several ancient woodlands in Norfolk to experience the fantastic sight and smell of the floral carpets, one of the best places to visit is Walsingham Abbey, a place of pilgrimage since the 11th century. The ruins of the medieval Priory of Our Lady of Walsingham are a peaceful haven to spend time at any time and well worth a visit, but in the height of spring the perfume and visual feast of the bobbing blue flowers is remarkable.
Or head to the Royal Sandringham Estate for a spot of forest bathing and see if you can spot some of spring’s migratory songbirds including warblers, cuckoos, swifts and swallows as you follow the woodland’s two marked trails. From here, head to nearby Dersingham Bog, a remote wetland area where rare species including nightjars and woodlarks have been spotted amid the heathland flowers.
Further inland, head to Pensthorpe, a 700-acre nature reserve just outside Fakenham with five glorious gardens to wander and spot a staggering array of resident and migratory wildlife. The wetlands attract dragonflies and damselflies and a host of butterflies as the weather warms up in early summer. The jewel in Pensthorpe’s crown is undoubtedly The Millennium Garden, designed by Dutch landscaper Piet Oudolf whose prairie-style design incorporates more than 150 species of perennials, shrubs, climbers and ornamental grasses. Each year the planting seems to evolve into a scene more magical than the last, and to sit in the heart of the garden is a wonderful, serene experience often dotted with butterflies.
Springwatch in Norfolk – visit Wild Ken Hill
Just a stone’s throw from Heacham Manor, Wild Ken Hill at Snettisham is a pioneering nature restoration project which is probably best known as one of the BBC’s Springwatch locations. Throughout April, May and June, the site offers guided tours to see the farm’s agricultural and rewilding work including the introduction of Exmoor ponies, Tamworth pigs, Red Poll cattle and nocturnal beavers to support nature. The wetlands are also host to a variety of rare species including curlews, avocets and lapwing which the team supports through vital conservation work. A wildlife gem, a two and a half hour tour is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in nature, and just a short drive or walk from Heacham Manor. With so much to see and do in Norfolk this season, make May the month you slow the pace with a rewarding break.