Walks, wildlife and wonder – escape to the Norfolk coast this autumn
With its coastline, saltmarshes, woodland and heathland, Norfolk in autumn is prime time for getting up close to nature and watching the resident wildlife as they prepare for winter. Pack your binoculars, waterproofs (just in case!) and make Heacham Manor your base command as you adventure the great outdoors.
All change! Spot Norfolk’s migratory birds
In a complex world, the marvel of bird migration is a timeless, spectacular phenomenon that is truly amazing to witness. Each autumn, hundreds of thousands of geese, wildfowl, waders and songbirds arrive in Norfolk, a stopover on the East Atlantic Flyway.
Chief among these are the pink-footed geese, over a third of the world’s population, and dark-bellied brent geese which feed on the coastal marshes and farmland. Stay for a few days and you are likely to hear, before you spot, huge flocks flying in impeccable formation in the sky at day break and nightfall. At the other end of the spectrum, tiny songbirds, including snow buntings, thrushes and occasionally waxwings head south from Scandinavia to feast on winter berries.
North Norfolk is a birdwatchers’ paradise with RSPB Titchwell and RSPB Snettisham, both a short drive from Heacham Manor, prime spots to sight our feathered friends. The Wash attracts large flocks of wading birds and wildfowl including knots, dunlins, redshanks, avocets, wigeon and teal.
It’s pupping season! Go see the seals
The coastline is also busy with grey and common seals pupping from late October to early February, and plenty of new arrivals are easily spotted in November and December. While a boat trip from Morston Quay to Blakeney Point guarantees an up close view, you can often spot seals bobbing along the shoreline or basking on sandbanks at low tide at Hunstanton and Heacham.
It is hugely important that you do not approach or touch the mammals, which can be aggressive and bite, particularly if they feel threatened. In fact, a mother can abandon a pup if you get between the two animals. If a seal appears injured or in difficulty, contact the RSPCA , and don’t forget you can also visit SEA LIFE Hunstanton, a Seal Hospital which rescues and rehabilitates seals before releasing them back into the wild.
Park life! Discover the deer
It’s rutting season, when stags lock their magnificent antlers in a macho match for mating rights. Loud and dramatic, obviously keep a distance if you encounter the action, but there are plenty of spots to see the fallow and roe deer. Chief among these is Holkham which runs Deer and Wildlife Safari tractor-trailer tours until the end of October. Even after the season ends, you can still see the resident fallow deer roaming Holkham Park throughout the year.
Closer to Heacham Manor, Snettisham Park Farm runs Deer Safari Tours until 26 October, with the opportunity to meet the farm’s herd of red deer which feed from your hand. You can save 10% on entry using our special offer.
You may have noticed smaller Muntjac Deer on the side of the road as you drive around, particularly in and around Sandringham. Introduced as a species in the 1900s, the non-native species has a dog-like bark and browse the surrounding woodland for food.
What a fungi! Marvel at mushrooms
Look a little more closely in woodland, parkland and the heathland of Dersingham Bog on the edge of the Sandringham Estate, or Roydon Common, and you might spot some Willy Wonka-esque fungi, as it’s mushroom season!
The most impressive of these is the giant puffball, a large football-sized fungus, along with pretty parasol mushrooms and delicate chanterelles. It’s best not to touch or consume mushrooms unless you are a knowledgable forager, as several species are highly poisonous, including the fly agaric, which has a red cap and white spots, and the common earth ball, a round fungus easily confused with edible puffballs.
With so much to discover this season, Heacham Manor’s Norfolk Coast Mini Breaks are the perfect solution with a flexible 1-, 2- or 3-night stay with plenty of time to explore Norfolk’s natural beauty this season.