Experience the north Norfolk coast at it’s finest! A walk with something for everyone.
1. Start -TF890448, at the top of Lady Anne’s drive, Holkham then follow the black and white National Trail acorns from here going eastward. Follow the waymarkers until you reach the boating lake and then the car park. Make your way across the car park and up onto the floodbank.
2. Once on the floodbank, the National trail runs along the tarmaced path and the grassy path right on top of the floodbank is a right of way. Choose whichever you like they lead to the same place! The floodbank was breached in 1978 and a ship was washed up onto what is now the play area that you can see to your far right. The sea bank here now hosts a variety of species of wildflowers.
3. The town of Wells next the Sea is a bustling holiday resort, it also hosts a thriving shellfish industry. The saltmarsh east of the floodbank is one of the largest and richest in wildlife in North Western Europe. Keep walking along the quay to the
end of East Quay past the Chandlers on the corner. Turn slightly left and take the waymarked road between two sheds, then left on to a footpath and up onto the bank. Keep walking on top of the bank as it curves around an inlet. The path then turns left through vegetation, through which there are glimpses of the huge expanse of saltmarshes. Look out for waders in the quieter spots such as Oystercatchers and the red-legged Redshanks, also Little Egrets have begun colonising here in recent years.
4. Just off of the path here is a circle of hardstanding called the Whirligig. It was used during the second world war to test miniature surveillance aircraft. Keep on the path, don’t be tempted to wander through the saltmarsh. This could be dangerous for you and potentially damage the environmentally sensitive saltmarsh.
5. Once at the National Trust car park, follow Green Lane towards the village of Stiffkey and the busy A149 coast road where the
coasthopper bus stop can be found. Take care when crossing here as visibility is poor and there is no footway