Top Five Walks in North Norfolk During The Autumn Season

Walking in autumn in north Norfolk is a delight. The blaze of colour, crisp air and huge bright blue skies offer fabulous scenery along tranquil walking routes. Whether you’re on a family walk, taking a leisurely ramble or going on a long hike, some of the most rewarding walks in north Norfolk take place during this season. Here’s our top five autumn walks.

Hunstanton to Holme through to Thornham: This is just under a six-mile walk taking in a nature reserve, pretty village, an historical town, sand dunes and saltmarsh. In the autumn, the scenery is breath-taking. If driving, you can start this walk off at the car park in Old Hunstanton which is just off the main A149 Coast Road, east of Hunstanton. The walking route is waymarked, with the path along the coast being part of the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path. Start the walk, by heading in an easterly direction, following the marked Norfolk Coast Path. The route takes in Holme Dunes National Nature Reserve and passes saltmarshes to Thornham village. If tired, you can catch the Coast Hopper bus back.

Blakeney Freshes and Blakeney Village: Blakeney Freshes is another area of the Nature Reserve, with wonderful wildlife such as waders and wildfowl. This 7.5 mile circular walk takes you around the Freshes, with fantastic views of the whole Nature Reserve and through Blakeney Village. Ideal for spotting autumn wildlife, keep an eye out for birds on the grazing marshes and reed beds. The views of the salt marsh are amazing at this time of year, with miles of browns, reds and golds. An ideal walk for families. For a break along the way, stop off at Wiveton Hall Café.

Holkham Beach: As it’s a quieter time of year to visit the beach, you will find big skies, magnificent views, vast sands and hardly any people! When the tide is out, there is hard flat sand, ideal for walking and playing. Dogs are permitted on the beach as well. Stride out amongst the sand dunes or the well-worn paths among the pine forests, all of which are part of the Holkham National Nature Reserve and form part of the Norfolk Coast Path.

Weybourne to Sheringham: This is a four to five-mile wild walk, guaranteed to blow away the cobwebs. To get to the start of the walk, you can take either the bus or North Norfolk Railway steam train from Sheringham. Follow signs to the beach where you can enjoy a 2.6-mile way-marked walk along the Norfolk Coast Path across the top of the cliffs all the way to Sheringham, with dramatic views over the sea. There is then a steep climb up Skelding Hill to the Coastguard lookout post, a good place to rest and enjoy the view before continuing down to the town. On reaching the steps to the Marble Arch turn right then immediately left to walk under this archway (built in 1905) and turn onto the promenade. Cross the bridge to the High Street where you can walk along to return to the bus stop/train station.

Morston through to Stiffkey: With this four-mile walk, you will discover a wilder bit of the coast that’s easy to access and flat to walk – a good walk for families. This route goes around the border of the National Trust Blakeney Nature Reserve which is an important site for migrating birds in the autumn and is home to the largest seal colony in England. There are unrivalled views across the Morston and Stiffkey salt marshes famous for their beauty and abundant birdlife, with views out to sea nearly all the way along. Stop along the way to take a boat trip from Morston Quay to visit the seal colonies.