Holkham National Nature Reserve — Attraction in North Norfolk

Just as we were leaving, Google asked me on my phone what I thought of the place so I gave it five stars, but didn't really have time to write anything.

We visited twice during our stay - once to go around the grounds of the hall and the second time to walk on the beach. I really liked the approach at this venue - compare and contrast with Blenheim Palace. At Blenheim, the grounds are criss-crossed with public footpaths, and yet they'll try to get you to pay £16 per person just to walk in the grounds! Here on the other hand, the park is potentially private, and yet they let you walk all over it free, gratis and for nothing, asking no more than that you stick to the paths. Parking was a very reasonable £3, and we had a lovely walk (the 4 mile one) taking us past the hall and then round in a big loop back to the entrance. Delightful.

Today we came back to go to the beach. An incredibly popular venue and for good reason. We arrived about 10 on Sunday morning and there were quite a lot of cars there ahead of us. By the time we left (about 11:30 on a gloriously sunny day) the car park was heaving, but there was still room to find spaces. The thing is, the beach and woods are so big they can absorb all these people and not feel busy. A pleasant walk down to an almost deserted beach, and then along the edge of the sea for a mile or so. Hundreds of very happy dogs were being aired by their owners, plus quite a few excited children.

A...

A real "wow" location. Unspoilt, windswept, natural landscape, sculpted by the wind and waves. Yes, the toilets are a mile away, and yes people bring dogs, but there is so much sand and sea and sky, nobody frets about the little things. The new visitor centre is an attraction in itself with contemporary yet considerate architecture, as well as fair trade latte and clean toilets. The Norfolk Wildlife Trust were hosting free hands-on owl-pellet dissection when we visited, and the centre will inform and inspire you before you head out to the beach through through the pine woodland. Most of the walk is on wooden boards and compacted hard sand, so is suitable for those with mobility needs (and a sense of adventure). The sea is shallow without any shelving, so is great for learning body boarding and those less confident in the water. The dunes are not extensive, but provide some shelter from the wind and enough curiosity for young explorers. I would strongly recommend bringing...

We love Holkham Beach. I wish the parking cost less but it is such a lovely place it's worth it. We have visited many times at all times of year. Theres a cafe and good toilets. The cafe food is nice. Lots of seating too. Most of the areas are very accessible for wheel chairs and limited mobility but be aware some parts are uneven. Lots of birds, fauna and insects and some stunning skys. Well worth a visit or several. What's nice is on a windy day you can generally find cover on the choice of walks. Please if you have a dog keep them on a lead as requested a short lead is better. Theres a lot of ground nesting birds near the paths. Even the best behaved wandering dog will accidentally disturb them. Sadly we have witnessed a great many people ignore the signs and a few times seen the unfortunate results. It's a lovely place for dog walking but on leads please and please pick up the mess as children play here. It a...