Norfolk Coast GU ARDIAN FREE guide to an area of outstanding natural beauty 2011 PLAY YOUR PART How you can help Top tips and some advice from a dog LAND & SEA Enjoy your trip From foot to flipper, pedal to sail EVENTS Discover So much to more see and do Walks, talks, Norfolk Coast fairs and uncovered shows NORFOLK COAST GUARDIAN 2011 NORFOLK COAST PARTNERS IN YOUR NORFOLK COAST GUARDIAN... Natural England Country Land & Business Association Norfolk County Council National Farmers Union 3 PLAY YOUR PART 12-13 TRAVEL MAP North Norfolk District Council Norfolk Farming and Follow our five top tips to enjoy this Including bus routes, heritage railways Wildlife Advisory Group special place and help others to enjoy it. and cycle hire. Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Parishes Representatives 4-5 WALK THE TRAIL 14 COMPETITION Get out and about on the Norfolk Coast Fancy winning a free holiday in a great Great Yarmouth Borough Council AONB Common Rights Holders Path in its 25th birthday year with our National Trust converted barn? Broads Authority Wells Harbour Commissioners handy walk-time calculator and day walks Send your entry in now! Environment Agency The Wash and North Norfolk Coast with the Coasthopper bus. 15-17 TASTE THE PLACE English Heritage European Marine Site Management 6-7 GO DEEPER Delicious recipes from lobster cocktail to Scheme Norfolk Wildlife Trust Have you ever wondered what's under summer pudding - all from a local chef Wash Estuary Strategy Group the waves? Local diver Dawn Watson and based on local ingredients. Find out National Trust Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast explains how to snorkel. where to buy them in our local guide. RSPB Path National Trail 8-9 ENJOY NATURE 18 PEDAL AWAY The Norfolk Coast is a refuge for a rich The Quiet Lanes are the ideal spot for THE NORFOLK COAST PARTNERSHIP range of creatures and plants. Get close discovering what's so special about the The Old Courthouse, Baron’s Close, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 8BE to them with our discovery walk at coast. Norfolk Coast Cycleway Guide T: 01328 850530 F: 01328 850546 Holkham, birdwatching for beginners, coordinator Steve Tutt leads the way. E: [email protected] W: www.norfolkcoastaonb.org.uk web based spotting system - and more! 19-23 EVENTS Manager: Tim Venes Funding Partners 10-11 TAKE A RIDE There's something for everyone on the Policy and partnership officer: Estelle Hook Leave the car at home. It's much more coast. From chamber music in Holkham Natural England Communications officer: Lucy Galvin fun on the bus, train, or by boat! See our to exploring at West Runton. Take your Norfolk County Council Community and external funding officer: guide for some great days out. pick from our partners' excellent events! North Norfolk District Council Kate Dougan (maternity leave); Borough Council of King’s Lynn Haidee Bishop (maternity cover) & West Norfolk Education officer: Great Yarmouth Borough The Norfolk Coast Guardian is published by BC Publications on behalf of the Norfolk Coast Wendy Bradnam (maternity cover) Council Partnership. Editor: Lucy Galvin. Designed and produced by: BC Publications 01986 834250 Printed Technical assistant: Steve Tutt by Mortons Print Ltd on 100% recycled newsprint. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication. However, the publishers can accept no Articles available in large print: please contact responsibility for any effects arising there from. Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Norfolk Coast Partnership member organisations. All material copyright Norfolk Coast Partnership 2011. NCP 03/11 – 80K 01328 850530 or via website www.norfolkcoastaonb.org.uk NORFOLK COAST GUARDIAN 2011 PLAY YOUR PART 3 Walking is an adventure at Brancaster. National Trust/Fisheye Images How to get the most from the coast s he Norfolk coast is famous e g for its open landscapes with a Tips on how to enjoy the coast from Dave Wood , National Trust m I vast untouched salt e y warden; and below from our canine correspondent. e h marshes, windswept sand s i F / T t dunes and large sandy beaches. Glo - s 1. Leave the car the tides and a safe route is essential, for a vast range of leisure u r rious countryside and endless views T behind as most of the land is covered in activities, from walking and l a encourage exploration. Protected by n Enjoy discovering the water twice a day. Even at low tide, wildlife watching to kite surfing o i t being an area of outstanding natural a reserves aboard the areas of soft mud or sand can be a or flying micro lights. It’s vital beauty, it’s recognised in law as being N Coasthopper, which danger. to strike a balance between as important as a national park. passes close to many along the coast. access, activities and conservation, This designation is important, but One such is RSPB Titchwell Marsh, five 3. Wander alone, so certain activities have special it’s also how we all use and value the miles east of Hunstanton. The bus but be prepared zoned areas, to minimise stop is right outside the entrance, Heading away from disturbance, such as the kite coast that makes the difference. This Discover more – but take a map. edition of the Norfolk Coast from where it is just a short walk to the car parks and surfing area at Brancaster. Guardian is all about how to get close on pages six and seven. the visitor centre, shop and café. busy areas, it’s possible Restricted access areas are fenced to this beautiful landscape, and enjoy Back to back nature reserves are There are three nature trails to walk, to get the feeling you are alone with off for terns along the coast each it without damaging it. testimony to the incredible wildlife four bird hides overlooking the just the birds and the view to keep you year to give these important You can’t go wrong if you start value of the area. Species seen on this marshes and a sandy beach for a spot company. Make sure to take suitable populations the space they need with the Norfolk Coast Path Na - coast everyday are rare throughout of beachcombing, paddling or outdoor clothing, a map and mobile to breed. tional Trail, celebrating its 25th year the rest of the United Kingdom and sunbathing. phone as the weather can change and awarded ‘Best Coastal Path’ by even the world. On pages eight and quickly and the flat landscape can 5. Take your 2. Plan ahead and be strangely disorientating at times. litter home Coast magazine. On page four and nine there are ideas for how to get know the tides Even at the height of the summer We’ve all got a five there’s a distance planner, and set close to nature. Wandering away season, heading out to the more role to play in of short walks if you can’t face the Make the journey part of your day from the coast path remote places on the coast, such as keeping the coast whole 47 miles in one go. out by using local transport and is possible but requires Blakeney Point, can offer a sense of clean. Dispose of everything you If you fancy a change of element, you’ll discover a whole new part of planning. Even the busy beaches solitude, and some fabulous views and bring with you safely at home – discover the incredible range of life the area. Bus, boat and train – pages of Holkham and Brancaster can wildlife. then it can’t get blown around, or underwater with a local diver as your 10 and 11 offer some tailored options be dangerous places with people end up causing danger to a bird or guide – and get involved with help - for visits. Or jump on a bicycle – regularly being cut off by fast 4. Share the coast animal. ing to protect the sea for the future – there’s lots of fun to be had pedalling moving tides, or caught out by Find out about any the coasts’s quiet lanes, see page 18. strong currents. The National Trust’s restrictions before Whatever you do, enjoy it – and Blakeney National Nature Reserve your visit and follow David Wood is National Trust take care of it for others to enjoy as and Brancaster Estate offer large any on-site guidance. head warden, North Norfolk well. areas of open access but knowing Visitors and locals alike use the coast Coast. I love the Norfolk Coast. And most of all, I love eggs or chicks vulnerable to herring gulls and crows. their view, so my human doesn’t let me spoil their running off my lead on its big, beautiful beaches. At other times of year, it’s fun to chase the birds visit to the beach. Unless my human tells me otherwise, I just do what on the beach and see them all fly up. But unlike me, If you make sure your human knows about comes naturally. But lots of other people and wild they don’t go home to their dinner. They have to important wildlife areas on the beach and keeps an birds use the beaches as well, so I need my find what food they can, sometimes in very cold eye on you, and you understand and come back human’s help to make sure we can all share them. weather. So the energy they get from food is very when they tell you, and they only let you off your I really like running around and sniffing all the precious to them and they can’t afford to waste it.