For those with ankle-biters not yet at school and for couples and multi-generation groups who want to holiday without the crowds, September is a great time to visit Norfolk… our coast and countryside are quieter, the sea is warm, and everything is still open. September is a great time to relax in Norfolk.
Oh, oh… and don’t forget, we may not be the sunniest county, and we may not be the driest, but if you aggregate the two, we come top! Just saying!
Here’s our top 10 things to do…
Fun in the forest
So if Norfolk has the best overall climate, then it’s more so in Thetford Forest in the Brecks. Its unique position in a low-lying bowl means it has cold nights but warm days. High Lodge in the forest is a brilliant base from which to explore – enjoy archery, high ropes, walking trails, cycle paths and look out for the wildlife such as deer and horses.
Wonderful wildlife to make you go ‘Wow!’
We’re not hibernating yet, and nor is our wildlife. Migrating birds will be starting to arrive, there are spectacular deer ruts and, if you’re quiet and look carefully, you might see otters out on the Broads.
Look out for brilliant birdlife at WWT Welney in The Fens, in the Broads and at Pensthorpe Nature Park or in our Premier League class nature reserves such as Cley Marshes, Snettisham and Titchwell.
Top 10 Autumn wildlife in Norfolk
Waterways with Broads appeal
Did we mention the Broads National Park? Now’s a great time to take a boat out on our unique 125 miles of navigable, lock-free waterways – it’s the best way to see them properly. Hire a day boat or a cruiser for a long weekend, mid-week break or a full week. Depending on your likes, you could head into the wild northern Broads or in the southern Broads where you can enjoy Great Yarmouth and Norwich.
Best things to do in the Broads
Estates of the nation – we’ve got brilliant ones
What’s not to love about the National Trust – whether it’s floorboards or footpaths, they do a superb job of looking after our heritage and history. Check online to see if the houses are open, but the country parks and woodlands will be for long expansive rambling. Try Felbrigg, Blickling, Oxborough Hall and Sheringham Park. Not NT, but equally impressive are Holkham and Houghton. And don’t forget Sandringham, home of our Royal family.
Find out what a Snapdragon is!
We’ve already said we don’t have a lot of inclement weather, but if some descends from somewhere else, like Wales or Scotland, then step into one of our brill museums. In Norwich Castle Museum and Gallery you can discover a Snapdragon, learn about rampager of Roman times Boudicca, see an Egyptian mummified cat and a massive polar bear. At Gressenhall learn about the workhouse conditions of Victorian times and in Great Yarmouth, at Time & Tide, relive the days when you could walk across the river from one herring boat to another. Just imagine!
Attractions in the great outdoors
If you have pre-school children then Norfolk has some fab attractions to visit. For the wild ones, we’d recommend Pensthorpe and BeWILDerwood, and there’s great fun to be had at Banham Zoo, Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure and many more.
Get the seal of approval
Blakeney Point is home to the largest seal colony in England during Winter, but in September it’s very much worth a boat trip from Morston Quay to see these delightful, inquisitive and friendly animals. And because of the longer days, there are two trips a day, unlike Winter.
Where to see the seals in Norfolk
Enjoy the natural world
As the weather in September is still good, how about exploring Norfolk’s Seven Natural Wonders, including the most important chalk river in Europe, the Brecks and Cromer Ridge, the highest point in East Anglia with a sea view.
Norfolk’s Seven Natural Wonders
The coast with the most
We’ve got over 90 miles of seashore and every one is walkable, using the Norfolk Coast Path. And what better time to be enjoying our soaring cliffs at Sheringham and nearby Runtons, the salt marshes and tidal creeks of Thornham, Cley-next-the-sea or Stiffkey, or some of our brilliant beaches, most of which are dog-friendly at this time of the year.
Head out on the Norfolk Coast Path and when you’ve done your stretch take the Coastal Hopper back to where you started – or find some great accommodation to stay in before starting out again.
100 things to do on the coast in Norfolk
Delve deep into prehistory
Did you know that Norfolk was the last part of the UK to be joined to the Continent by land? And did you know that the largest and best-preserved mammoth skeleton ever found was uncovered in Norfolk? And that the first tourists ever to come to the UK came to Norfolk? If not, it’s a great time to explore Norfolk’s Deep History Coast.
So there you have it… ten great reasons to visit Norfolk in September! What are you waiting for?
