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Going to Kelling Heath in the summer.

14 replies

VivaLeBeaver · 26/01/2012 11:50

Anyone been before? Any tips/advice?

It looks lovely.

www.kellingheath.co.uk/

OP posts:
ibbydibby · 26/01/2012 11:56

Live in Norfolk, no advice (sorry) as never been but is very popular around here, ie the place to go for the weekend.

Are you looking for advice on where to go/what to do outside the campsite?

VivaLeBeaver · 26/01/2012 12:01

I've got some ideas of places to go as we've had the odd weekend camping at Wells before.

Definetly want to go back to Bewilderwood as DD loved that.
Maybe hire a boat on the broads for a morning
Some of the NT properties look nice
Holt looks nice for a potter around (we went on a Sunday once and it was mostly closed)

Any tips on other places to go/things to do with an 11yo in tow would be great.
Best beaches?
Are either Sheringham or Cromer worth a visit?

OP posts:
ibbydibby · 26/01/2012 12:11

Both Sheringham and Cromer lovely, for a look around, when the sun is shining.

Also recommend West Runton beach, particularly at low tide, for poking around in rock pools.

Sheringham Park (National Trust) v good for day out walking/exploring, took my 2 boys there a couple of years ago for reptile discovery walk (saw adders).

If weather not so good, lots to do in Norwich. Umm..

ibbydibby · 26/01/2012 12:12

On the NT properties, Felbrigg & Blickling both worth a visit. Also Holkham Hall (though not sure if that would be too far round on coast?)

VivaLeBeaver · 26/01/2012 12:20

Thanks for those ideas. Holkham hall would be close enough, I don't mind doing a bit of driving.

OP posts:
Blu · 27/01/2012 13:52

West Runton is a lovely beach at low tide - not much space at high tide, get a little tide table or look on the internet before you go. Lots of fab things to do in N Norfolk depend on tide times.

The best beaches in the area (and in the world, to my mind) are Wells, which has miles of wide open space, dunes, pinewoods, a nature walk, a car park, cafe, toilets, trampolining, boating lake, and you can hire one of the magnificent beach huts from Pinewoods Caravan Holiday park (spenny, though). Spend time on the beach, and also walking through the wonderful pinewoods - great tree climbing. Then sit on the quay in the town and have fish and chips from french's chip shop, not the other one.
and
Holkham Beach has fewer facilities, is even bigger and wilder, also has dunes, pinewoods etc.

Further along the coast Brancaster is a lovely beach, the sea is nearer than at Wells.

A ferry trip to see the seals at Blakeney Point is a must, you get really close to millions of seals - the ferries go from Morston, you can book in advance from Blakeney Quay, at the pub in Morston, or google Blakeney Seals ferries and book through Bishops ferries. Time depends on tides, so plan ion advance. Open boats so check weather forecast, too.

Holt - good chi chi shopping and a massive Budgens

Cromer - pier, charming centre, OK beach, small multiplex cinema showing a great selection of films, tiny museum behind the churcg - it is worth visiting the museum before going to w Runton beach because it explains all the fossils and the Hairy Mammoth they found on W Runton.

Sheringham - very charming small seaside town, 'Splah' indoor leisure pool with flumes etc, OK beach, excellent cliff top walk if you head West along the prom out of town, and keep walking straight along the cliffs to Weybourne.

Blakeney is nice - buy a crabbing line and bucket in Spar, bait from the fish shop next door, sit on the quay crabbing, walk out along the sea bank, or down the creekside path beyond the car park. Great paddling and mud slidng at low tide and you can hire canoes on the shallow creek.

The Steam Museum at Thursford is good - traction engines, the old dance hall steam organs (they play them in rotation) and a few steam driven roundabouts that you can go on. (wet weather stuff is a bit harder in N Norfolk!)

Norwich Castle is v good, and the old shopping arcades next to it are lovely.

The Kelling Heath hol park is LOVELY. Nice walks, bike trails, adventure playground and it's own stop on the steam line to Sheringham. I have never camped there - the camping field does look as if the like to cram people in a bit.

Blu · 27/01/2012 13:56

Envy at ibbydibby seeing adders at Sheringham Park - I have been so many times and never seen an adder! Was it a guided walk?

The Birdwatching / Conservation centre on the coast rd between Cley and Salthouse is worth a 30 min visit if you are passing through - telescopes trained on the marsh, and a webcam which you can direct from the second room out the back. You can sit in the warm and eat cake while watching birds wade about in the wind and rain...

VivaLeBeaver · 27/01/2012 22:35

Thats brillaint Blu - thankyou. Gives us a good idea of what to expect where.

I must admit I'm a bit worried about being crammed in at the campsite afetr reading a few reviews. My pitch is 9mx7m and my tent is 5m dia circle (bell tent). Which doesn't leave a lot of space for the car. I'll have to see when I get there, don't want to pay an extra £50 for a 10x10m pitch which is the other option. I'm on the end of a row and near the carpark so we might just leave the car in the carpark.

I'm hoping the weather is going to be fantastic and we can spend the week walking, bike rising and on the beach! If not we'll be in the Splash pool at Sheringham and the indoor bird watching place!

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 27/01/2012 22:36

Talking of fossils does anyone know if any of the beaches are good for fossil hunting?

OP posts:
CarrieAnnRegardless · 28/01/2012 10:23

West Runton.

The little cafe at the top of the slipway to the beach has lots of information sheets on the ice age evidence and fossils to be found - and as I say, if you are interested in that sort of thing, a quick trip to the little museum in Cromer , which also has lots of information and take-away project sheets, will pay dividends. They found an entire hairy mammoth ar W Runton.

There is another classic ice age feature - the Blakeney Esker. A small heath off the Wiventon Rd behind Blakeney, with a short walking trail, car park, good picnic spot and great views. An info board shows the geographical info. Good for anyone studying the ice age.

Kelling and Salthouse Heaths, up on the hill behind those villages, are good cycling territory - heath paths, small lanes and woods.

CarrieAnnRegardless · 28/01/2012 10:24

s'me - experimenting with a name change!

alibubbles · 28/01/2012 15:54

Fond memories! I took my parents caravan to Kelling Heath several times when my children were little, they loved it! It was excellent and very clean and well organised.

The steam train used to stop at Kelling Halt, don't know about now, but we caught it to Holt and then had a horse and cart ride into the town.

Great to take bikes, we gave or children total freedom to cycle anywhere, lots of woods, hills, etc to have fun on bikes.

It was great, have a lovely time!

VivaLeBeaver · 28/01/2012 22:19

It does all sound so lovely. We'll definetly go to West Runton and the museum at Cromer/
.

OP posts:
ibbydibby · 31/01/2012 14:38

Loads of ammonites at West Runton.

Blu, yes was on a guided NT walk. Would never have known where to look otherwise!

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