Things to do in East Anglia, England: The Best Nature & Parks

Discover dramatic landscapes, raw natural beauty and a rare quality of light. Where big, bright skies meet endless horizons and dreamlike landscapes. A place where time stands still. Real peace, open space – it’s a place unlike anywhere else... The Broads National Park.

The Norfolk Coast Path runs for 42 miles from Hunstanton to Cromer, with the majority of this walking trail running through the dramatic landscape of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The most westerly point of the Norfolk Coast Path is the seaside town of Hunstanton. It then passes through areas rich in wildlife - first the salt marshes near Brancaster, then Holkham National Nature Reserve with its extensive sandy beaches and pine woodland underlining the vast open sky. Look out for massive flocks of geese in the winter, coming in to safely spend the night here. After Wells-next-the-Sea the Norfolk Coast Path skirts along the edge of salt marshes, with views of Blakeney Point, famous for its grey and common seals. Cley-next-the-Sea marks the start of the section that follows an extensive shingle beach and wildlife-rich freshwater marshes. The route continues along the shingle beach almost as far as Sheringham, where it follows the top of the sandy cliffs, heading inland and meandering through the wooded hills between Sheringham and Cromer. This trail combines with the Peddars Way (which it joins at Holme-next-the-Sea) to form the Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Path National Trail, one of 15 National Trails in England and Wales.

A beautifully restored Victorian garden of 3 acres which is run by volunteers for the benefit of the community. All your entrance fees go the the upkeep of the garden, new plants etc. On Sundays in summer teas are served to musical entertainment. PLEASE NOTE: TOILETS are only open when there are volunteers on duty...on Sundays in the summer and for special events. Please see our website for details of events. Refereshments and toilets are available at St. John's Cathedral Narthex next door. We regret we have NO PARKING, but there is a pay and display carpark next door.

Windswept tidelines, a maze of creeks and saltings, miles of dunes and sandspits, shady pinewoods, green pastures and grazing marshes, the mix of habitats and the blend of wildlife confirm Holkham National Nature Reserve as a unique place.

Explore the sights and sounds of Africa and discover lions, giraffes, rhinos, meerkats, hunting dogs and many more animals from the African continent. The spectacular centrepiece of Africa Alive!, our "Plains of Africa" paddock, is the perfect place to spot 5 species of African savannah animals, including our graceful giraffe and heavyweight rhinos. Enjoy a bird's eye view of our magnificent lions from "Lookout Lodge", and visit "Lemur Encounters", which gives you the chance to get incredibly close to our ring-tailed lemurs as you walk through their enclosure! Bird lovers can also enjoy spotting native species from our new "Wader's Lake Boardwalk". Discover some amazing facts about our animals during our exciting feeding talks and seasonal Bird of Prey displays. Climb aboard the free Safari Roadtrain for an entertaining journey around the Park. Look, learn and play in our fun-packed Discovery Centre and meet some of our smaller residents at the animal encounter sessions. The park offers a great outdoor adventure play area, as well as restaurants, free car parking, disabled facilities and a gift shop where you can find souvenirs and gifts for everyone - including yourself! Open daily at 9.30am all year, except Christmas Day and Boxing Day. For admission prices and closing times please check our website

Holkham is a beautiful place rich in wildlife, history and heritage, with lots of things to do for all ages. With a stately home at its centre, Holkham encompasses a National Nature Reserve, a beach, a walled garden, and acres upon acres of parkland that is roamed by its resident fallow deer. Visit the Holkham Stories Experience to truly discover the history the estate and come away enlightened with one or two interesting facts up your sleeve. Children will enjoy our Woodland Adventure Play Area and ropes course, and all will be able to explore more of the grounds with cycle and boat hire available most of the year. Holkham hosts a number of events throughout the year; visit our website for full information on our visitor attractions and events.

Wild, remote and exposed, Orford Ness contains the ruined remnants of a disturbing past. Ranked among the most important shingle features in the world, rare and fragile wildlife thrives where weapons, including atomic bombs, were once tested and perfected.