WalkNorfolk festival takes place throught October and is one of the most diverse and innovative walking festivals in the country.
The festival celebrates Norfolk’s incredibly rich natural landscapes, heritage and history and much more with guided walks taking place right across the county.
The 2023 festival launches on Sunday 1st October and spans the entire month with over 40 walks. Launch day will be held at Whitlingham Country Park with a discovery tour of the park’s heritage and history; a wild cocktails foraging walk; and a creative nature arts walk.
The month-long festival programme offers walks in every corner of Norfolk: from Biofluorescent night walks, family-friendly minibeast hunts, and walks exploring the history and heritage of Norwich.
There are walks about the history and nature to be found along the River Waveney, the history of the Fisherman of Cromer, explorations into the microcosm of nature, and fungi foraging.
The festival is a great way to discover parts of Norfolk you may have never visited before, learn about the county’s incredible natural wonders, history and heritage, make new friends whilst walking and talking.
For details pf all the walks and to book your place please visit https://pathmakers.org.uk/events/
The area around Buckenham Marshes offers a unique opportunity to see the special changes which take place within the natural landscape during that liminal time-zone between dusk and nightfall.
Make your hideaway in the grassy verges, on the seats by the river edge or inside the cosy bird hide and settle down for the evening’s entertainment. A hot flask and blanket might help. As the sun slowly sinks behind the trees look out for a flurry of activity as the wintering waterfowl busily finish the business of the day and prepare for the long night ahead.
Meanwhile, look out over the marshes and you’ll see rabbits emerge from their warrens full of energy, ready to begin their day. In the distance look closely and you could see deer stepping out from the edge of the woods.
If you wrap up warm and embrace the fresh North Sea breeze, the rolling sands of North Denes offer up its own barren beauty to brighten the shorter days of winter. This quiet spot, washed in salty mists and dotted with tussocks of marram grass, is a favourite with dog walkers and adventurers who want to get the most out of their day.
Be the first to greet the morning by heading down to the beach before sunlight. If you want to take breakfast with you, a flask of coffee and Pastéis de Nata from one of Great Yarmouth’s Portuguese stores makes a fine treat.
Nestle down in the shelter of the dunes and watch the sun as it rises up and over the sea, full of promise for the new day.
On a clear winter day a walk along the cliff tops offers an impressive 360⁰ view over both land and sea.
Keep an eye out for kestrels on the wing and listen for cormorants as you follow the rolling coast path, meandering over close-cropped grass and scrubby thickets. During autumn these areas offer a prime location for foraging Sea Buckthorn.
Bristly bushes with inch long spines may appear intimidating at first, but the tightly clustered berries, amber in colour, offer up a bounty to those who are willing to commit a bit of time and effort. Take along a sturdy tub and a pair of gloves and your cliff top walk will provide an abundance of culinary potential.
Hickling Broad was created in medieval times by locals digging out peat for winter fuel; today it is a unique landscape of Norfolk reed and Woodland Carr. Throughout autumn and winter, as sunset approaches, it is a secret place to watch nature’s clock unfold.
Follow the path to Stubbs Mill where a Norfolk Wildlife Trust viewing platform will help to keep your feet dry while offering views over fields of waving reed, glistening water and lost long Broads buildings.
Over the years barn owls have found a safe place to roost and breed in the broken timbers of Brograve drainage mill, while short eared owls, with their piercing yellow eyes may be seen quartering the banks.