50 things to do at Halcyon. 1 - 7 Walking and Wildlife

Norfolk is a beautiful and diverse county, with a long coastline, the unique wetland environment of the Broads, market towns and the city of Norwich.  Halcyon sits surrounded by nature reserves, the River Thurne and the Broads, which gives you something new to see every time you visit.  We have spent much of our time watching the world go by on the river and seeing the seasons change.  That’s not to say that you can only find the quiet of that natural world - there are plenty of different and diverse attractions within reach and here is a list of our favourites!

Wildlife

1. Watch the birds: from the sunroom in Halcyon, or the deck, there is a nature reserve opening up in front of you.  We have seen and heard waterfowl such as geese, terns, cormorants and oyster catchers; raptors including marsh harriers and kestrels; owls; small birds such as sparrows, finches and those little birds dependent of the Broads plant life - reed warblers and marsh martins.  You might even see the little kingfisher.  Sit and watch and you won’t be disappointed.

2. Feed the ducks: if the birds on Heigham Holmes won’t show themselves, a little bit of bread will bring the ducks and swans rushing.  Punting cubes of bread in the air on a breezy day will attract the gulls.

3. Watch the swallows picking the insects from the top of the water.  Swallows are the ultimate circus birds; swooping and turning over the water on a still summer’s evening.  Then at night, the bats might take their turn.

4. Norfolk Wildlife Trust has a number of sites and our nearest is Hickling Broad, although they also monitor and maintain Martham Broad.  The site at Hickling has a little visitor centre and a few hides to watch the birds.  We went on a walk to see the raptors coming into roost at the lookout point near Stubb’s Mill.  A knowledgeable guide took us through what we were likely to see then took us to point out the birds as they came down.  Binoculars essential!  There are also boat trips and circular walks around the reserve and a shop and coffee machine to warm you up..

Walking

5. There is no vehicular access to the door of Halcyon.  Take the path to the right as you leave and you can walk to Potter Heigham.  You’ll see the Martham Boats yard where you could enquire about hiring canoes or sailboats for the day, or organise some sailing lessons.  After that you continue along the Repps bank, past some fishing plots and bungalows.  Then through a little sculpture park until you approach the medieval bridge.

6. Similarly, turn left as you leave and follow the riverbank to walk to West Somerton, via Martham Broad.  See what you can spot on the broad before ending up at the Somerton moorings.  We have never seen these full - a perfect mooring spot.

7. One source of walks is The National Trust, who own several places in the area.  In Great Yarmouth there is an interesting walk showing some of the historic town story along the way.  It should be noted that there is some poverty in Great Yarmouth and that is exposed by some of the route.  The walk starts at The Elizabethan House museum, takes in the Time and Tide Museum and finishes at the imposing St Nicholas Church.

Many other walking routes are nearby, including the Norfolk Coast Path and the Weaver’s Way.  Being map lovers means that we keep local OS explorer maps for guests to pour over.