Seal Spotting In Norfolk Guide
There are many seals along the Norfolk coast and this is a key area for them breeding in the UK. It is really important that you pay attention to them and follow the rules when going to watch them.
Keep back from them and keep your children back. They are big animals and can be aggressive if you get too close to them.
If you have a dog with you keep it on a lead at all times. Again seals can be aggressive so keep dogs well back.
I have been seal spotting in Norfolk a couple of times and find them fascinating. You do occasionally spot the odd one swimming in the sea in places like Winterton on Sea.
Best Places To Spot Seals In Norfolk
Here are my top 3 places!
1 – Horsey Gap
Horsey Gap is a section of beach that is accessible from most of Norfolk and if you want to see seals this is the place to go. There is a car park (paid) by the beach and it is a short walk over the dues to the beach. Depending on the time of year depends on what you will see.
When we went, in the summer, there were a number of seals swimming in the sea and there were not far out at all. They seemed to be playing and having fun with each other oblivious to the people watching them.
There was only 1 seal out of the water sitting on the beach. In the winter when they have young there are usually a lot more of them on the beach. There is a viewing spot for this that is a right turn as you head out of the car park. The beach is closed off in parts to protect the young pups.
2 – Blakney Seal Cruises
If you are further round to the north coast then Blakney is a great place for a seal spotting trip. Blakney is on an estuary so you have to get a boat out to where the seals live out on Blankey point.
From the boat, you can see the full seal colony without getting too close to them. You will also see seals swimming around and playing in the water.
The cruises usually last around an hour and you get to see lots of seals. This is a great way to see them in a really natural environment. While in Blakeney you can pop into the excellent 2 Magpies bakery or do some crabbing if the tide is in (we’ve rated it as the top place for crabbing in Norfolk – See here).
3 – Sea Life Center, Hunstanton
The Sea Life Center in Hunstanton has a seal rescue centre inside. They have rescued and released over 750 seals. These can be from injured animals to pups that have been abandoned. They have a number of recovery bays and a seal pool where they can swim before being released.
When we went they had a number of seal pups in and they were absolutely adorable. These are grey and common seal pups that they are bringing up before releasing them.
Here is a video of them rescuing a seal pup
If you want to get really up close then you can book a seal feeding experience where you work with the staff to feed the seals their daily fish.
If you are heading to Norfolk then seal spotting is a great thing to do for all ages. If you are looking for a holiday in Norfolk we cover the best Norfolk lodge breaks on our site.
Seal Watching FAQs
From our experience, the best place to see seals in Norfolk is at Horsey Gap. They are there all year round.
You can usualy see baby seasl in Norfolk from Novemebr to Febuary. The best spots for this are Horsey Gap and Blakney Point.
Lodge Breaks Near Alton Towers FIND THE BEST LODGES NEAR ALTON TOWERS, WITH HOT TUBS AND READ MY GUIDE TO YOUR DAY AT THE THEME PARK. See The Top 5 Places To Stay Popular Cabins To Visit Alton Towers Here is our guide on where to stay, read on for top tips for your trip to the Towers. We are regular visitors to Alton Towers and know the rides and location well. Our Top 5 Lodges & Cabins 1 – Mayfeild Snuggery Lodges – Luxury Lodges – 15 Minutes from Alton Towers What we love about Mayfield Snuggery High-end luxury lodges with hot tubs and saunas – A great way to relax after a long day at the park. This is a small site with only 5 lodges. Only one of the current lodges is a 2-bed lodge. A 15-minute drive to the theme park means you can get there early and get to one of the big thrill rides first! If you want a break from the park take some time to enjoy the stunning peak district right on your doorsetp. What You will Find at Mayfield Snuggery Check availability Like this lodge? Why not share it with your friends! Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Email 2 – Quarry Walk Park – Best For Families – Location What we love about Quarry Walk Park A 46-acre park with lots of woodlands and walks to go on. Covered hot tubs for year-round use. The lodges have a very log cabin feel about them with wood-clad interiors. Pet-friendly glamping pods are also available on-site as well as space for camping in the summer months. Check availability 3 – Alton Towers Tree House – Best Luxury Experience – Alton Towers What we love about Alton Towers Tree Houses A great experience of luxury with a treehouse with hot tubs overlooking the woods. Stay on-site for quick access to the park via the hotel guest entrance near Galactica. The treehouses sleep up to 8 and are described as a “magical experience” by some visitors who have stayed there. Check availability 4 – Woodland Lodges – Best On site Accomodation – Alton Towers If the treehouse is a little too pricey then why not check out one of the Woodland Lodges that are located just past the resort’s hotels. What we love about the Woodland Lodges They are located in an enchanted village and have a wonderful design. They sleep up to 5 people and have a separate kids’ sleeping zone. They all have WIFI and a flat-screen TV so you can chill out at the end of a day at the theme park. See Our Full XX Review Check availability at XX 5 – Raddle Inn Lodges – Best Value – Hollington Staffordshire What we love about Raddle Inn lodges A choice of 5 lodges that are just 10 minutes drive to Alton Towers. The lodge prices are great value for a convenient location to the theme park. Simple lodges that make a great base, alternatively if they are fully booked they have cottage accommodation also available. Check availability Book Your Alton Towers Break Now If you’re looking for a nation packed break then Alton Towers is the place to go. Dare you ride the Smilers 14 loops? Even if you are going to visit the very popular CBeebies land Alton Towers has rides for all ages (and bravery levels!) Visiting Alton Towers Tips Writer: I’m a regular visitor to Alton Towers, we have Merlin passes as a family and live around 30 minutes away. I’ve been visiting the Towers for over 20 years and think I now can finally find my way across the gardens! Quick tips/ things to know If you are staying over, book the Roller Coaster restaurant for after the park is closed. It’s great fun to eat there but it gets booked up really far in advance. Plan your rides before you get there: The park is massive, if you zig-zag around you’ll be exhausted! All the drink refill stations have tap water free to refill your OWN bottles. Towers Street hot dog, near the entrance, is usually the quickest place to get food that’s not as expensive as in a restaurant. If you go on battle galleons – you will get soaked! If you need a break from the rides head to the gardens, they’re well worth a visit while you are there. Around The Park Tips 1 – Head to a big ride first depending on the time you arrive. This depends on what time you arrive at the park. This is from my experience. Please note days varies and these are just from my experiace. If you go in the middle of the summer it will be busy all the time. For example, the park opens at 10 If you arrive before 9.30 head to Wickerman or Smiler. The queues for Nemesis, Galactica, Rita and Thirteen rarely get an as big first thing. They are usually less than an hour until lunchtime other than on the really busy days. If you arrive after 9.30 then avoid Wickerman as the queue usually ends up being nearly 90 minutes when it opens and rarely gets any bigger than that. Head over to Galactica and Nemesis and get a couple of rides in over there before joining one of the larger queues. 2 – Hit Some Short Queues If You Have Younger Kids Or if you’re bored of queueing! There are some rides that generally have shorter queues than the bigger riders but are still part of the theme park day. Here’s some that we regularly go on as they have shorter queues Duel – Shooter ride Runaway mine train – Choo Choo! Justin’s Pie-o-Matic (CBeebies land) – Sponge ball shooter fun Spinball Whizzer – Spinning rollercoaster Retro rides – THere are 4 of them fitted around the park in 2022, these are like fairground rides. Squirt people on battle galleons – No queue, you can just use the shooters around the ride to soak the people coming round the ride – watch out though as they will shoot back! 3 – Go Out Of Season If You Can Try and avoid the peak months of June – July – August if you can (And Halloween and fireworks). If you have preschool children go during the week out of the main season will give you a much better day with a lot less queuing. At the time of writing it is mid-week at the start of May, the biggest queue in CBeebies is 35 minutes. Thre are a number of rides with no queues. For older children weekends at the start and end of the season tend to be cheaper away from the school holidays. Early May and late September are the times we try to go more as it’s easier with smaller queues on average. Find Us On Social Media To See The Latest Lodge Reviews Instagram
Key Information Facilities About The Site View On Map In The Area Site Map Questions Key Information – Swanbrough Lakes Lodges 12 Lodges on site Suitable for families Suitable for couples 7 Miles to nearest beach (16 minute drive) Selected lodges have hot tubs Carp fishing is available on site Lodges 3 to 9 allow pets – outside is not fenced in – Charges apply per dog Like the look so far? Why not share it with your friends? Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on whatsapp WhatsApp Share on email Email On Site Facilities No restaurant on site – 3 pubs in walking distance Lake on site – Carp fishing – Booking required In lodge Wifi Parking by lodge for 1 car (Lodge 12 has double parking) Disabled access lodges Cycle trails nearby Spa on site 3 Golf courses within a 20 minute drive What You Will Find At Swanborough Lodges Swanborough Lodges are modern luxury lodges that have been recently built. This is a small lodge park that would suit couples and families. The lodges are well-positioned and angled to improve privacy and to make the most of the spectacular views. When booking your lodge you can select from a hill view or a lake view, both look great. These lodges have been well designed with the living areas mainly glazed to the front to maximise the views. One thing we really like is a number of them have a utility room with a washing machine. This is great for leaving your shoes and coats meaning the lodge does not feel packed with clutter. This is also a bonus if you have children’s toys, pushchairs, high chairs etc with you. Most of the lodges have hot tubs so you can sit back relax and take in the views. For the anglers, there is a fishing lake on site. This is a carp fishing lake called Swanborough Lakes and it looks to be a good venue, please read the fishing information below if you are interested in fishing while on site. There is a lot to do near the site, with a National Trust property just down the road. There are 3 pubs that you can take a stroll to and beaches within driving distance. There are also a lot of nice villages nearby. If you want to go further afield there is the South Downs national park around an hour’s drive away. What Else Will You Find On Site Lodge Extras When booking your stay, or closer to the time you can add on extras that will be in your lodge when you arrive (You need to order at least 48 hours before you arrive). At the time of writing the following extra were available – Flowers in your lodge on arrival – A choice of bouquets Brownie and blondie slabs – Amazing bakes fresh for you on arrival, delicious! Luxury breakfast/ lunch/ BBQ packs – All local produce in eco-friendly packaging Fishing rental/guide – Spend a day fishing with an hour of tuition to start with, includes all bait and tackle. Dogs, charges apply per dog Spa The Spa is not on site but is a couple of minutes down the road. They offer a range of treatments to help you relax. Please find the spa here – readingroomdayspa.com Fishing at Swanborough Lakes Three is an active fishing community on the Swanborough Lakes Facebook group and is worth checking out if you want to see the carp. It looks a popular spot and in the warmer months, it would be advisable to pre-book your peg if you want to fish while there. In total there are 3 lakes on the site with carp going to 37LB according to the website. The Facebook group shows there is a very good head of decent carp in the lakes. Check the website for the guide to the lakes before booking your spot. The owners of the group seem responsive and are always posting. The other members seem friendly so if you have any questions post in the group and someone should help you out. All of the lakes are stocked with carp to at least 27LB. The tench lake or decoy lake look good for family fishing adventures. The specimen lake is the one for the serious carp anglers. How To Find Swanborough Lodges What Is In The Local Area Sussex is a beautiful part of the country and you will find lots to do nearby. You can visit historic buildings, go to the beach or check out the Brighton seafront, all within an hour’s drive from the lodges. Distances To Nearest Facilities 5 minute drive to nearest shop 15 minute walk/ 2 minute drive to nearest pub (1 mile) 15 minute drive to nearest beach 15 minute drive to nearest golf course Swanborough Lodges Site Map *Site map was taken from the source and is subject to change, check the website for the most up to date information. The lodges are split between lake view and hill view – both views look fantastic. Frequently Asked Questions Do the lodges have hot tubs? Cat the time of checking it appears they all have hot tubs. Please confirm before booking as this is subject to change. Do the lodges at Swanborough have private fishing? No, there is fishing on site at 3 lakes but there is no lodges with private pegs. Is there on site food and drink? No, there is no food or drink on site. There are pubs and shops very close by and the option to pre-order food baskets to your lodge for arrival. Are there any pubs in walking distance? Yes, there are 3 pubs in close proximity – see the website for details of how to find them. Are the lodges suitable for children? The lodges are suitable for families. There is no fencing around the outside on the grass so they will be free to run around! Do they allow dogs at Swanborough Lodges? Yes, selected lodges are dog friendly. An extra charge is incured per dog. Can you park next to your lodge? As you can see from the map above you can park by most of the lodges. Lodges 6,7 & 8 have a lake view and it is a very short walk from where you park. Read Our Latest Lodge Reviews Suffolk Swanborough Lodges Simon Grainger Posted on April 12, 2022 Uncategorized Wigmore Lakes Lodges: Hot Tubs & Fishing In Shropshire Simon Grainger Posted on April 7, 2022 Suffolk High Lodge Leisure – Lodge Review: Great All Round Fishing + Hot Tubs! Simon Grainger Posted on February 14, 2022 Lake District Brayton Park Luxury Lodges: Wild Carp Fishing – Hot Tubs & Stunning Views Simon Grainger Posted on February 14, 2022 Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on whatsapp WhatsApp Share on email Email
