The
Old Pig Barn
Local Attractions
Norfolk Broads
Britain’s largest protected wetland has similar status to a national park, mixing wildlife and natural beauty with leisure. The inland waterways of the broads cover a huge area – well worth hiring a boat for a day or half day and exploring the area.
Great
Yarmouth
Is an ancient town which for centuries has been an important centre for the fishing industry. Nowadays, it is a popular seaside resort with miles of sandy beach, attractive gardens and a huge variety of traditional seaside entertainment and amusement. There is still a busy commercial harbour and a section of the medieval town still survives. The old houses were crowded into narrow alleyways called rows and a few of these can still be seen in the Heritage Quarter. The South Quay area features a number of museums, showcasing the town's past. There is a mile long promenade strip with numerous tourist attractions, gambling amusements, restaurants and bars. The top attractions of Great Yarmouth are the miles of sandy beach, the Britannia Pier and the rides of the Pleasure Beach. During the summer months, various events are staged including weekly firework displays.
Norwich
City
A fine historic city with many interesting places to visit, including the cathedral, castle and museum and excellent traditional and modern shops, including an impressive mall. The city is listed amongst the top ten places for shopping in the UK. The state of the art Millennium Library at the city’s forum building is a must. The cosmopolitan city of Norwich has a lively mix of nightlife, a good variety of restaurants and a range of clubs catering for all tastes.
Wroxham Barns
A Craft Centre situated just outside Wroxham. If you have an interest in seeing craftsmen and women producing top quality items, this is the place to visit. The barns have something for everyone, gift shops, patchwork and quilting, gardening, local cider, pictures, stained glass shops to name a few.
Thrigby Wildlife Park
A short drive from the Old Pig Barn, Thrigby has a rare collection of animals and birds. It works with conservation trusts around the world and Ken Sims the owner is renowned for his work here. The hall and gardens are also well worth visiting, this is a place that is great for adults and children alike.
Museum of
the Broads at Stalham
This fascinating museum sets out the history of man’s influence on the Broadland landscape. It shows the history of life and times on the Broads and documents the start of the famous boating holidays. Many boats are on show and there are wonderful videos showing the restoration and launching of original Broads boats.
Potter Heigham is one of the major boating centres on the Norfolk Broads, with many boating holidays or day trips starting from here. The famous medieval bridge gives access to the Upper Thurne, Hickling Broad and Horsey Mere. The banks of the River Thurne at Potter Heigham are lined with waterside bungalows, which can only be accessed by foot or boat. There is the famous Lathams store located here, as well as a pub, chip-shop and gift shop/newsagent.
Hickling The village is spread out and split into two main parts, Hickling Heath and Hickling Green. Hickling Heath is on the edge of Hickling Broad (the largest of the Norfolk Broads) and has a staithe, private moorings and a pub (Pleasure Boat Inn). Hickling Green is mainly residential, but well worth a visit as it has a pub (The Greyhound), restaurants, church, little shops and many pretty cottages. Nearby, there is a large NWT nature reserve, which consists of marked paths, observation tower and viewing platforms at certain times of the year Cranes can be seen here.
Fairhaven Garden Trust
Set in the heart of the Norfolk Broads at Upton, Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden is a secret hideaway just waiting to be discovered. Fairhaven is a unique garden rich in wildlife. The Garden is an eclectic mix of native and cultivated plantings with a network of dyke systems and a private broad.
Nature reserves and bird watching
There are nature reserves at Hickling and Ranworth Broad. Depending on the time of year you might be lucky enough to see Swallowtail Butterflies, Little Terns, Cranes, Bitterns and many other rarities within just a few miles. Further afield (just over an hour’s drive) are the North Norfolk reserves of Cley and Titchwell.
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