by Katie Thompson
Norwich and Norfolk certainly aren’t short of wonderful outdoor activities. And seeing as East Anglia is the driest area of the UK, it would be wrong not to make the most of them all!
Norwich is a city where acting natural is easy and winding walking routes spread out into wide open skies, enticing you into the county beyond. Here, beautiful Broads thrive with wildlife and our varied coastline will take your breath away.
And no matter your age, whether you’re a holidaymaker or local, travelling solo, with friends, family or as a couple, there’s so much to see and do (especially when the sun’s out!). From historical walking tours and peaceful paddling to sweeping nature reserves and animal adventures. These are the best outdoor activities in Norwich and Norfolk!
The Sainsbury Centre’s Sculpture park surrounds this forward-thinking art museum
Have you ever thought about seeing Norwich a little differently? With Pub and Paddle, you can experience Norwich from the river, canoeing or kayaking along the River Wensum (from £22pp, Monday – Friday, 10am – 8pm, April – October). There are five routes to choose from, depending on how long you’d like to be out on the water, and picturesque waterside pubs to stop at along the way (it wouldn’t be Pub and Paddle without them!).
If you like being near but not on the water, head to the Sainsbury Centre’s Sculpture Park (FREE, open daily during daylight hours). Set in the expansive grounds of the brutalist University of East Anglia, works by notable names like Antony Gormley, Lynn Chadwick and Liliane Lijn dot the landscape, including the water’s edge of UEA Broad. Make sure you see them all using the Sainsbury Centre’s free pocket map!
Plantation Garden is one of Norwich’s hidden gems
Norwich has lots of lovely green spaces. For starters, the city’s home to heritage parks like Eaton, Wensum and Waterloo, where locals are known to walk their dogs and while away the afternoon picnicking, putting, and even playing tennis!
In the city centre, Chapelfield Gardens is home to a buzzing playground and lawn that’s ideal for a kickabout. Why not stop at the kiosk for a velvety ice cream or freshly roasted coffee? Meanwhile, Grade II-listed Plantation Garden boasts beautiful grounds to explore, including an Italianate terrace and Victorian Gothic fountain. If you’ve got the time, we suggest stopping here to read a book in the sunshine.
Slightly further afield (southeast of the city centre) is Whitlingham Country Park. This is a spot for walkers, cyclists and watersports enthusiasts alike. Here, you’ll feel a world away from our bustling city, when in fact it’s only a few miles. And if you’re heading in the opposite direction, visit Taverham Mill, just northwest of Norwich (open daily, from 10am, adults £6, children £4). At this 100-acre nature reserve, you can follow trails through wildflower and water meadows, grassland and woodland, around lakes, an old weir and a mill before returning to the visitor centre for refreshment.
For an introduction to Norwich, look no further than tour guide Paul Dickson
With a history as rich as Norwich’s, a walking tour is one of the best ways to discover the secrets of the City of Stories.
Where to start than with Paul Dickson. Paul has almost 20 different tours to choose from (and they’re just the ones in Norwich!), where you can learn all about our market, architecture, pubs, famous families and pioneering women (from £9pp, year-round).
Or if you’d like to get to know the weird and wonderful side of Norwich, try Norwich Story Walks, where unusual tales will make for quirky conversation starters (£10pp, April – December). And for those of us who like things a little spooky, Norwich Ghost Walks is on hand to take you through the city’s eeriest haunts (£12pp, Tuesdays & Thursdays, April – December).
With Shoebox Experiences you’ll learn about hundreds of years of Norwich history, including brewing, bodysnatching, swan keeping and smuggling! There are plenty of tours to choose from (£16.50pp, year-round).
Cheryl Cade’s tours allow you to explore Norwich with your tastebuds (from £16pp, year-round). From beer to cheese, Cheryl’s tours will take you on a journey across the city, taking in sights like our cathedrals, Elm Hill and, of course, Norwich Market.
Norfolk has so many fun-filled outdoor family attractions
When you’re staying with or meeting friends and family for a fun-filled day out, you don’t have to travel far.
For all things dinosaurs, ROARR! is a go-to and just a 30-minute drive from Norwich (tickets from £12.95, from 10am, March – October). From the Valley of the Dinosaurs trail to thrilling Predator High Ropes and Dippy’s Splash Zone (ideal for those hotter days), it’s the UK’s largest dinosaur-themed adventure park. You can really spend a whole day here and still not have covered it all!
BeWILDerwood (adults £22.95, children under 105cm £20.95, from 10am, February – November) is only 30 minutes from Norwich, heading into the Broads. This magical adventure park is packed with winding trails, play areas, bridges, zip lines and more through leafy woodland and towering treetops.
And for animal lovers, there are Banham Zoo (adults from £18, children from £13.50, open daily from 10am) and Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens (adults £19.95, children £15.95, open daily from 10am)! At Banham Zoo, you’ll come face to face with the world’s most iconic animals, including the tallest on their exciting Giraffe Walkway. While at Thrigby, you’ll journey past majestic snow leopards, hard-to-spot red pandas, noisy gibbons and over saltwater crocodiles!
Once the home for BBC’s Springwatch, Pensthorpe is an amazing nature reserve to explore
Here at VisitNorwich, one of our favourite things about Norfolk is its variety. Whether it’s breathtaking cliffs or golden sandy beaches, far-reaching green fields or marshland fit for migrating birds.
Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden (adults £12.50, children £5.95, open daily, 9am – 5pm) is an award-winning garden where you can walk flower-lined pathways, see mighty King and Queen oaks and enjoy a boat trip on their private Broad. Plus, it’s just a half an hour drive from Norwich. And the best thing is Fairhaven’s open all year round- so when we get unseasonably warm weather, you know where to visit!
Closer to the coast, you’ll find Pensthorpe a 45-minute drive away (adults from £15.50, children from £15.50, March – October, 10am – 5pm). It’s an expansive nature reserve that combines wildlife, conservation and adventure. With sculpted gardens, wetland walking trails, bird hides and more, you’ll soon discover how beautiful Norfolk’s natural world can be!
And if you’re spending a day at the coast, make sure to check out Holkham (parking £6, March – November). Not only is the Estate home to a glorious Palladian-style Hall (March – October), it’s also a brilliant spot to cycle around deer-filled parkland, and, in summer, hire a rowing boat on the mile-long lake! And that’s without mentioning the wild stretch of beach that makes Holkham one of our favourite spots.
