Culture in Norwich: Holkham

Culture in Norwich: Holkham

One of the best things about visiting Norwich (after you’ve explored everything the city has to offer, of course), is its proximity to the North Norfolk coast! And one of the best destinations along this 90-mile stretch is Holkham. 

Home to a beautiful parkland, Palladian-style Hall, Walled Garden, Holkham National Nature Reserve and striking beach, it’s easy to embrace our county’s wildness and greenery here. So, as the intensity of late summer becomes the golden glow of autumn, we speak to Lucy Downing, Holkham’s Director of Marketing, about getting close to this lesser-known raw and natural side of the Holkham Estate.

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Visitors might know Holkham for the Hall and the beach, but the Estate is also home to a sprawling parkland. How do you recommend spending the day there?  

Holkham is somewhere you can spend the whole day without feeling rushed. Everyone knows about the Hall and most visitors know the beach, but it’s the spaces in between that people often don’t explore, and that’s where many of the hidden gems are. 

For me, I’d start with a walk through Holkham Park. It’s beautiful throughout the year. In summer there’s plenty of shade beneath the heritage trees, lovely lake walks and opportunities to spot deer. As autumn arrives, the deer enter rutting season, so you can hear them booming and calling across the park. 

Norfolk is known for its huge skies, and the views across the park are spectacular. Even after a dry summer, the tree canopies remain lush and green before turning to incredible autumn colours. Oaks are the last trees to turn and we have a lot of them, so the colour in the park is amazing! 

For families, there’s the high ropes course or free woodland play area. You can choose to only pay for parking, so for £6.50 you can park up and spend the whole day exploring the park. We also have a lovely café in the courtyard if you want a treat!

Are there any lesser-known sites or spaces visitors should make time for? 

Definitely. The Obelisk is one of the most interesting landmarks. It was the first thing built at Holkham and acted as a statement of intent before everything else followed. 

Many people don’t realise there are miles of footpaths and cycle routes across the estate. You can stay within the park walls or head out towards nearby villages, stop at a pub for lunch, or spend some time in Wells. You can choose anything from a gentle meander to a long bike ride.  

If you walk or cycle up South Drive to the Obelisk (on the way, you’ll pass the beautiful thatched Ice House, where food was once stored) and look back, you can see how symmetrical the estate is. The triumphal arch, the Obelisk, the Hall and the Monument (which commemorates Thomas William Coke, who transformed British farming) all sit perfectly in line. 

South Drive itself is worth experiencing because it was originally the main approach to the Hall. In autumn, when low mists settle across the landscape, the views are particularly beautiful.

And there’s so much variety across the estate, from parkland to wildlife and the beach. 

Absolutely. That variety is one of the most special things about Holkham. 

You can be in the park amongst ancient trees and heritage landscapes one moment, then half an hour later be standing on the beach surrounded by dunes, pine trees and wildlife. Holkham Beach almost feels Mediterranean in places because of the Corsican pines, yet the park feels unmistakably British. It’s a wonderful contrast.

We love the Walled Garden here at VisitNorwich! Can you tell us more about its history, the different gardens within it, and what makes it special? 

The Walled Garden is six acres and is divided into areas we call “squares”. It’s still very much a working garden. Our kitchen gardener, Kirsty, grows produce for the cafés, The Victoria, the Hall and the family. We even have a small vineyard producing between 250 and 400 bottles of wine a year, made in partnership with Burn Valley Vineyard.  

Visitors can also buy products made using ingredients from the Walled Garden, including jams, chutneys, gin and honey, all created with local producers, or visit during the North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival– which is always on the weekend after the August bank holiday! 

Over recent years, we’ve restored the Samuel Wyatt Vinery, which is a stunning glasshouse that still contains some original grape vines. We’ve also restored one of the historic sunken pit houses, while leaving another in a derelict state so visitors can see the contrast. What makes Holkham unusual is that we have Georgian greenhouses as well as Victorian ones, which is quite rare. 

Elsewhere, look out for the Thomas Messenger Bell, once used to signal tea and lunch breaks in the garden, and the historic Venetian Gates.

What flowers, plants, fruit and vegetables can people expect to see in late summer and early autumn? 

At this time of year, the ornamental grasses really come into their own, adding texture and movement. You’ll still find lots of colour from dahlias and salvias, alongside evergreen planting that keeps the garden looking vibrant. We also have some special specimens, including a magnificent medlar tree and a beautiful fig tree. 

As autumn arrives, you’ll see pumpkins, squashes, gourds, beans and many other vegetables.   In the orchard, there are heritage varieties of apples and pears. For Halloween, the garden is decorated naturally, with potion displays inside the glasshouses, pumpkin carving and beautiful seasonal installations. The spectacular displays of pumpkins, squashes and gourds are an autumn highlight at Holkham.

Before visitors reach the beach, they pass through the reserve. It’s home to migrating and nesting birds throughout the year.  What’s the best way to get close to nature there? 

First of all, look up. 

As soon as you arrive, start taking in the landscape. We recently replaced the poplar trees along Lady Anne’s Drive with native hedging- it’s a much better habitat for wildlife. 

Bring a pair of binoculars if you can. The Lookout is a wonderful place to sit with a coffee and watch the reserve through the panoramic glass windows. And there are several bird hides around the reserve, all marked on our visitor map. Each one overlooks a different habitat, so you’ll see different species depending on where you stop.  

We’re fortunate to have spoonbills (their chicks are affectionately known as “teaspoons”!), marsh harriers, avocets, little egrets, cattle egrets and pink-footed geese- watching huge arrow formations of them crossing the Norfolk skies is an incredible sight! 

The salt marshes, dunes and pine woods are always changing, so every visit can feel different. I’d suggest taking time to listen as well as look because the soundscape changes hugely between summer and autumn.

Sustainability is a priority at Holkham. How are you protecting the estate for future generations? 

We have a sustainability and conservation action plan called WONDER. Our philosophy is that Holkham is a landscape first and foremost, with a beautiful house at its centre. We believe we have a responsibility to look after that landscape. 

WONDER is built around three pillars: carbon (our aim is to become a carbon negative estate by 2040), biodiversity (we strive to increase natural capital with every decision made, measuring factors such as wildlife, water, planting and public access and you can see the results across the estate in our large hedgerows, wildflower margins and habitat-rich field corners) and waste (in 2020 we committed to reducing non-recycled waste by 10% every year over ten years and so far we are exceeding that target).

As an agricultural estate, we’re working towards nature-friendly, nature-positive food production. Our conservation, farming, forestry and tourism teams all work together to put nature first. We’re also working on a project around sea defences at Holkham Gap to help protect fragile coastal habitats. 

Beyond that, we’re trialling new farming technologies and have one of the youngest forestry teams in the UK!

Finally, if you were visiting Holkham for a two-day stay, what would your ideal itinerary be? 

I’d arrive in time for lunch at The Victoria because I love their tapas-style small plates, and I’d either stay here or in one of their new Shepherd’s Huts (opting to have breakfast included!). I’d choose a Hall open day (Sunday, Monday or Thursday) so I could explore the Hall, the Walled Garden and the park. In the evening, I’d head to Holkham Beach when it’s quieter and take a walk with my binoculars as the light begins to fade. 

The next day, I’d hire a bike for a couple of hours and then explore the nature reserve more thoroughly, visiting some of the bird hides. I’d also spend time in Wells-next-the-Sea, browsing the independent shops along Staithe Street and eating fish and chips on the quay.

And then, of course, I’d have to come back for Christmas, because there’s always something exciting happening at Holkham!

Holkham Park is open daily. For Holkham Hall, Walled Garden and other attractions, including What’s On, visit their website!