The Best Outdoor Activities in Norwich and Norfolk

The Best Outdoor Activities in Norwich and Norfolk

by Katie Thompson

Norwich and Norfolk certainly aren’t short of wonderful outdoor activities (including eating alfresco). And seeing as East Anglia is the driest area of the UK, it would be wrong not to make the most of them all!  

And no matter your age, whether you’re a holidaymaker or local, travelling solo or with friends and family, 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!

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Norwich 

Unique Outdoor Experiences

With Pub and Paddle, you can experience see Norwich a little differently- from the river to be exact, canoeing or kayaking along the Wensum (from £15, April – October). There’s a mix of one-way and return routes to choose from and picturesque waterside pubs to stop at along the way (it wouldn’t be Pub and Paddle without them!).   

Another way to get close to Norwich’s natural side is with Bishy Barney Boats (from £25 for 1 hour for 4 people). Motor into the fringes of the Broads National Park, admiring soaring kestrels, silent herons and diving grebes before a waterside pub lunch.  

If you like being near but not on the water, head to The Lions’ Den River (from £16.50) in our Cathedral Quarter for a rejuvenating sauna session and invigorating cold plunge. Ensconced in tranquility beneath weeping willows, any tension will soon dissolve. Or for something more energetic, Pace Padel’s (20-minute drive, from £35 p/h) outdoor courts mean you can let loose with this popular, fast-paced sport under wide Norfolk skies!

At UEA Broad, works by notable names like Antony Gormley and Lynn Chadwick dot the landscape as part of the Sainsbury Centre’s Sculpture Park (FREE, open daily during daylight hours). Make sure you see them all using the Sainsbury Centre’s free pocket map!

Green Parks and Gardens 

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. Meanwhile, Grade II-listed Plantation Garden (£2) 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. 

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, adults £7, children £5). At this 100-acre nature reserve, you can follow trails through wildflowers, water meadows and woodland– or hire a canoe (from £25 for 2 people for 45 minutes) for a watery viewpoint (look out for kingfishers!)– before returning to the visitor centre for refreshment.

Wonderful Walking Tours 

With a history as rich as Norwich’s, a walking tour is one of the best ways to discover the city’s secrets. 

New to Norwich? Start 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 £9, year-round). While with Shoebox Experiences, you’ll learn about hundreds of years of Norwich history, including our little-known underground street! There are plenty of tours to choose from (£16.50, 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 (£10, March – 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 (£12, Tuesdays & Thursdays, April – December).

With Go Quest Adventures (£28.95 for up to 5 people), you can take your time on this flexible self-guided tour, taking in fun facts about Norwich’s buildings, past and people and solving clues to earn points and place yourself top of the leaderboard! 

If it’s a tasty tour you’re after, Cheryl Cade will take you and your tastebuds on a journey across the city, stopping at must-see spots like Norwich Market, showcasing local beer, cheese, spirits and more (from £10, year-round). Elsewhere, Norwich Pub Tours reveals tales of the city’s most characterful pubs- all with a pint in hand, of course (£20, year-round).

Norfolk 

Fantastic 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 just a 30-minute drive from Norwich (from £15, March – October). From the Valley of the Dinosaurs trail to thrilling Predator High Ropes, it’s the UK’s largest dinosaur-themed adventure park! Similarly, BeWILDerwood (30-minute drive, Almost WILD from £20.95, BeWILD Now from £22.95, Still WILD from £17.95, February – November) is a magical adventure park packed with play areas, bridges, and more through towering treetops.

Speaking of treetops, Go Ape (from £20.95, open seasonally) will take you into the canopy of Thetford Forest with a series of thrilling obstacle courses, zip wires and sky-high challenges. And for another thrill, this one on solid ground, Thursford’s incredible Adventure Play Fair (adults from £4, children from £8, March – October) is a whirlwind of Helter-Skelter slides, teacups, Didi cars and play fountain!

And for animal lovers, there’s Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens (adults £18.50, children £14.50, open daily) and Redwings Horse Sanctuary (FREE, Friday – Monday). At Thrigby, you’ll journey past majestic snow leopards, hard-to-spot red pandas, noisy gibbons and over saltwater crocodiles; at Redwings, come face to face with over 70 gorgeous horses, cheeky ponies and smiling donkeys.

Norfolk’s Natural Landscapes 

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 (30-minute drive, adults from £10.91, children from £5.91, open daily) 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. And 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 and children from £9.95, open daily). 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 £6.50, parkland open daily). 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 blockbuster film-worthy.