20 Attractions to Explore Near East Ruston Old Vicarage Garden

Happisburgh Lighthouse is the oldest working light in East Anglia, and the only independently run lighthouse in Great Britain, Built in 1790. Visitors can find out about the history and operation of the lighthouse, and climb the 112 steps to view the stunning views from the lantern.

The Museum of the Broads is an accredited museum and registered charity in Stalham, Norfolk, England. It describes its mission as being to "bring the story of the Broads alive". The Norfolk Broads are a network of mostly navigable rivers and lakes in the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. The Museum has an extensive collection of boats, models, marsh working tools, boat plans, paintings, books, photographs, postcards, wildlife, and social history items and memorabilia.

Sea Palling is an excellent sandy beach with 9 artificial offshore reefs created as part of a flood prevention scheme. Backed by sand dunes, the curving beach has been awarded Blue Flag status for its pristine waters and is rarely over-crowded. It has amusements, cafes and amenities just set back from the beach. This beach is one of a number of Norfolk beaches to be awarded the Blue Flag status.

Barton Broad is a 164-hectare nature reserve north-east of Norwich in Norfolk. It is owned and managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. It is part of the Ant Broads and Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserve. The Broad was created in the Middle Ages by digging for peat and the River Ant was later diverted through it, which allowed navigation. It has diverse aquatic plants and fish, and the surrounding fens have nationally rare plants and invertebrates.

Hickling Broad is the largest Norfolk Broad and harbors a spectacular variety of plants and animals. There are gentle walks under wide skies for the casual visitor or fascinating study for those interested in swallowtail butterflies, bitterns, cranes and so more. It is in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,[5] and part of the Broadland Ramsar site and Special Protection Area, and The Broads Special Area of Conservation.

Mundesley is a Sandy beach located near North Walsham in Norfolk. It is backed by a raised promenade lined with colourful wooden beach huts. Cliffs form the backdrop to the beach with pretty cliff top gardens where visitors can shelter and sit. The village was a popular seaside resort in Victorian times, benefiting from its own railway station which closed in 1964.

The beautiful Hoveton Hall Estate covers 620 acres of parkland, gardens, woodland, arable and grazing land. This fine Regency Hall was built between 1809-1812 and has been owned by the Buxton family since 1946. Its 19th-century iron glasshouse is a must-see for all visitors to the gardens. Throughout the year the gardens host many different events most of which are free to Historic Houses members.

The Royal Air Force Air Defence Radar Museum is a museum on the site of the former Royal Air Force radar and control base RAF Neatishead. The Museum tells the story of Air Defence and Radar from 1935 to date. Using a combination of a guided tour and over 23 themed rooms, the visitor is encouraged to find out about this previously Secret World. It includes a complete Cold War-era Operations Room from which the air defense of Britain was conducted for several decades and so more.

A beautiful, wild, unspoilt sandy beach where nature abounds. Backed by one of the largest sand dune systems on the east coast, this beach is often deserted outside of summer. From November to the end of January the beach will be crowded with Seals and their newborn pups. It was one of the iconic attractions in this area and is famous among tourists.

Horsey Windpump is a windpump or drainage windmill in the care of the National Trust in the village of Horsey, on The Broads near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. The structure is a grade II* listed building. The windpump was working until it was struck by lightning in 1943. It was acquired by the National Trust in 1948 from the Buxton Family and has been restored. The mill's damaged sails were removed in 1956, and replacement sails and fantail were installed in 1962.

A huge, award winning forest of family fun and outdoor adventure. Treehouses, Wobbly Wires, Slippery Slopes, Crocklebogs, Twiggles and Boggles, storytelling, boat rides, marsh walks and really yummy food. The whole family can spend hours running, whizzing and clambering on the sustainable wooden play structures, from aerial ropewalks to climbing walls, balancing logs and muddled mazes in a beautiful forest setting.

The Abbey of St Benet at Holme lies deep in the Broads, close to the meeting place of the rivers Bure and Ant. This was the only Norfolk monastery founded in the Anglo-Saxon period which continued in use throughout the Middle Ages, and is the only monastery in England which was not closed down by Henry VIII – the Bishop of Norwich is still the Abbot.

Ranworth Broad is a 136-hectare nature reserve on the Norfolk Broads north-east of Norwich in Norfolk, United Kingdom. There is areas of woodland and reedbeds and also there are many species of birds can be seen from the floating Broads Wildlife Centre. An informative boardwalk leads you through a tapestry of beautiful scenery and allows you to explore both the environment and its history.

A beautiful 130 acre ancient woodland and garden in the heart of the broads. An unusual mix of wild and cultivated plantings creates a habitat rich in wildlife.Within the garden is an ancient fishpond , a 950-year-old oak, over 95 recorded species of birds, a private broad, many species of wild and cultivated plants.

The Bure Valley Railway is Norfolk's longest Narrow Gauge Steam Railway and operates between the old market town of Aylsham and the bustling Broads towns of Wroxham and is within easy reach of Norwich and the coast. It uses both steam and diesel locomotives. There are intermediate halts at Brampton, Buxton and Coltishall.

Blickling is a majestic Jacobean house built in 1619-20 by Robert Lyminge, the architect of Hatfield, for Sir Henry Hobart. As well as an iconic historic Jacobean hall, there are 55 acres of wonderful gardens and hundreds of acres of parkland to roam in. With a pub on-site and events happening all year round, you'll discover something new every time you visit.

Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens is a progressive zoo with a focus on conservation. Most of the animals at Thrigby Hall are species found in Asia, including tigers, gibbons, otters and alligators. Attractions for all age groups include Snow Leopards, rare tigers, gibbons, deer otters, crocodiles in a swamp house, avaries, waterfowl, gift shop & cafe. Tropical & forest houses give good all-weather cover.

Amazona Zoo is home to over 200 animals from tropical South America including jaguars, parrots, moneys, snakes, flamingos, guinea pigs and tapirs. There is also a large well-equipped indoor soft play area, for under-12’s. The park style zoo, has a network of paths and viewing areas, where visitors can see the animals close-up; signs tell you what you are looking at and help you understand about their natural habitat and how they relate to more well-known animals.

A beautiful museum that tells fascinating history of the lifeboats and crew that worked out of this seaside town, and showcases the incredible conditions and risks they had to work in. This family-friendly museum tells the courageous history of saving lives at sea in Cromer. The first lifeboat was brought to Cromer in 1805 and the incredible volunteers have won 64 medals for their amazing efforts through the past 200 years.