20 Attractions to Explore Near Wells and Walsingham Light Railway

Holkham Hall, an 18th Century Palladian, Stately home, is privately owned and a lived-in family home. It is home to the 8th Earl of Leicester and his family. It is one of England's finest examples of the Palladian revival style of architecture, and the severity of its design is closer to Palladio's ideals than many of the other numerous Palladian style houses of the period.

Holkham is one of the most unspoiled and beautiful stretches of sand in the country. Behind the shoreline lies a semi-circular basin, which, at very high tides, rapidly fills to form a spectacular shallow lagoon. As part of Holkham National Nature Reserve, the beach is home to large flocks of wintering birds and is an important site for breeding Little Terns, Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher. The extensive dune system is rich is wildlife with colorful carpets of yellow flowers in the summer which

Holkham Bay is the finest stretch of beach on the North Northfolk coast. There is something magical about this beach that just takes your breath away, and it is extremely difficult to capture in words how beautiful it is. The long drive way called ‘Lady Ann’s Drive’ guides you directly to one of the most unspoilt, beautiful stretches of sand in the UK.

Walsingham Priory was a monastery of Augustinian Canons regular in Walsingham, Norfolk, England seized by the crown at the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII.They contain the ruins of the Augustinian Priory of The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of the premier shrines to Our Lady in England, up to its dissolution in 1538.The priory is perhaps best known for having housing a Marian shrine with a replica of the house of the Holy Family in Nazareth.

Blakeney National Nature Reserve and Blakeney Point is home to wildlife and England's largest grey seal colony in Norfolk. The Nature Reserve is internationally recognised as an important breeding area for sea birds and a wide variety of other birdlife that changes with the seasons. The salt marshes supports an interesting range of seaside plants creating an intriguing habitat and surroundings for refreshing long or short walks for all visitors.

Thursford Collection, which is an assortment of steam engines and fairground organs housed in a museum. The collection was founded by the late George Cushing and what began as a hobby turned into one of the world's most important steam and fairground museums. The collection includes a Mighty Wurlitzer which is the fourth-largest in Europe and has a total of 1,339 pipes.

Cley Marshes is a 176-hectare nature reserve on the North Sea coast of England just outside the village of Cley next the Sea, Norfolk. A reserve since 1926, it is the oldest of the reserves belonging to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, which is itself the oldest county Wildlife Trust in the United Kingdom.

The Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a protected landscape in Norfolk, England. It covers over 450 km2 of coastal and agricultural land from The Wash in the west through coastal marshes and cliffs to the sand dunes at Winterton in the east. It was designated AONB in 1968, under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.

Pensthorpe Natural Park is a modern day nature reserve with a focus on inspiring the next generation to enjoy wildlife and the great outdoors. Explore 700 acres of woodland walks, nature trails, lakes and a variety of habitats teaming with wildlife including wetlands, woodlands, farmland and grassland. The site was created as a nature reserve by Bill Makins in the 1980s, before being bought by Bill and Deb Jordan in 2003, of Jordans cereals.

vBrancaster beach is one of the best of North Norfolk's stunning beaches, with miles of unspoilt golden sand, stretching from Titchwell to Brancaster Staithe. This beach is part of the Brancaster Estate which is now owned by the National Trust. This iconic stretch of coast is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and also home to important natural features such as the tidal salt marshes of Scolt Head.

Bircham Gallery is a light and spacious contemporary art gallery situated on the Market Place in the Georgian town of Holt on the North Norfolk coast. The gallery was established in 1988 by Christopher and Deborah Harrison and over 25 years has developed an enviable reputation for exhibiting the best of contemporary and modern British art.

Holt Country Park is set in 100 acres of mixed woodland and is a Green Flag award winner. Open all year round for the public to enjoy. It is situated on the edge of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. They regularly offer seasonal activities during half terms and other holidays always aimed at kids, and they can include things like mini-beast safaris, treasure hunts, guided ranger walks learning about conservation, natural material arts and crafts sessions plus shelter building

Titchwell Marsh is blessed with diverse habitats that include reedbeds, saltmarsh, and freshwater lagoons where avocets, bearded tits, and marsh harriers nest. It was one of The RSPB's most popular reserves from sandy beaches to lagoons and reedbeds. This internationally important reserve is part of the North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is also protected through Natura 2000, Special Protection Area, and Ramsar li

The Muckleburgh Military Collection is the finest private Museum of military memorabilia in the United Kingdom. It includes tanks, armoured cars, bombs, artillery and missiles used by the allied armies during World War II. It incorporates the Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry Museum of uniforms, weapons, photographs and documents.

Great Bircham Windmill is a Grade II listed tower mill in Great Bircham, Norfolk, England. Come and enjoy this family run attraction with something for everyone. Bake some bread, climb to the top of the mill. Play in the garden. See the sheep being milked at 2pm daily. Sample some homemade bread, cakes and cheese all on sale in our tearooms and to take home from our bakery.

Houghton Hall is one of the grandest survivors of the Palladian era, built in the 1720s for Britain’s first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole. It is a showcase of the work of architects James Gibbs and Colen Campbell complemented by the richly ornamented interiors of William Kent, and furnished to reflect Walpole’s wealth and power. It is a Grade I listed building surrounded by 1,000 acres of parkland a few miles from Sandringham House.

Baconsthorpe Castle is a moated and fortified 15th century manor house, that are a testament to the rise and fall of a prominent Norfolk family. It was established in the 15th century on the site of a former manor hall, probably by John Heydon I and his father, William. Part of the castle was later converted into a textile factory, but it fell out of use in the 20th century. Today Baconsthorpe is one of the most picturesque - and relatively unknown - moated castles in England.

Sheringham Park is an adventure playground for all ages, with some of the best walking and running trails in Norfolk across its 1000 acres of varied terrain. There are fine mature woodlands and a large variety of rhododendrons and azaleas. In the early 20th century, Henry Morris Upcher obtained rhododendron seeds of various types from plantsman Ernest "Chinese" Wilson. The hall is privately occupied, but Sheringham Park is in the care of the National Trust and open to visitors.

The Norfolk Coast Path runs from Hunstanton in west Norfolk round to Sea Palling on the north east Norfolk coast. The majority of this walking trail runs through the dramatic landscape of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are lovely settlements to explore along the trail, including seaports, fishing villages and seaside resorts, each boasting their own interesting history and welcoming charm.