Sheringham Park

Today turned out very nice indeed. Sunny and warm, with just a gentle breeze. As Julie was off, we decided to take a trip to Sheringham Park, and Ollie came too. All photos are large files, and can be enlarged for detail.

Located on the heights above the quaint seaside town of Sheringham, the park is owned and run by the National Trust. It covers a very large area, from Kelling Heath down to the coast path, and incorporates two farms and some private houses, including the grand Sheringham Hall. For the reasonable fee of £5.20 to park the car, you can spend as much time as you want there, from dawn to dusk, with no additional charges. There is also a cafe, a gift shop, and toilets available for visitors.
The bright afternoon was very hazy, but you can see through these trees down to the sea.

Much of the estate is accessed by paved pathways, though there are some steep sections, and others involve walking across open land. We spent around four hours there this afternoon, and had a most enjoyable trip. After walking around Beetley for years, I rarely have occasion to walk up any hills or steep steps. This afternoon showed me that I am still very much out of condition, but the views are worth it.

In one area is a viewing tower, called The Gazebo. It is not a gazebo at all, rather a tall wooden tower, about four floors high. Leading to this are some steps cut out of the hillside, and to get the top of the viewing platform necessitates ascending 162 steps. After making that trip, I was pleased to see that the panoramic views made the effort worthwhile. If you enlarge the photo, you can make out the windmill on the coast.

Turning the camera around, I spotted this stone folly in the distance. This is a gazebo of sorts, and a lot closer to the ground than the one I was standing on.

If you are ever in North Norfolk, close to Holt, Cromer, or Sheringham, I can recommend visiting this park. We will definitely go again, and perhaps make use of the picnic facilities next time.