Hickling Broad – Norfolk Wildlife Trust

Back in August we enjoyed a lovely few days in the Norfolk Broads.  Norfolk is fast becoming one of our favourite places to visit, and this time around we were lucky to find a great campsite as well.  We were just a short distance away from Hickling Broad, the largest of the Broads, so it was high up on our list of things to see.

A quick look on the internet led us to the nature reserve, run by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, so we headed off to explore. Parking was free, while entrance to the reserve is free for members and children, but costs £4.50 for adults. As we paid at the visitor centre/gift shop, Finn spotted the ice creams so of course I did what any responsible parent would do: I bribed him!

We studied our map and decided on the best route to take. Despite not having the carrier, we opted for the longer route as it had good views across the water. Plus, the thought of ice cream is enough to keep Finn walking for a couple of miles!

It was easy to follow and there were great views across the marshes. This area is full of wildlife, from birds, such as the bittern and marsh harrier, to the swallowtail butterfly and Norfolk hawker dragonfly. We didn’t see any of these, mainly because I find that a two year old isn’t the quietest, or most patient, wildlife spotter.

We did spot hundreds of newts as we crossed a boardwalk, even Finn managed to spot some. It was also great to see the Konik ponies. I didn’t manage to get a good photo, but we could hear them splashing about in the reeds. This hardy Polish breed has been introduced in many nature reserves across the UK to naturally maintain and encourage diverse habitats by grazing.

For me, the best bit of this walk was enjoying the beautiful views across Hickling Broad. We’d never visited this area before, and after hearing lots of good things, we weren’t disappointed. There is also the option to explore the reserve from the water, with boat trips running through the summer. If we return (which I’m sure we will) a boat trip will be high on the list of priorities.

Now this walk looks perfect, and it almost was, if it wasn’t for one tiny thing. Now, I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me, afterall we were surrounded by lots of water, but we got absolutely bitten alive by mosquitos. Well rather I did. What made it worse was that Finn kept stopping and everytime we came to the halt, the mozzies descended. By the end of the walk my legs were red and itchy, Luke managed to pull up his socks and escape the worse.

It’s all the more annoying as we had so much bug spray back at the tent. You’d think being an outdoor blogger I’d be better prepared!

Anyway, apart from this tiny detail, it was a really enjoyable walk. It’s always interesting to explore different landscapes and environments, plus the views were fantastic. We headed back to the visitor centre, and yes, I did honour my promise and treat Finn to an ice cream!

Have you enjoyed exploring anywhere different recently?

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