HOW & WHERE TO SEE WILD SEALS IN NORFOLK FROM NOVEMBER TO FEBRUARY!
LOOKING FOR THE BEST PLACE TO SEE WILD SEALS IN NORFOLK?
WHERE CAN YOU SEE SEALS IN NORFOLK?
The best beaches where you can see wild seal colonies in Norfolk include:
- Horsey Beach at Horsey Gap (No tour required)
- Blakeney Point (Boat tour recommended)
- Winterton-On-Sea beach
- Waxham Beach (much small)
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO SEE SEALS IN NORFOLK?
As an astounding 40% of the World’s grey seal population is found in Britain, it comes as no surprise that is it possible to see grey seals in Norfolk throughout all months of the year.
However, there is a one specific time period every year where you are almost guaranteed to see hundreds of wild Grey seals in Norfolk on the beach – even without paying for a boat tour!
The best time to see wild seals in Norfolk is during the Winter months, starting at the beginning of November to the end of February. More specifically, this phenomenon can be witnessed on Horsey beach at Horsey Gap.
CAN YOU SEE SEALS IN NORFOLK IN THE SUMMER TOO?
Yes, it is still possible to see wild seals in Norfolk during the Summer months, though this is typically done through a pre-arranged boat tour at Blakeney Point.
Blakeney Point is where the largest British colony of seals in Norfolk reside in the Summer. It is extremely difficult to get to on your own, as Blakeney Point is in fact a large sand spit on the Norfolk coast, not a public beach.
Highly recommended Blakeney Point based wildlife boat tour operators include:
HORSEY BEACH SEALS EXPLAINED
ARE THE SEALS ALWAYS AT HORSEY BEACH?
Whilst the Winter months are THE hotspot period to guarantee seeing plenty of wild greys on the shores of Horsey Beach, it is still possible to see the odd adult seal bobbing in the sea or lazing on the sands throughout the year here too.
Outside of the Winter months however, it is important to note this is not the breeding season for Norfolk’s grey seal colony, and resultantly you will not see any seal pups.
WHY DO SO MANY SEALS GO TO HORSEY BEACH IN WINTER?
During the Winter months, expectant female grey seals flock to Horsey Beach, coming ashore like clockwork every year from early November to give birth to their young pups.
They then stay here throughout the Winter until late February, while their pups grow and moult their un-waterproof white fur.
It is believed the seals specifically go to Horsey Beach to do so because of its shallow waters and flat sandy beaches.
WHAT TIME OF DAY IS BEST TO SEE THE SEALS AT HORSEY IN THE WINTER?
Any time of the day is good to see the seals on Horsey Beach in Winter. They will remain on the beach throughout the Winter months, with no specific time that there is less or more to see.
However, to avoid the crowds, we would highly suggest arriving as early as you can. From personal experience, we would avoid arriving anytime after 12pm in busy periods, as the car park and even the overflow can become absolutely swamped.
GETTING TO THE HORSEY BEACH SEALS
STEP 1: GETTING TO HORSEY BEACH FROM THE CAR PARK
It is a very simple 2 to 3 minute walk to Horsey Beach from the main car park. After paying your parking ticket, head to the top right corner of the car park and follow the signposted trail towards the low dunes.
In Winter, you will pass an open trailer hosted by ‘Friends of Horsey Seals’ providing interesting facts on the Horsey seals!
STEP 2: WALKING ALONG HORSEY BEACH
In the Summer months, you would simply make your way down to Horsey Beach. However, during the Winter months Horsey beach is actually not accessible for the public to ensure the safety and wellbeing of birthing mother seals and their pups.
Instead, in the Winter months you will see the top of the low dune has been transformed into a viewing platform, with access to the beach below being roped off.
You will follow the sandy platform along the length of the beach, providing the perfect vantage point to see all of the seals spread across Horsey Beach and in the shallow waters.
STEP 3: AFTER HORSEY BEACH VIEWING PLATFORM
After the designated viewing platform atop the Horsey Beach low sand dunes ends, the trail will guide you towards Horsey Pillbox, a small historical World War II bunker and now historical landmark at Horsey. When we visited, we came across a very snoozy baby seal pup lying just outside!
Passing the Horsey Pillbozx continue to loop round along the marked trail for a further 5 minutes before returning to the Horsey Gap main car park.
Top Tip: Another great beach to visit in Norfolk is Wells Next The Sea, just a 20 minute drive from Blakeney Point! Though not at official “hotspot”, it is not uncommon to see seals at Wells beach.
Top Tip: Another great place to see grey seals in the wild is Godrevy Point, which we cover in our 11 day Devon to Cornwall road trip itinerary!
ETIQUETTE FOR VIEWING SEALS IN NORFOLK
Keep all dogs on a lead.
If you encounter a seal on the beach, keep a minimum of 10 to 15 metres distance from the seal. Do not approach a seal, they are wild animals and will attack when they feel threatened.
Take all of your rubbish with you and leave no trace.
PARKING AT HORSEY BEACH
There are two car parks available to use at Horsey Beach. First is the Horsey Gap ‘Pay & Display’ car park. This is the closest car park to Horsey Beach, and is a relatively small car park fitting approximately 80 cars.
Because of this, this car park fills up pretty quickly during peak period, such as the Summer months (July to August in particular) and during public holidays.
From our own experience, this car park also gets very busy during the Christmas holidays (especially the period between Christmas Day and New Years) as people flock in their time off to see the seals on the beach.
Important note: Large vehicles and motorhomes are not permitted to park here. Overnight parking is also not allowed.
HOW MUCH DOES THE HORSEY BEACH CAR PARK COST?
The cost to park at the main Horsey Gap ‘Pay & Display’ car park is £3.50 for up to 2 hours, £5 for up to 4 hours and £7 for all day parking at the main Horsey Gap car park.
You can pay by change or contactless payment at the multiple Pay & Display ticket machines, located in the centre of the car park. This car park is open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Sunday.
The alternative car park for Horsey Beach is Horsey Gap Field Car Park, which steps in as an overflow car park during peak periods. This is, as the name suggests, simply a large field which can accommodate at least 150 or more cars.
It is a 5 minute walk away from Horsey Beach along a designated wooden boardwalk.
To park here is slightly cheaper for long-stay. It is £3.50 for up to 2 hours and £5 for all day parking. As this is an overflow car park, there are no official ticket machines here. You pay the volunteering car park attendants as you exit.
You can pay either by cash, or via contactless card payment using the attendants portable card payment machine.
FACILITIES AT HORSEY GAP
ARE THERE TOILETS AT HORSEY GAP CAR PARK?
No, there are no toilet facilities at either the Horsey Gap main car park or the overflow Horsey Gap field car park. The closest toilets to Horsey Beach can be found in Poppylands Tea Rooms, located a 5 minute walk away from the overflow car park.
REFRESHMENTS AT HORSEY GAP CAR PARK
At Horsey Beach car park, there is occasionally a privately owned mobile trailer stationed during peak times serving hot food, mainly chip boxes with options for sauces and added cheese and pork toppings. This is to take away food only, and note there are no toilet facilities to accommodate this.
POPPYLANDS TEA ROOMS AT HORSEY GAP
The closest permanent facility to Horsey Beach to sit in for food , refreshments and toilet facilities is Poppylands Tea Rooms, a quaint and unique tea rooms designed to replicate the 1940’s era. It is a 5 minute walk to Poppylands Tea Room from Horsey Beach main car park.
As they are literally the only facility in close proximity to Horsey Beach, it fills up very quickly and you risk being turned away.
Top Tip: If visiting in peak periods (including Summer months and public holidays) make sure you book your table at Poppylands Tea Rooms in advance.
HORSEY BEACH PACKING LIST
SPRING / SUMMER MONTHS (WHEN YOU CAN ACCESS HORSEY BEACH):
- Your swimsuit.
- A microfibre beach towel (fast drying & lightweight).
- A spare waterproof bag to store your wet towel / swimsuit when you leave the beach.
- High factor sun cream (Summer months)
- Sun protective clothing, including a hat and sunglasses (Summer months)
- Refillable water bottle.
WINTER MONTHS (WHEN YOU CANNOT ACCESS HORSEY BEACH DIRECTLY): ❄️
- Walking boots or shoes which you do not mind getting dirty from the sand as you walk across the sandy viewing platform.
- A camera with a good zoom to capture ‘up close’ photographs of the seals from the seal viewing platform on the dunes.
- A scarf, gloves and beanie hat – Wrap up warm for Norfolk’s common strong coastal winds!
- As this is England after all, bring a lightweight waterproof poncho if rain is forecast or the sky is looking grey!
WHERE TO STAY IN HORSEY GAP
OUR TOP PICK / WHERE WE STAYED:
⭐ The Shepherds Huts at Ormesby Manor (8 miles away from Horsey, where we stayed at would highly recommend for couples)
FOR COUPLES:
⭐ Dairy Barns B&B (1 mile away from Horsey)
⭐ Lawson Cottage B&B (1 mile away from Horsey)
⭐ The Boathouse (4 miles away from Horsey)
FOR LARGER FAMILIES & GROUPS:
CONCLUSION: SEALS IN NORFOLK
To conclude, to witness wild grey and common seals in Norfolk is one of the greatest wildlife experiences you can have in Great Britain!
While the species do hang around the Norfolk shores throughout most of the year, the best time (especially for visitors) to almost guarantee a sighting is between early November to end of February at Horsey beach.
This is also, in our opinion, the most special time to visit as not only will you see them in their masses lying flat out on the beach, this is also when you will see plenty of mother seals and the most adorable white furred pups!
We hope you have the most amazing time in Norfolk and spotting these beautiful, noisy creatures!
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
Got a trip coming up? Look no further than:
Skyscanner for the best flight deals
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Booking.com to stay somewhere amazing
Most free cancellation on anything from glamping to luxury stays.
Viator for unforgettable experiences
All the best tours & activities in one easy place! Free cancellation on most.
Staysure Travel Insurance to feel safe & confident
Easy, stress-free, reliable insurance with excellent customer service. (UK only)
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
Got a trip coming up? Look no further than:
Skyscanner for the best flight deals
Easy to compare, clean, uncluttered website.
Booking.com to stay somewhere amazing
Most free cancellation on anything from glamping to luxury stays.
Viator for unforgettable experiences
All the best tours & activities in one easy place! Free cancellation on most.
Staysure Travel Insurance to feel safe & confident
Easy, stress-free, reliable insurance with excellent customer service. (UK only)
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