The best National Trust sites to visit in Norfolk

From countryside estates and Tudor manor houses to coastal landscaped gardens and special nature reserves, there are lots of National Trust sites to visit during a getaway to Norfolk, as well as a vast array of family-friendly days out. 

We have compiled a list of our favourite Norfolk attractions that are cared for by the National Trust and some of the top things to see and do at each one. 

And if you're looking for somewhere to use as a base for your Norfolk adventures, take a look at our collection of welcoming cottages by clicking the button below.

Blickling Estate

This grand Norfolk estate features a Jacobean mansion that’s surrounded by beautifully designed formal gardens and wildlife-rich parkland. Follow a series of waymarked trails around the gorgeous dog-friendly grounds - the Blickling Estate has more than 4,600 acres to explore either on foot or by bike.

• The Blickling Estate garden includes secret tunnels, an orangery of citrus trees, and a formal parterre garden with four herbaceous plots made up of contrasting hot and cool colours surrounded by beds of roses.
• Rooms to explore inside the mansion include the Long Gallery which would once have been used for indoor exercise and now houses one of the UK’s most important library collections and the South Drawing Room where dignitaries including Charles I once feasted. 
• The fishing lake at Blickling is accessible to all and bream, carp and pike are among the varieties of fish that can be caught in the water here. 

Elizabethan House Museum

Elizabethan House Museum is a Great Yarmouth National Trust site that is managed by the Norfolk Museums Service. The house was a regular haunt of Oliver Cromwell as his friend John Carter once lived here and it’s thought that this house is where the death of Charles I was plotted in 1648. 

• You can take a tour of the museum’s rooms which are filled with antique furniture, interesting artefacts and impressive artwork before strolling around the site’s pretty walled garden.
• Children can play dress up in a range of Tudor costumes and have fun exploring the museum’s large toy room.
• The museum covers both the Tudor and Victorian eras with hands-on exhibits to give visitors a taste of what life would have been like in these fascinating periods of history.

Felbrigg Hall

One of Norfolk’s finest country estates, Felbrigg Hall is surrounded by glorious parkland and rolling countryside that’s just a couple of miles from Cromer and the North Norfolk Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) coastline. Explore opulent rooms filled with wonderful collections before taking a woodland walk in the extensive grounds.

• The grounds of Felbrigg are very dog friendly and after exploring outside, four-legged friends can join you for refreshments at the on-site Squire Pantry.
• Highlights of Felbrigg’s lovely gardens and grounds include a tranquil lake, an ice house and a pair of tree-lined avenues known as the Victory V due to the shape that they make.
• Sumptuous rooms at Felbrigg include the Great Hall featuring 15^th-century stained-glass windows, a dining room that’s dressed and ready for an 1860s dinner and a spectacular gothic library that’s filled with more than 5,000 books.

Horsey Windpump

Standing proudly atop the Norfolk Broads, Horsey Windpump has been restored and renovated over recent years into a must-visit Norfolk attraction. After remaining silent for more than 75 years, the sails of the Grade I-listed windpump are turning once more.

• Climb the 61 steps to the top of Horsey Windpump for an unrivalled view over the spectacular Norfolk Broads to the coastline beyond. 
• Horsey Windpump is part of the Horsey Estate and you can take a scenic walk around this extra-special landscape, including waterside paths, nature-filled marshes and sand dunes. 
• A series of information boards tell the fascinating story of Horsey Windpump and after returning from the top, there’s an on-site tearoom for refreshments and a pretty wildlife garden that’s a haven for the rare swallowtail butterfly.

Oxburgh Hall

Uncover more than 500 years of English history on a visit to the imposing Oxburgh Hall, a moated manor house that has been owned by the Bedingfeld family since being built during the War of the Roses. Highlights of the building include a medieval brick Gatehouse and the elaborately decorated King’s and Queen’s Rooms.

• Amongst the exquisite items displayed at Oxburgh Hall are the Marian Hangings, embroideries that were created by Bess of Hardwick and Mary Queen of Scots while they were held captive by Elizabeth I.
• Gardens at Oxburgh Hall include a walled kitchen garden, a Victorian parterre, an orchard filled with heritage fruit trees and a romantic wilderness garden.
• During the Victorian era, the River Gadder was diverted through the woodland grounds of Oxburgh Hall. Take a riverside stroll through My Lady’s Wood and you may well spot voles and otters along the way.

Sheringham Park

From vibrant flower displays to a tower where you can look out over the Norfolk coastline, there’s much to enjoy during a visit to Sheringham Park. This landscaped parkland and woodland garden dates back to Georgian times when it was designed by Humphry Repton and there are more than 1,000 acres to explore during a visit.

• Sheringham Park is a dog-friendly Norfolk attraction and four-legged friends are welcome to join you for refreshments at the Courtyard Cafe which serves cakes, sandwiches, soups and bacon rolls.
• A series of waymarked walking trails around the estate range in length from 1 to 5 miles so there’s something to suit all ages and energy levels. You can take in woodland walks, coastal paths and the Sheringham Park Gazebo with 360-degree views from the top of its tower.
• The Bower Garden at Sheringham Park includes a special sensory space that’s filled with a variety of aromas, textures and shapes. There are also wildflower meadows and a pond where children can spot tadpoles, newts and dragonflies.

Blakeney National Nature Reserve

Blakeney Point is home to England’s largest colony of grey seals and up to 3,000 pups are born during the winter months at this wonderful Norfolk nature reserve. The site is managed by the National Trust and is also an important breeding site for Arctic, common and sandwich terns each summer.

• The best way to see the seals at Blakeney Point is by boat and there are a number of operators who run regular excursions from Moreston Quay to the site including Bishop’s Boats and Ptarmigan Seal Trips.
• You can also take a scenic walk to Blakeney Point by parking at the National Trust car park at Cley Beach and walking along a 4-mile shingle spit to the site.
• The Stiffkey Saltmarshes are also part of this national reserve and are best reached by walking from Blakeney village. Here you can find cockles, samphire and purple-hued sea lavender amongst the saltmarshes, brushland and creeks.

Plan your getaway to Norfolk  

Gardeners Cottage Ingoldisthorpe

If you have been inspired to visit some of these National Trust sites on your next UK getaway, you’ll find a selection of lovely Norfolk holiday cottages where you can rest your head after days of exploring the county’s beautiful coast and countryside.

Whether you are looking for a cosy romantic retreat or a dog-friendly property close to the beach that has room for the whole family, browse our range of Norfolk holiday homes to find your perfect base.