A day out in Norfolk

The U.K. has great places to visit and unless it’s been mentioned to me or there has been an article in the papers/magazine I would never know some of our amazing places existed.

Horseys Grey Seal Colony

One place that was recommend to me was Horseys Grey Seal Colony. This is in Horseys, a Norfolk beach. I was surprised they even had seals on the beach in the U.K.

December and January are the best times to visit because the seals come ashore to have their babies.

We went on the 1st weekend in January. It was a bright crisp day however the eastern winds were fairly strong. We got there at around 1pm and the main car park was full so we were directed to the overflow one. It does get very busy here so the earlier you get there the better.

The parking was £3 for the day. There are no toilets around the site so make sure you plan accordingly.

The stretch on which the seals are is about 2 miles. There are plenty of seal wardens who will tell you where the best places to see them are.

The walk was long and it was all on sand. We enjoyed it and it was nice to get some good fresh air. We probably did about 4.5 miles walking from the car park to the viewing points and back.

You have to climb up stairs to get to the viewing points. There are lots of puddles along the way and you need to dress appropriately. It’s not suitable to take wheelchairs or pushchairs due to the sand and the uneven layout.

Along the walk way to the viewing points there are little facts about the seals. Towards the end there is also a little stand where you can make a donation to friendsofhorseyseals.

The last count they had done prior to our visit was on 4th of Jan 18 and there were about 1800.

You don’t get to see all of them and they are dotted around the whole beach. They tend to be gathered near the rocks.

In December and January, due to the number of seals you cannot walk on the beach.

If you are lucky you can get to see some by the walking route on the beach. The seal wardens will be there ensuring you don’t get too close to it.

We managed to see a six weeks one that had been left by its mother. It was sad but the warden said that is normal for them. The one we saw had a thick black velvet looking coat on it and it was tempting to stroke it but we didn’t. This fur will moult to give them the waterproof one which will allow them to then swim.

It is worth paying the Horsey Grey Seal Colony if you are in the area. I was expecting to see a lot more seals and thought I would be closer to them however for our safety we couldn’t get up close.

It was still beautiful to see them in action and out in their natural environment instead of a zoo.

Grey Seals are meant to be the rarest species of seals and we have them in the U.K. That is pretty cool!

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After paying the seals a visit we went into Norwich for something to eat.

Some shops were still open and it was nice to see that a lot of the centre still had its original architecture. I will definitely be returning in the day because if all looked really pretty. They also had many antique/vintage shops around.

As we always do, we looked to get some eating recommendations from Trip advisor. We settled for Prime at The Edith Cavell.

Prime at The Edith Cavell

This is a small restaurant on top of a pub so the seating is limited. We were lucky to get a walk in table for four though we had to vacate in 1.5 hours. Prime is known for its Volcanic Hot Rocks which are brought to the table for you to cook your own steak on.

For starters we shared a seafood platter. Within 10 minutes we finished the starter. This was a combination of the amazing taste and us being really hungry. There was a good selection of seafood and it was perfect for four people. At £18 it was great value for money. All the items tasted fresh and flavoursome.

I went for the slow roasted pork for my main course and it was delicious. It came with cooked vegetables, glazed new potatoes and a flavoursome creamy mushroom sauce. This was £14.

My friend had the vegetarian blue cheese gnocchi and she said it was really tasty.

Two from the party shared a chateaubriand and they said it was the best steak they had eaten. You get your own volcanic hot rock to cook your meat to how you want it and season it accordingly.

I think the whole restaurant had ordered the steak and it did start to get a bit smoky towards the end of our meal.

The restaurant could do with some extra ventilation due to the smoke and smell from cooking the meat on the hot rocks.

Though it is a steak house it has a good selection of dishes including vegetarian. I think it was good value for money considering the freshness and quality of the food.

After having a big meal at Prime we didn’t think we could fit in a dessert but we couldn’t resist and went to the Waffle House.

Waffle House

There is a reason it has good reviews on Trip Advisor.. it’s amazing!

They have a branch in Norwich and St Albans so if you are ever by that area make sure you pay them a visit.

The Norwich branch was established in the late 70’s. It’s still has some of its original architecture which is lovely.

The Waffle House uses as much fresh and local produce at it can which is always a bonus. They do sweet and savour waffles, wholemeal & normal. They were so light and not too sweet in flavour.

I went for the wholemeal one with vanilla yogurt and fruit and it was really tasty. The vanilla was evident in the yogurt and it had the perfect consistency. The fruit was all fresh.

Their waffle menu had a good selection and was different to the usual ones you get on the high street with ice cream, a dollop of cream and a load of sauce.

My husband had the banoffee one and it was divine too.

All their waffles were unique and catered for many tastes.

The small waffles start from £3.90 to £4.90 and they are perfect for one person.

Each table has a jug of maple syrup for those who want additional sweetness.

Since my visit I am unsure whether I prefer homemade waffles or pancakes now??!!

I am definitely going to try and make some waffles at home soon. Just hope I can get the light fluffy texture.

It was about 7pm when we were headed back. The sky was clear and the stars were out. I haven’t seen such a pretty sky in ages. It was a combination of being on the East, having a clear day and there being very minimal lighting on the A47.

Hope you enjoyed reading and if you ever visit Norfolk have a great time.