As I wrote in my earlier post about visiting Norfolk during the quiet off season, I had a very specific purpose for visiting in November.

For me, it was all about seeing seals in Norfolk, England. During my research for hiking the Norfolk Coast Path, I learned that Seal Pup Season in Norfolk is from October to January.

Seals?!!!! Baby seals? Cute baby seals covered in white fur??? !!!!!! Yes, please!

Blakeney Point, North Norfolk Coast

One of the most well known places to view seals is at Blakeney Point on the North Norfolk Coast.

There are several seal watching tours that originate and focus upon Blakeney Point, one of the largest seal colonies in all of England. I am sure it’s a great place to see seals in Norfolk and the Explore Norfolk website has a great list of seal watching trips by board from Blakeney Point. The bulk of these companies that I researched only offers tours during the high season, from March/April through October.

However, I wanted a different experience where I wouldn’t be on someone else’s schedule.

Now there are seal colonies in a few areas of Norfolk, not just Blakeney Point. Winterton-on-Sea has a seal colony, and Horsey Gap is another very well-known area. There is a formal viewing platform for seal watchers just at the dunes of the Horsey beach overlooking the seals. Note that the beach at Horsey is closed to visitors (except for the viewing platform) during seal pup season from October to January.

A bit of research helped me find a very up close and personal experience than I could have ever imagined.

The Best Place to See Seals in Norfolk, England

During my research for this Norfolk visit, I used several resources, including my favorite series of hiking guides by Trailblazer. If you haven’t used the Trailblazer guides, I highly recommend them. I’ve used them to plan my hikes of the Thames Path and The South Downs Way. Each guide has detailed descriptions of each stage of the trail, including recommendations for food, lodging, and things to see and do along the way. I find the guides to be the best resource for long-distance hiking and also great resources for general research about an area. And even if you’re not planning on hiking, the suggestions for food, lodging, and things to do in the area are fantastic.

For my trip to Norfolk, I purchased a copy of Trailblazer’s Norfolk Coast Path and Peddar’s Way. The newest guide was published Feb. 2024 and is available on Amazon.

It was in the Trailblazer’s Guide for that I read about Horsey Gap, which was more accessible to me at this time of year. Using the Konectbus and Sanders Coaches, I headed out from Wroxham to Sea Palling to explore. The trip over by bus took me about 45 minutes and I was dropped off near the entrance to the beach. My intention was to walk along the Norfolk Coast Path from Sea Palling to Horsey, where I would view the seals.

However, I follow my instincts and walked on the beach instead, and I found a much better place to view the seals. It allowed me to get up close (within reason) without hordes of people and limited viewing space.

The Super Secret (and Best) Place to View the Seals in Norfolk England:

From Sea Palling:

• Head straight to the beach there’s an entrance every few hundred yards
• Turn right as you get on the beach and start walking towards Horsey Gap
• As you walk along the beach, you will begin to spot seals in the water and on land. (You’re getting closer!)
• Before you reach Horsey Gap, closer to Waxham, you’ll come upon a large colony of seals. I am unsure if this is part of the same colony as the one at Horsey Gap or not, but it’s still pretty large one. If you reach the Horsey Gap viewing platform, you’ve gone past the area I’m describing.
• Also, be cautious! The tides along the beaches come in quickly!!! Check the tide tables BEFORE you go out to view the seals. There are also exits from the beach onto the dunes scattered about every 200 yards or so if you need to exit the beach quickly for whatever reason.

Viewing Marine Life Without Fences or Glass Walls

The Monday morning of my walk out to watch the seals, I was one of three people there. All my past experiences with wildlife (apart from hiking) have been at a distance, whether from a boat, across a moat, or some other physical barrier. On a recent trip to Japan, I stood in line for over an hour to view the pandas at the Tokyo Zoo. We were allowed to stay for one minute in one area, and then one minute in another area. You couldn’t think about lingering; zoo staff would push the crowd along when time was up.

It is a completely different experience to be so close to marine life without a barrier– all at once thrilling and a little frightening. Seals are not small!!!

Be Safe While Watching the Seals

I always used common sense during my visit. First, there are plenty of signs warning you to keep 10m away from any seals. Common sense should also tell you that getting between a mother seal and her pup is not smart. Neither is getting between seals and the water. No animal (including humans) should feel cornered or trapped.

I cannot overstate how much you need to be cool and respect this spot. It is a privilege to be so close to the seals and not have to view them from a platform. Please respect the area and the seals.

Here are a few videos I took with my iPhone using the Zoom lens so I could maintain the 10m distance between myself and the seals.

I made myself comfortable along the sea wall and hung out for about 90 minutes. The morning flew by and I exited the beach from a nearby access point. Honestly, the only reason I left is because I started to get cold from not moving around! If it weren’t for the cold, I’d probably still be out there.

Hanging out with the seals in Norfolk left me with an appetite. I left the beach at the nearest beach exit and walked on over to Poppylands.

Seal-y Good Time: From Flippers to Bombs!

Exit the beach when you are done with the seals and walk about half a mile to Poppylands, a 1940s tearoom, and an homage to WWII where you can get a great cream tea, as well as a full menu of other dishes.

From the checkpoint style gates at the entrance, to the 1940s music played throughout the tearoom, you will swear you time-walked back to WWII England. The outside of the tearoom alone is worth a few minutes of exploration. I was surprised to find a display containing an unexploded bomb. I still don’t know if it was real or not, but I wasn’t taking any chances and moved on to inside the restaurant.

I was so engrossed with the seals and exploring the WWII memorabilia at Poppylands, I forgot all about catching a bus back to Wroxham. I ended up taking a cab back to my hotel in Wroxham, but it was totally worth it to experience an unforgettable day.

The day’s adventures at Poppylands and on the beach with the seals made for an unforgettable experience in Norfolk. In the area? Maybe Norwich or Cambridge? Definitely worth a day trip to see these magnificent animals.

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