There’s something about being in nature. Something calming, something life altering.
As a kid, I grew up in the Yorkshire Dales. I distinctly remember one day as a teenager, my Dad taking me for a walk up the Roman Road near our family home. I’d been up there thousands of time over the years but this time, instead of walking, when we got to the top, we just sat. We didn’t talk; we just sat in silence, looking down over the Moors to our village. Everything seemed so small, so insignificant, and it gave me a sense of peace I hadn’t experienced before. From that day on, that spot at the top of the Moors became my place.
Moving to London, life moves at a million miles per hour. You don’t notice it in the moment. I thrived off always finding a way to climb higher; in my career, in life. Then I lost my Dad. The Dad that had many, many years ago shown me that spot on top of the Moors and shown me the importance of finding that inner peace. And I realised……all that pushing, all that running on a treadmill that never stops….it wasn’t helping me go faster (or further) at all, it was holding me back.
Matt (my husband) brought me to Norfolk when Dad was ill. He knew what I needed more than anything in the world was to slow down. To get off the treadmill and feel. Process. Find peace.
He booked us a cottage in Blakeney. The same one he used to stay in as a kid with his Mum and sister every summer holidays. I remember walking out onto the coast path towards Morston and I knew in that moment that Norfolk would mend my soul.
Norfolk didn’t just mend my soul though. It changed me. It changed my life. I’ve never found another place like it yet. Yes, sitting on the Moors in the Yorkshire Dales all those years ago was wonderful. So was sitting onto of the rocks overlooking Gull Rocks in Cornwall. Or looking out over beautiful fields in The Cotswolds. But nothing has (or will) compare to Norfolk to me. There’s something truly magical about this part of the world (and it looks like lots of very clever and talented people have realised that too and built their own pockets of peace and tranquility that they now share in the hope of giving you a taste of that too).
Yes, you can do Norfolk “in style”. You can stay at boujie hotels, with incredible views and have everything you need all in once place. But that’s not the magic of Norfolk to me. Being actually immersed in nature is.
Even though we’ve now lived in Norfolk since Oct 2021 and we have the most beautifully positioned house, in a sleepy village with views of the sea, I still always crave being properly “back to nature”. So every summer since we moved here, we’ve booked 3 separate weekends going “back to nature”. We stay at a campsite just 35 minutes from our house but it resets us. It fills our cup in a way nothing else does. So regardless of if you live in Norfolk already or not, this blog is for you. Because everyone needs to get off that treadmill once in a while and find peace. I swear it’s the secret to a happy, fulfilled life (and my goodness, you’re going to find your happy in some of these places. Trust me, I’ve spent months visiting them all).
I've visited nearly 20 places in total. All give you the most amazing "back to nature" accommodation in their own ways and they're all so different. Some are for true nature lovers, some are absolutely perfect for kids and some will tick all the boxes for the adventures lovers out there.
It’s actually really hard to neatly split all of these places into categories. They’re all just so unique. I’ve done my best though and the below list will give you a taste of what's to come across a series of blogs that will be going live over the next week.
“DIY” camping
Glamping
Shepherds Huts
Totally unique
.....and first up is this blog on "DIY" camping locations.
“DIY” camping
All the places listed under this section have shower and toilet facilities (bar one which has no showers), but you’re going to need a tent to stay. The idea of actual camping never really filled me with much excitement, but when we first moved to Norfolk, I knew we had to try it. We bought a relatively cheap (but easy to put up) tent just incase we hated it and never did it again. Turns out we absolutely LOVE it and that tent has since got so much use. Personally, DIY camping is my absolute fav. Especially when it feels totally wild, remote, and lets you properly reconnect with nature.
In case, like us, you don’t have your own tent yet, here’s the affiliate link to the one we have. We’ve had it 2 years now and it’s still going strong and literally goes up in 2 minutes. I know it’s on Amazon, so not very on brand; so if you know of an amazing independent Norfolk business that specialises in camping equipment, please do let me know and I’ll feature them here instead. I’d love to promote local whenever and wherever I can.
👨👩👧 Family friendly
🐶 Dog friendly
Scaldbeck Cottage, Morston 👨👩👧🐶
This beautiful campsite is where Matt, Luna (our dog) and I have always historically booked. Our favourite spot is under the tree on the right as you come into the campsite. It’s tucked away and you wouldn’t even know anyone else was there when you pick this spot.
It’s a tent only campsite and only allows 12 people max. The lady that owns it (Roberta) is one of the most interesting and wonderful people I’ve ever met and the location is off the charts. It’s tucked away just off Morston Quay. So not only are you minutes away from getting a boat out to see the seals off Blakeney point but if you’re into water sports you can take your paddle board or kayak and be on the water within minutes. Matt and I love timing breakfast around high tide so that we can get up and on the water first thing, and then come back for a delicious fire cooked breakfast right next to the tent.
Being so close to Morston Quay, you’re also in easy walking distance of Blakeney and there’s so much to do there. Check out our blog on Blakeney to find out more.
When we last stayed at Scaldbeck Cottage campsite, we had the nicest afternoon having cocktails in the hidden garden at Blakeney House (you could even stay there for dinner too - their chef is Raymond Blanc trained and they’ve just got 2 AA Rosettes) and then walked back to Morston along the coast path. The village pub in Morston has recently been done up too and is now a Fish & Chip pub (Morston Anchor) and is getting rave reviews.
There’s everything you could possibly need here and it remains our go to for camping in Norfolk.
Castle Wild Camp, Holt 👨👩👧
If we didn’t have Luna, our dog, we’d be staying here as many weekends as we possibly could. I’ve never found a campsite like this before and pretty sure I won’t find one again. Castle Wild Camp isn’t just a campsite. It’s a conservation project. Jonathan who is the brains behind Castle Wild Camp, with his friend Allen, has dedicated his career to understanding conservation. Castle Wild camp is his way of putting all of that research and knowledge into action, and with support from a local farmer whose land the site sits on, has managed to start the process of turning 45 acres of once farmed land into a conservation project which will see nature take hold and wildlife once again flourish.
Across the 45 acres, there’s 8 private glades where you can camp. Only one party per glade. The level of privacy here is unrivalled and it’s wild camping in its truest form (without doing it illegally obviously). The ‘glades’ are essentially very private parts of the land which have been beautifully curated to allow camping. Very slightly mown but surrounded by nature. The rest has been left to nature to do its thing…and wow, nature really is doing its thing.
I could write all day about Castle Wild Camp. When Jonathan showed me round, I was like a child in a sweetshop, drinking in every nugget of information that he gave me and swooning with joy over the facts and figures on how and what the conservation project was making happen. I won’t spoil it for you though. The incredible nature here is something you absolutely need to experience for yourself (and if you’re into nature, and Jonathan is up for it, ask him for a tour as honestly the stuff that man knows is mid blowing and it makes the whole experience one you will genuinely never forget).
Like Scalbeck Cottage, once you park up, there’s genuinely no need to get in your car again if you don’t want to. The whole 45 acres of land are yours to explore. I honestly can’t imagine a more magical place to be for a weekend. They’ve even developed a ‘campers only’ permissive footpath to Baconsthorpe Castle (which is an English Heritage site and although is currently closed for restoration, it has some gorgeous walks around it) and also to the local village pub (The Red Hart) which does lovely food and also some brilliant outdoor events.
I’ll honestly never forget sitting and chatting to Jonathan at Castle Wild Camp and us both stopping in our tracks as we heard a cuckoo. I knew the noise instantly, but it hit me that I’d literally never heard one in real life. So for the next 10 minutes we did just that. Sitting in silence waiting and listening as it called its unmistakable call across the land. And cuckoos are just the start of the incredible range of wildlife that you'll get to experience in their natural habitat here.
Being at Castle Wild Camp is like meditation. That’s the only way I can describe it. It’s over a month since I visited and the magic of this place still hasn’t left me.
Canal Camping, Dilham 👨👩👧🐶
Set on Norfolk’s only canal (and run by Jo who is an amazing human with loads of other incredible Norfolk businesses - check out Hickling Campsite which we'll be talking about in a future blog on Shepherd's Huts, as well as Haha Farm which does amazing events across the year), this place is the perfect if you want to reconnect with nature and truly find peace and quiet AND love being out on the water. Their facilities are some of the best I saw too. No rubbish showers here - Jo knows EXACTLY how to build the campsite of dreams.
The whole site is totally off grid, with the most beautiful solar lighting, meaning you get to enjoy the incredible Norfolk nights sky display of stars, planets (and if you’re lucky) those much sought after shooting stars. It’s honestly breathtaking.
Talking of magical, the canal here is crystal clear. It’s one of the most amazing places I’ve seen for kayaking / paddle boarding in Norfolk and you’ll most likely get it all to yourself. To put it into perspective this stretch of canal hasn’t been touched in over 70 years so you can imagine just how beautiful and magical exploring is. There’s so much to see, from nesting swans, to otters, dragonfly, kingfishers and barn owls. If you want to make a day of it, you can even paddle down to Wayford Bridge Inn Hotel (about 1.5 hours away) have some lunch and then paddle back.
The good news is that you don’t need to have your own equipment either. Canal Camping have 10 canoes that you can hire for the day which are big enough for two adults or a whole family with small children.
The site is also perfectly located for exploring loads of Norfolk, with The Broads on your doorstep or The Coast just 6 miles away. Their website is amazing too and offers loads of brilliant suggestions for the perfect day out.
…and the even better news. If DIY camping isn’t for you, they actually have 3 stunning 6 metre bell tents that are the perfect mix of bohemian and luxury; all set in their own private field, separate to the rest of the campsite.
I couldn't love this site more and literally cannot wait to go back and spend a night here under the stars.
Salhouse Broad, Salhouse 👨👩👧🐶
Talking of amazing waterside locations, Salhouse Broad also has the most dreamy location, set right on Salhouse Broad. It’s busier here due to being in the heart of The Broads, and there’s no hot water or showers (don’t worry, there are toilets) but if you’re wanting a one stop shop for adventure and love the true “camping vibe” with others, then this is most definitely the place for you!
Salhouse Broad is utterly beautiful. When I visited, I couldn’t help but get a coffee and cake from The Hungry Otter (a gorgeous onsite food vendor) and sit for an hour by the waters edge, just taking in the beauty of the area and the joy of families mooring their boats, excited to explore and start their adventure here. It’s so perfectly located if you want to explore everything The Norfolk Broads has to offer.
During the day, Salhouse Broad hires out canoes and kayaks, or you can self launch for £2 per vessel, per day. You don’t have to be camping here for that though if you’re close enough to just do a day trip!
It’s well worth staying though, as at night, the hustle and bustle of the boats and water sports calms and you’re in for a treat when it comes to the stars. With so little light pollution, Norfolk’s night skies are just something else and the clever brains behind Salhouse Broad have made the most of that and built the most incredible netted structure that you can lay on and take it all in. If you have kids, this is definitely one they’ll remember!
Manor Farm Campsite, East Runton 👨👩👧🐶
If “back-to-basics” isn’t your thing and you’re looking for more of a traditional campsite that also allows motorhomes and caravans and is close to more life, then Manor Farm is 100% the one for you.
Beautifully situated between Felbrigg and Cromer, every year this gorgeous family-run working farm turns three of its fields into huge and incredibly well equipped campsites.
There’s 18 acres in total and although you’re in walking distance of Cromer, East Runton and Felbrigg, you feel lightyears away from them all. The views of the coast are spectacular but you’re tucked well away from the main roads making it the perfect mix of busy when you want, and quiet when you don’t!
There’s so much to do with kids in the local area (see our blogs on Cromer and also Felbrigg - the walking route on the Felbrigg blog actually walks down the farm track of this campsite). You don’t actually have to leave the site if you didn’t want to though as there’s actually loads to do there as well - from play parks to football fields and kite flying areas, and you can even walk down to the working farm and have a look at the gorgeous pet goats and sheep that are set just off the main road as you pull into Manor Farm.
I loved being a kid for the day at Manor Farm Campsite, so you’ll even love it as an adult too!
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If you're a newbie to camping or you've been doing it for years, I have absolutely no doubt that all of these amazing Norfolk camping locations will bring you huge amounts of joy. There's absolutely nothing better than sitting around a campfire in the evenings looking at the memorising Norfolk sky and then waking up to natural light and the sound of birds. I promise you, it'll reset you in a way no other break away can.
Stay tuned for the rest of the blog series which will be featuring the best Norfolk glamping spots, Shepherd's Huts and totally unique "back to nature" locations.
....and don't forget to tag us in your pictures on Instagram if you do end up booking and staying at any of these incredible places - @norfolkuncovered.
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