Blakeney National Nature Reserve
NorfolkSpectacular wildlife and uninterrupted views of beautiful coastline
Blakeney Office, Friary Farm, Cley Road, Norfolk, NR25 7NW (No Public Access)
M T W T F S S Open
Closed
Opening times for 20 February 2026
Asset Opening time Nature reserve Dawn - Dusk Lifeboat House (Blakeney Point) Closed - Car park
Car park at Blakeney Quay. Parking free for National Trust members, £6 all day for non-National Trust members. Members please scan you membership card to get your free ticket. Quayside car parks liable to flooding - please take note of the signs.
- Dogs allowed
Dogs welcome, but some restrictions apply. There are clearly marked restricted areas, beyond which you cannot take dogs on Blakeney Point during ground nesting bird season (1 April to 15 August) and seal pupping season (late October to mid-January).
- Toilet
The toilets at Blakeney Quay are not operated by the National Trust. There is one accessible toilet on Blakeney Point which is open to the public between March and October.
A disabled public toilet opposite Blakeney Carnser car park. Blakeney Point is isolated. Mobile reception is reasonable. Dog restrictions in place.
- Accessible route and/or map
There is a wheelchair-accessible 3 mile coastal walk through Blakeney village and around Blakeney Freshes which is fantastic for spotting wildlife.
- Accessible toilet
There is an accessible toilet opposite Blakeney Carnser car park which is open to the public between March and October.
- By road
- Blakeney, Morston Quay and Cley are all on the A149 Cromer to Hunstanton roadParking: Pay and display (members free) at Blakeney Quay (administered by Blakeney Parish Council) and Morston Quay. Cley beach (managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust - parking charges apply for non NWT members). Quayside car parks liable to flooding - please take note of the signs.Sat Nav: Blakeney Quay car park: NR25 7ND Cley car park (Norfolk Wildlife Trust managed): NR25 7RY Stiffkey salt marshes free car park: NR23 1QE
- On foot
- The Norfolk Coast path goes through Blakeney Quay. Access to Blakeney Point is from Cley beach car park
- By train
- Sheringham 8 miles to Blakeney Quay
- By bus
- Coasthopper bus service is available between King’s Lynn and Mundesley. Stops at Blakeney village.
- By ferry
- Seal trips are available from Morston Quay to view the colony on Blakeney Point. No landing available.
Blakeney Office, Friary Farm, Cley Road, Norfolk, NR25 7NW (No Public Access)
Planning your visit
Seal watching at Blakeney Point
All you need to know about England's largest grey seal colony and how you can enjoy this remarkable wildlife spectacle on Blakeney Point.
Seasonal dog walking restrictions
To protect the important wildlife on Blakeney Point, restrictions apply during ground-nesting bird season and seal pupping season.
Highlights
Blakeney Point
A four-mile shingle ridge and dune, backed by salt marsh and mudflats. Noted for seals in winter and terns in summer.
Grey seals
Blakeney Point is home to England’s largest grey seal colony with around 9,000 pups born each winter.
Breeding birds
Blakeney National Nature Reserve is noted for its spectacular displays of the summer-breeding tern colony.
Blakeney Freshes
Approximately 160 hectares of freshwater grazing marsh. An important area for breeding birds and over-wintering wildfowl.
Stiffkey Marshes
Stiffkey Marshes is home to one of the country's richest saltmarshes for wildlife. Flooded daily by the tide it is an important conservation area for breeding birds.
Stay
Stay within easy reach of Blakeney National Nature Reserve at Blakeney Lodge, a compact and cosy, dog-friendly holiday cottage sitting in the shadows of an old windmill.
Things to see and do
Things to do at Blakeney National Nature Reserve
Find out the things to see and do at Blakeney National Nature Reserve, from seeing the seal colony at Blakeney Point to exploring Friary Hills and Blakeney Freshes.
Wildlife walks at Friary Hills and Blakeney Freshes
Friary Hills and Blakeney Freshes are home to important habitats and diverse wildlife that changes with the seasons.
Stiffkey Marshes
Stiffkey Marshes, part of Blakeney National Nature Reserve, is home to one of the country's richest saltmarshes for wildlife.
Top trails
Blakeney Freshes and Friary Hills circular walk
This short, family-friendly circular walk takes in three different habitats and gives elevated views of Blakeney National Nature Reserve in Norfolk.
Blakeney Freshes coastal wildlife walk
This family-friendly circular walk through Blakeney village and around Blakeney Freshes offers impressive coastal views and is ideal for spotting birds and wildlife.
Gramborough Hill and Salthouse circular walk
Follow this circular route from the village of Salthouse, along a stretch of coastal shingle bank by the beach, and via saltmarsh and heathland bird habitats.
Blakeney to Stiffkey coastal walk
Enjoy views across Norfolk's open landscape on this coastal walk, starting at Blakeney Nature Reserve and taking in Morston and Stiffkey salt marshes.
Blakeney Point coastal walk
This walk follows Blakeney Point’s 4 mile-long (6.4km) shingle spit to the sand dunes, near the Lifeboat House.
Places to stay
Blakeney Lodge
A simple lodge by the salt marshes and on the edge of Blakeney National Nature Reserve.
Upcoming events
Sorry, there are no upcoming events at this place
About Blakeney National Nature Reserve
At the heart of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Blakeney National Nature Reserve boasts wide open spaces and uninterrupted views of the beautiful North Norfolk coastline. The four mile long shingle spit of Blakeney Point offers protection for Blakeney Harbour and the surrounding saltmarshes, providing a perfect habitat for the vast array of residential and migratory wildlife.
Internationally important, the reserve is noted for its spectacular displays of the summer breeding tern colony and winter breeding grey seals ensuring delight for visitors all year round. Great for walkers, sightseers and wildlife enthusiasts alike, Blakeney National Nature Reserve guarantees an inspiring and memorable visit no matter the season.
The best way to see the wildlife on Blakeney Point is to enjoy a ferry trip, departing from Morston Quay.
Please note: nearest toilets are at Morston Quay and Blakeney Quay (not National Trust).
Our work
Our work at Blakeney National Nature Reserve
Learn about the work the team at Blakeney National Nature Reserve carries out to preserve this special place for both wildlife and visitors, from counting seals to fence repairs.
Caring for grey seals on Blakeney Point
Find out about England’s largest grey seal colony, how we’ve changed the annual count due to ever-increasing numbers and why the seals call Blakeney Point home.
Acid grassland and biodiversity on Friary Hills
The National Trust is stepping up a project to rejuvenate acid grassland habitat on Friary Hills, Blakeney, on the north Norfolk coast.
History
The Second World War at Blakeney Point
Discover how the wreckage of a Second World War German plane was unearthed at Blakeney Point.
Latest news
HART volunteers shed new light on Stiffkey Marshes’ wartime sites
The National Trust’s Heritage and Archaeology Ranger Team (HART) volunteers are playing a key role in documenting the twentieth century military history of Stiffkey Marshes in north Norfolk.
New footbridge with low carbon footprint opens at Stiffkey Marshes
A replacement footbridge is now in place at Stiffkey on the Norfolk coast, following the completion of a project by the National Trust.
Volunteers help Blakeney Point wildlife with beach clean
Local volunteers have carried out a day-long beach clean along Blakeney Point, removing plastic waste and other debris that could be hazardous to grey seals and their pups during the upcoming pupping season.
