Skip to content

Brancaster Staithe Harbour

Sun setting over the saltmarshes at Brancaster Staithe in Norfolk.
Sun setting over the saltmarshes at Brancaster Staithe in Norfolk. | © National Trust Images / Rod Edwards

Brancaster Staithe was once a Roman town and thriving port. This part of the Norfolk coast is renowned for mussels and fishing vessels still work from Brancaster. The harbour is also home to Brancaster Sailing Club, with many sailing boats stored in and around the harbour.

Brancaster harbour is a wonderful place to sit and have a picnic or to watch the wildlife from. You can also access the coast path and walk west to Branodunum – the site of a Roman Fort!

During the summer, food and drink are available from the Crab Hut and an ice-cream van. We also have a single, accessible toilet on site.

Parking is free but the harbour does get very busy around high tide, with boats launching and recovering, so we ask that visitors time their visit accordingly. The harbour starts to get busy from 2 hours before high tide and then for the following 2 hours after high tide (see Tide Times ).

Harbour information

Harbour Master’s office

Brancaster Staithe harbour is owned and managed by the National Trust. Our Harbour Master oversees harbour safety and operations and will be happy to assist with any harbour-related queries you may have, whether you are visiting for the day or have a boat moored in the harbour.

You can contact the Harbour Master (Mike Parker) by email at norfolkcoast@nationaltrust.org.uk. For anything that requires urgent attention, please call him on 07810 850 334, or the Area Ranger (Keith Miller) on 07733 002 204.

Tides

Click here for the latest local tide information.

Moorings and chain

The harbour has moorings for approximately 150 boats – all of which are currently taken. We also provide a chain on the hard for small boats and tenders to be stored on. Boats can be attached to the chain between 1 March and 30 November. All boats on the chain must be registered with the National Trust, so that we can contact the owners in the event of a problem.

Places on the chain are allocated via a ballot. Click here for details of the 2025 mooring fees and the ballot for places on the chain.

Harbour rules

All harbour users are asked to read and abide by the harbour's conditions of launch.

You might also be interested in

Low tide at Brancaster Staithe
News
News

Brancaster Staithe harbour moorings and tender chain 

Information for boat owners wishing to moor their craft, or enter the ballot for a place on the chain, in 2025.

The beach at Brancaster Estate, Norfolk
Article
Article

Discover Brancaster Estate 

Brancaster Estate, with its wide expanse of golden sands, is perfect for summer sunbathing or winter wanders. Here’s everything you need to know when planning your visit.

A kitesurfer at Brancaster Estate, Norfolk
Activity
Activity

Kite sports at Brancaster Beach 

Find out where the safe zones are for kitesurfing and other kite sports, plus tips and advice to keep everyone safe when you visit.

Wooden jetty and boats moored on the tidal creeks and mudflats at Morston Quay, Blakeney National Nature Reserve, Norfolk
Activity
Activity

Kayaking and paddle boarding at Morston Quay 

Enjoy Norfolk’s vast open landscape and big skies as you canoe, kayak or paddle board through pristine salt marshes and enjoy the wildlife from a safe distance.

Sand drifts on the beach at Brancaster Estate, Norfolk
Article
Article

Brancaster Estate and the D-Day landings 

Discover the part that Brancaster Beach played in the D-Day landings that took place during the Second World War.