The place where the broads meet the coast, the remote and beautiful Horsey Windpump site, with its broadland landscape and wildlife, provides the opportunity for a great dog walk in Norfolk.
I can’t believe it has been two months since this hike when the gang went to Norfolk. It was our first hike there, but the last one to be made into a post.
| Distance | Total Time | Difficulty |
| 7.11 km | 01:57 | Easy |
The Horsey Windpump building stood over the mere and was there for 75 years until it was struck by lightning in 1943. It was rebuilt and is now a Grade II Listed Building.
We didn’t go to the top of the building, but it promises excellent panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, according to the National Trust website. The girls had other plans and could not wait for a long walk toward the beach, where we wanted to see the grey seals, even from a distance.
Besides, dogs are not allowed in the building, so there was little point in considering it.
The car park is free for National Trust Members. For non members, it costs £4 for four hours, £6 all day, and £8 for campervans.
Don’t forget to check the post notes at the bottom of the page, with maps, a detailed table about the hike and links to everything mentioned in the post.
The Hike
We started the walk at the information centre, just by the car park. There are toilets and a small bookshop there too.
From there, we first checked the windpump building before crossing the road towards the beach. There’s a lovely café just by the building which offers hot and cold drinks and some options for lunch.
The gang crossed the B1159 road following the signpost to the beach. There were some waymarks with red arrows on the way, but we followed them only through half of the hike. It was a pretty section, with plenty of cattle grazing in the fields.
We then got to Winterton, Horsey Dunes, where we could see information about the permitted paths towards the seals’ habitat.
Arriving at the beach, yet unable to see the sea because of the sandbanks, we turned right until we got to wooden stairs leading to the viewpoint. We went up the stairs and could see many seals from there but could not get any closer as it is not permitted to go on the beach as it was seal mating season.
After checking the seal colony, we made our way back, walking part of the Coastal Path and following it until the Horsey Gap car park. The issue with this section is that you can’t really see the beach, and it spoils the walk a little bit. But the girls were happily sniffing around, so it was ok from a dog’s point of view which is what these walks are all about.
From the car park, we followed the road through the little village of Horsey, passing through the church, and then walked a few kilometres to the windpump. Again, there isn’t much to see here, and I will take a different route if we go back there in the future.
Overall, it was not the best walk but most probably due to the route we chose rather than the place itself. Especially when considering the other great walks we had in Norfolk:
Mousehold Heath, a great dog walk in Norfolk
Blickling Estate in Norfolk is a dog friendly walk
Cart Gap dog friendly Beach in Norfolk
I’d recommend visiting the location January to August – outside seal mating and pupping season, as you would be able to access the beach and it would be a very different walk then.
Cheers,
Ademar
Full Details Table
| Location | Horsey Windpump – Norfolk |
| Parking Postcode | NR29 4EE |
| Parking Cost | – £4 for four hours – £6 all day – £8 for campervans |
| Starting Point | Reception |
| End Point | Reception |
| Total Time | 01:57 |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Distance | 7.11 km |
| Elevation | -4 m – 5 m |
| Facilities | – Café – Toilets – Book shop – Dog waste bins |
| Dog friendly rating | 3 stars |
| Points of Interest | – Horsey Windpump – Seal colony |
Maps
Leave a Reply