Ringstead circular walk + Berni Beans, Hunstanton

This 7-mile circular walk (map here) takes you around the pretty Norfolk village of Ringstead and its surrounding countryside. It starts (and ends) at the Gin Trap Inn (open Wed to Sun), taking in a section of the Peddars Way, Sedgeford borehole (where local drinking water is drawn from the rock below) and Courtyard Farm – home of conservationist, Lord Melchett.

The walk then continues up and onto some quiet grassy tracks with magnificent views over the coastline, before heading down onto quiet country lanes and back into the village.

Warm up in the quirky Berni Beans tearoom (open Tues to Sun), which is a short drive away but worth it to experience the arty, vintage decor and unmissable afternoon teas. The tearoom also does knockout Sunday roasts, just saying.

Horsey Windpump and beach walk + Poppylands Café 

Be at one with nature on this lovely 3-mile walk around Horsey (map here). Starting in the National Trust Horsey Windpump carpark (bring change), the route firstly takes you through some fields where you may, or may not, come face to face with some cows but almost certainly will spot some geese and wading birds. This leads into some marshlands (side note, bring wellies) which soon meets the dunes of Horsey beach and, if you’re lucky, a colony of seals.

The grey seals of Horsey bring in the crowds, especially during pupping season, with the lovely folks from the Friends of Horsey Seals on hand to answer any questions you might have about the cute little critters.

Once you can pull yourselves away from the seals (trust me you’ll be gawking at them for a while), step back in time at Poppylands tea room – a homage to the 1940s where you’ll be served hearty home-cooked food. There’s also a great vintage shopping floor upstairs and a chance to get a quarter of cola cubes at the wonderful retro sweet store.

Cromer Happy Valley circular walk + The Old Rock Shop Bistro

A short walk on paper (1.5 miles) but there’s plenty to stop, see and admire on this lovely little circuit (map here). The route follows the ascending clifftop path out of Cromer – and hello gorgeous views! From the clifftop you can see the quaint town below, the rise and fall of the cliffs and, on a clear day, all the way out to sea.

You then come to Warren Woods which is a wonderful forest walk providing shelter on a windy day and a blanket of bluebells in the spring. This loop brings you through the town where it is always nice to stop off at The Old Rock Shop Bistro for a fresh crab salad (when in Cromer and all that) or fuel your sugar rush with a warm drink and delicious homemade cake.

East Wretham circular walk, Thetford Forest + Lime Kiln Kitchen

This 7-mile circular walk follows part of the Peddars Way and the Great Eastern Pingo Trail (map here). It will take you past a Saxon Cemetery, various meres (ponds) and the site of a Stone Age settlement.

If you want somewhere a little more child-friendly, High Lodge is our go-to place in the Brecks, with 26 walking trails and a fantastic adventure play area in the woods (plus, Go Ape, bike hire and Segways).

Lime Kiln Kitchen is not far away at Thetford Garden Centre (we kid you not). This place is incredibly cool, with its eclectic decor ranging from Colonial to Victorian and a nod to Art Deco. With oversized sofas and a roaring fire, it’s the perfect place to warm up and indulge yourself with an afternoon tea or, if you’ve worked up more of an appetite, filling sandwiches and Sunday roasts.

The Burnhams circular walk + Tilly’s Café, Burnham Market

A 4.5 mile walk through the atmospheric salt marshes and past a couple of pretty churches (map here). You might like to take a detour at Burnham Market and look around some of the lovely little boutiques on your way round.

Then time for tea at Tilly’s, which is open Mon to Sat for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, all of which include freshly baked goodies.

Hunstanton walks + The Thornham Deli & The Old Boat House Café 

There are a few lovely walks round here, all varying in distance, depending on your energy levels. If the tide is out you can walk along the beach to Old Hunstanton and around the multicoloured cliffs, or for a slightly easier option on the calves take the clifftop path. Walk up behind the beach huts and on to Holme Dunes. You can then stop off en route at former Muddy Award winning café The Old Boat House Café for a warming homemade soup or sarnie.

If you continue along the Norfolk Coast Path through Holme Dunes Nature Reserve and on to Thornham (6 miles total). Here you will find the glorious Thornham Deli and café packed with all sorts of yummy treats (now open 7 days a week). It’s dog friendly too if you’ve got your four legged friend in tow.

Wells-next-the-Sea + The Beach Café

A great walk for all ages and dogs plus plenty of parking! And, again, if you’re lucky you might even spot some grey seals.

The circular walk is a winner clocking in at about an hour. Head onto the beach and then walk back through the pinewoods finishing at the very funky Beach Café with a log burner to thaw out by while you tuck into a selection of homemade treats.

Winterton-on-Sea circular walk + Seal View café & Dunes Café 

Listen out for the natterjack toads on a bracing 3.5 mile romp through Winterton Dunes (map here). Possibly one of our favourite walks not just because of the Baltic-like dunes, but also because of the spectacular ruins of St Mary’s Church at East Somerton. You’ll find it slightly inland, covered in ivy with a great oak tree growing through the now roofless chancel – prepare to have your breath taken away as it’s really quite something. Start with a coffee in the log cabin at the Seal View café at Winterton Beach carpark, and finish at the neighbouring Dunes Café, a short drive away at Waxham, which offers exceptional cream teas and enormous scones.

Walcott circular walk + Smallsticks Café, Happisburgh  

Leave Happisburgh by the clifftop path and, along this 4.5 mile route (map here), you’ll walk above the site where *fun fact* early human footprints (over 800,000 years old) were found in sediment on the beach and are the earliest evidence of human occupation found outside of Africa (amazing, right?).

Further along the cliff are the remains of a World War II radar station and you’re also not far from the iconic Happisburgh Lighthouse – the oldest working lighthouse in East Anglia and the only independently run lighthouse in the whole of Great Britain.

Smallsticks Café (reopening Fri 22 Nov every Fri to Mon) is a cute little place to grab a bite at Cart Gap (hot tip: the fresh seafood is amazing here). It’s also only a stone’s throw from the beach and a slightly shorter walk to the lighthouse if you all you want is a blast of fresh air.

So there we are – we’ve come full circle to scones again! More details on the walks can be found HERE.

If you fancy a walk with a little tipple, check out our Winter Pub Walks!