National Nature Reserve Locations
Coastal Path West of Abraham’s bossom
From water’s edge to treetopwe’re taking care
The pine woods (known as Holkham Meals) remain an important and distinctive landscape feature on the Norfolk coast. They are not natural however, as they were planted in the late 1800s as a means of stabilising the sand dunes and preventing sand blowing over onto the reclaimed arable land. Primarily Corsican pines were planted with smaller numbers of more exotic Maritime and Monterey pines alongside a more natural inner belt of native deciduous trees and shrubs.
Since then, the diversity and value to nature has increased providing a home to rare wildflowers such as Creeping Ladies Tresses and Yellow Bird’s nest, butterflies such as White-letter Hairstreaks, White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries. Scarce birds such as Firecrests and Crossbills occasionally nest alongside the commoner Coal Tits and Treecreepers whilst migrating songbirds often take refuge here in bad weather.
Common species then can include Goldcrests, Redstarts, Pied Flycatchers and Redwings with rarities such as Pallas’s and Yellow-browed Warblers from Siberia, Red-breasted Nuthatch from North America and Citril Finch from the Alps have all occurred.
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Jordan Hide
The Jordan Hide overlooks the old marshes of Holkham, steeped in ancient history. Central in the viewpoint is the raised-up grass mound, Holkham Fort. This has origins dating back to the Iron Age with folklore involving the Iceni battling Romans and a refuge for marauding Vikings.
Holkham Bay
The landscape and nature of Holkham Bay is dictated by the actions of the North Sea. Twice daily the tide comes in, bringing sediments of sand, shingle and shells alongside seeds of plants. Development of sand dunes and saltmarshes here have been more pronounced in modern times than many other places along the coast, creating the distinctive view you see before you.
The Lookout
Holkham National Nature Reserve (NNR) covers 10,000 acres of the coast between Stiffkey and Burnham Norton. It is made up of diverse habitats such as salt marshes, sand dunes, tidal sands, pine woodland and the reclaimed freshwater grazing marshes you see before you.
Salts Hole
When the tidal waters formerly passed through the marshes that you see today, one of the main inlets was here at this small pool, Salts Hole.
Orchid Valley
Walking west from the end of the pines through the dunes you will find a wide valley, known locally as Orchid Valley. As the name would suggest, this is an excellent area to search for a variety of delicate orchid species during the spring and early-summer.
Gun Hill
The shingle beach at Gun Hill is the perfect habitat for some of our key breeding birds such as oystercatchers and ringed plovers.
Burrow Gap
The pinewoods are an important component of the National Nature Reserve and are home to a selection of rare plant species. To maintain their diversity the pinewoods are managed by the Holkham Forestry team. Periodic thinning (removing selected trees) allows more light to reach the woodland floor producing sheltered conditions for plants and insects to thrive.
West Pines
This is one of the best views on the Holkham Estate. The 360 view across the nature reserve looking look over the grazing marshes to the south, west over the dunes towards Gun Hill, north the beach and east over the pines.