Leader: Andy Clarke

Where to park and meet
Happisburgh Community Car Park, charges apply £1.50 per hour, up to £7 for 24 hours. Motorcycles are free. The car park can be found at the end of Beach Road and is signposted from Whimpwell Street that runs through the centre of the village.

Location Details
Community Car Park, Beach Road, Happisburgh, Norfolk, NR12 0PR

Grid reference: TG 384 308

X (Easting): 638457 |  Y (Northing): 330817

What3Words: dusters.plant.imply

Walking distance
5-6 km

Accessibility
Paths are generally level. We will be walking on grassy tracks and some gravel tracks, which may be uneven and bumpy in places. Paths are likely to be damp or wet. The access ramp down to the beach may not be accessible on the day, this part of the coast is prone to cliff falls, especially after wet or stormy weather. Sturdy footwear advisable and please come dressed for winter weather on exposed sites.

Public toilets available at the community car park. There is a café nearby at Cart Gap (Smallsticks café) and a pub in Happisburgh village near the church (Hill House Inn), although refreshment stops are not a formal part of this walk. Do consider bringing a packed lunch and refreshments.

 

No prior booking is required for this walk

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Part of the walk is in the club area so some records can count towards club badges (check with the leader where the boundary lies). Binoculars are always recommended to gain full enjoyment from your birding. We don’t specifically carry a scope on the walk but one may be useful on this occasion. If you bring one along don’t forget you’ll be carrying it all the way round the walk! . Young people aged 16 and 17 are welcome to attend unaccompanied with prior written consent from a parent or guardian who has also supplied a phone number where they can be contacted in an emergency but children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Sorry no dogs except assistance dogs.

 

 

 

 

DATE: Wednesday 18th February 2026

TIME: 9.00am to 11:00am

WALK LEADER: Trevor Williams

NO BOOKING REQUIRED: It is always nice to know if you are coming via nenbc@aol.co.uk but by no means essential so if it takes your fancy on the day, please just turn up as we would love to see you!

WALK DESCRIPTION: This walk caters for all levels of birding ability so come and give us a try! We are a friendly bunch and always pleased to have folk join us whether they are NENBC members or not. We take a leisurely walk around the park and lake, route dependent on the local bird and other wildlife recently reported or likely to be present on the day. We regularly see over 35 bird species on an average walk and even on the worst of days more than 30.

MEETING POINT: National Trust Main Car Park, Felbrigg Park [Postcode: NR11 8PP will get you to the main entrance | what3words: denoting.reminds.bags for the car park | Grid Reference: TG197394 for the car park]

PARKING AND SITE INFORMATION: Although access to the grounds is free to all and parking is free in the main car park for National Trust [NT] members with their machine-validated membership card, a parking fee is payable via the machines for non-NT members (£5 per vehicle). At time of writing, Sexton’s Lodge car park at the western end of the estate however remains free to all users and you can walk up from there along the internal estate road to our start point (about 10 mins). Do check out the NT website nearer the time though in case of any changes to their arrangements, including the free car parking at the Lodge. For further information see Felbrigg Hall.

DISTANCE: Approximately 2-mile circular walk

ACCESSIBILITY: The walk is usually ‘off-road’ along dirt footpaths and tracks, across fields, through woods and can include a few stairs by the lake. As such, this event isn’t suitable for wheelchair users but please do contact us on nenbc@aol.co.uk to see which of our events can currently accommodate wheelchair users or could be adapted to do so or if you have any suggestions for walks that would be more suitable for the less mobile and we will aim to get something arranged.

FACILITIES: Toilets and café facilities available at Felbrigg Hall.

STAR STATUS: This walk is within the NENBC recording area so any bird species you see or hear can all count towards your personal NENBC Star Badges (Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum awards based on the number of species you have personally seen or heard in the club area and recorded on our website since becoming a member).

GOING GREEN!: If you are able to walk or cycle to the start point from home, that would be fantastic, and as the walk is within the NENBC recording area, all the birds you see or hear can contribute to your personal NENBC Eco-badges (Green or Super-Green)! The Weavers’ Way and many other public footpaths bisect the park, as does the regional cycle route formerly named route 30. Bicycle racks are also available in the main car park. The Park itself, Felbrigg village and Aylmerton are also served by public transport, but buses are not frequent and unfortunately unlikely to fit with walk timings. Bus Timetable - Sanders. Alternatively, car-sharing is encouraged. Do have a chat with folks at any of our events and contact them via the messaging facility available on the member page of our website to arrange something for next time.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Binoculars are always recommended to gain full enjoyment from your birding. We don’t specifically carry a scope on the walk unless one of our regulars brings theirs as it generally isn’t necessary but if you’d like to use one, please bring one along. Stout footwear is advised as paths may be slippery or muddy any time of year, particularly after rain. Young people aged 16 and 17 are welcome to attend unaccompanied with prior written consent from a parent or guardian who has also supplied a phone number where they can be contacted in an emergency but children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Sorry no dogs except guide dogs. 

WE ARE JUST UPDATING THE INFO ON OUR 2026 PROGRAMME
..... WATCH THIS SPACE AS DETAIL TO FOLLOW SHORTLY

We will have more than one speaker on Turtle Doves for this session. Starting off with the RSPB's Louisa Claxton:

"I work as an adviser for Operation Turtle Dove, a partnership project focused on reversing the decline of one of England’s most loved farmland birds. My role is to support farmers and landowners in creating the right habitats to help Turtle Doves breed successfully. Since joining in January 2025, I’ve mainly worked in Suffolk, and it’s been a real pleasure meeting landowners who care deeply about wildlife. In this talk, I’ll give a quick overview of Turtle Dove ecology, the story behind their decline, and the latest updates along their migration route. We’ll explore the habitats they need, how you can help create them, and some of the practical challenges we face. I’ll also touch on the wider benefits for biodiversity and introduce a new Suffolk-based community project - Let’s get ‘Turtle Dove ready’!"

Biogs from other speakers to follow in due course