Blakeney Visitor Guide (2024)

A charming and historic coastal village in North Norfolk, Blakeney is located within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the North Norfolk Heritage Coast, and is a wonderful place for a holiday, or to explore on a Norfolk day out.

Find out all the informationyou need to know before you visit Blakeney village, including trip practicalities, things to do, travel tips, and road trip guides, with our Blakeney travel guide.

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Where is Blakeney Norfolk?

Blakeney is a seaside village situated on the North Norfolk coast between Sheringham to the east and Wells-next-the-Sea to the west.

The village is 21miles northwest ofNorwich, 5 miles fromHolt, 11.5miles west ofCromerand 112miles north ofLondon.

There is no Blakeney beach, although nearby is the pebble beach of Cley, which leads to Blakeney Point, a four mile shingle spit that juts out into the North Sea, and runs parallel to the coast.

Blakeney Point is in Blakeney National Nature Reserve, which is managed by the National Trust and is an important site for breeding wildlife, and home to one of the UK’s largest colonies of Common and Grey seals.

Blakeney Attractions

Blakeney has so much to offer couples and families looking for a Norfolk holiday or day out. Kids big and small will love exploring the Blakeney marshes, creeks and waterways, and crabbing on the quay.

Boat trips from Blakeney and nearby Morston Quay to see the hugeseal colonyand birdlife at Blakeney Point are one of the most popular things to do in Blakeney, especially in winter, when over 2,000 seal pups are born each year.

Blakeney is a lovely spot for a meander. The pretty village is full of traditional Norfolk flint cottages which were once home to local fishermen, and a good collection of independent gift shops, delis, cafés and art galleries to visit.

For lovers of history and heritage, the region is blessed with stately homes, religious sites and ancient castles to explore. There are also some excellent museums in the local area where you can learn about the fascinating history of North Norfolk and its coastline.

Outdoors enthusiasts will fall in love with the huge skies and wide open spaces, the endless soft golden sands of Norfolk’s beaches, nature reserves and wildlife, including a huge variety of bird life and local seals.

If winding down and relaxing is more your thing, Blakeney has several hotels with fabulous views across the salt marshes which are perfect for spending days lazing around, reading and chilling out. When the sun shines, the coast beckons, with walking and bird-watching popular pastimes.

Blakeney Guides

Guides to Nearby Attractions

North Norfolk Highlights

Norfolk Coast: 8 Ways to Explore

The Best Norfolk Walks

Holkham Beach Guide

Wells-next-the-Sea Visitor Guide

Things to Do in Sheringham

Blakeney History

Blakeney (meaning black island) has been the site of a settlement since at least the Doomsday Book. Sheltered behindBlakeney Point, Blakeney, along with Cley-next-the-Sea and Wiveton, was a major shipping area in theMiddle Ages.

From the 12th century Blakeney had a reputation for piracy, and between 1328 and 1350 it is recorded that men of Blakeney boarded two vessels sailing fromFlandersand sailed them back to Blakeney, where they were stripped of their cargoes, as were many foreign merchant ships which sought shelter in Blakeney. Such was the lawlessness of the residents that the village refused to supply a ship for the battle against theSpanish Armada.

By the 15th century, Blakeney was the third most important port in Norfolk and the wealth that came from the sea trade was put to good use, leaving a fascinating built heritage to explore.

The flint and stone Blakeney Guildhall, on the High Street up from The Quay, is reflective of the importance of the village at the time it was built, and was home to Blakeney’s Guild of Fish Merchants who were granted a charter by Henry VIII. Since then it’s been used as an inn, a coal cellar and a mortuary for shipwrecked sailors during WWI.

Continue up the High Street, where almost all of the flint cottages are listed, to visit the church ofSt Nicholas, which stands on a hill above the village. The church has two towers and it is thought the smaller tower held a lantern to guide ships safely back into the harbour.

Cley and Wiverton ports were silted up in the 17th century, but Blakeney continued as a commercial portuntil the early 20th century. Now Blakeney harbour is also silted up, and only small boats and other craft can make their way out pastBlakeney Pointto the sea.

Getting Around

By Car

It’s easy to explore Norfolk by car, and you can enjoy the scenic route by staying off the major roads. If you travel to Wells by car, use one of the car parks above, or try and book accommodation with a car parking space included.

By Bus

The North Norfolk CoastHopper bus stops in Blakeney hourly between 10am and 4pm daily, including Saturdays and Sundays. The bus runs from Wells to Stiffkey, Morston, Blakeney, Cley, Salthouse, Weybourne, Sheringham, East Runton, West Runton and Cromer.

There is the regular X44 bus which connects Sheringham to Norwich and Holt, and from there the Norfolk Coastlink service connects Norwich with Great Yarmouth.

By Bike

How about hiring a bike? The Norfolk coast has an abundance of pretty villages linked by a network of byways, bridleways and quiet country lanes, which are perfect for cycling.

These lanes, bordered by fields of wheat, hedgerows and woodlands, see little traffic, which means you can explore the Norfolk coast at a leisurely and safe pace. There are lots of places in Norfolk to hire a bike, including Kelling Heath Holiday Park, Wells-next-the-Sea, Wighton and Sheringham.

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