Accessible Guide to Norfolk

Norfolk Accessibility Guide

Norfolk has it all, vibrant cities, charming market towns, a stunning coastline with traditional seaside resorts, diverse wildlife, the unique Broads, and beautiful countryside rich in history and heritage. With over 90 miles of unspoiled beaches and coastline, it offers space, tranquillity, and memorable experiences for every visitor.

The county is made up of seven distinct areas: Breckland and Thetford Forest; Broadland and the Broads; Great Yarmouth; King’s Lynn and West Norfolk; North Norfolk; Norwich; and South Norfolk and the Waveney Valley. Each area has its own character, landscapes, and attractions, contributing to Norfolk’s reputation as one of England’s most varied destinations.

When people think of Norfolk, birdwatching often comes to mind, with internationally important nature reserves attracting visitors throughout the year. The Broads National Park is renowned for boating and gentle waterside exploration, making it a popular and accessible pastime. Norfolk’s largely flat landscape is another significant advantage, particularly for visitors with access needs, as it allows for easier exploration of towns, countryside trails, and coastal paths.

With a wide range of attractions, outdoor activities, heritage sites, and inclusive experiences, Norfolk is a destination where everyone can enjoy a welcoming and accessible break.

Attractions

• Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens has a Changing Places toilet.  Most of their paths and walkways are wheelchair and pushchair-friendly.  It has ramps into the café and shop and accessible wooden walkways to the tiger and gibbon platforms.  They also give concession tickets for carers.  
• Sealife Centre in Great Yarmouth has a Changing Places toilet.  There is disabled access throughout the centre, with the exception of the additional viewing platform in the penguin enclosure, which is not wheelchair accessible due to the stairwells. These enclosures are still viewable at ground level.
• Banham Zoo in Banham has a Changing Places toilet.  It also offers a Quiet Hour every Wednesday during school holidays.  Quiet entry is available from 9:00am to 10:00am, providing a more relaxed and sensory-friendly experience, before general admission opens at 10:00am. The majority of pathways at Banham Zoo are flat, wide, and suitable for wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and pushchairs. The zoo has been designed with accessibility in mind, making it easy for everyone to explore.  There are free wheelchairs to loan onsite and Mobility Scooter available to hire for a small fee, pre booking of both is recommended.  There is designated accessible parking, close to the zoo entrance.  There is also a Makaton Zoo Trail and a visual story on their website.  Complimentary hearing loops and ear defenders are available on a first-come, first-served basis.   
• Roarr in Norwich, the UK’s largest Dinosaur themed adventure Park has a Changing Places toilet. There is designated accessible parking available near the entrance.  The park is set on a hillside so some areas are harder to reach than others, but all are accessible with a carer.  All footpaths are tarmac and mobility scooters are available to hire for a small fee or manual wheelchairs are free to loan.  Ear defenders are available with a refundable deposit, and if visitors require the music and dinosaurs to be a little quieter, this can be arranged via staff.  Roarr recognise the Sunflower Lanyards and blue ASD wristbands in that, they know guests may have additional needs.  They have a Quiet Room where guests can relax and take a short break if needed.  
• Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery.  This historic castle offers lift access to all floors, ensuring that wheelchair users can explore the exhibits and learn about the region's rich history. Enjoy the art gallery, displays of fine pottery, and the impressive collection of taxidermy.
• Holkham Hall, the grand estate of Holkham Hall offers wheelchair access to the ground floor, as well as the walled garden and courtyard café. The park itself features accessible pathways, making it a perfect destination for a leisurely day out.
• Pensthorpe Natural Park is an award-winning park provides accessible paths, allowing wheelchair users to explore the beautiful gardens and diverse habitats. The park also features an accessible indoor play area and offers mobility scooters for visitors.
• Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth provides a fascinating insight into the area's maritime and fishing history. It has lift access to all floors, enabling wheelchair users to fully experience the interactive exhibits and displays.
• The Royal Sandringham Estate offers accessible paths throughout its gardens and country park, allowing everyone to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The ground floor of Sandringham House is wheelchair-friendly, as is the visitor centre, café, and shop.

National Trust

• Blickling Estate in Norwich has a Changing Places toilet. There is designated accessible parking and drop off points.  A multi-use trail provides access for all, with cyclists, walkers, runners, pushchair and adapted wheelchair users, and for powered mobility vehicles to enjoy, all year round.  There are also mobility scooters, wheelchairs and 2 mountain trike push all terrainwheelchairs available to hire onsite.    Braille welcome leaflets and guides are available, alongside large print guides and menus.  A fixed induction loop is available at all till points.  There are level access to food outlets and shop and ramps to both cafés onsite
• Felbrigg Hall, Gardens and Estate, has accessible designated parking, level access to the bookshop, picnic area and food kiosk.  There are accessible toilets available.  As a number of the main routes around the property have uneven and gravel surfaces, manual wheelchairs, mountain trikes, trampers and powered mobility vehicles can be borrowed from the main Visitor Reception. Sensory packs are also available to borrow. 
• Oxburgh Estate has accessible parking.  They have both manual wheelchairs and mountain trike all-terrain wheelchairs available to borrow.  The main pathways in the formal garden are level.  There are accessible toilets on site.  Guides are available in Braille and large print and there are induction hearing loops at every till point.  
• Sheringham Park has accessible parking and a designated drop off point.  It has a 1-mile sealed surface path passing through a wild garden, after which the path is uneven. It is recommended if using your own wheelchair, you turn around after 1 mile, or it is possible to borrow a Tramper or all-terrain pushchair which would enable visitors to complete the seasonal circular walk.  There are also manual wheelchairs available to borrow.  The main pathways in the formal garden are level.  There are accessible toilets on site.  Guides are available in Braille and large print and there is an induction hearing loop in the Courtyard Café. 
• Horsey Windpump is an iconic building with a fascinating past.  There is designated accessible parking and accessible toilets on site.  Although the upper levels may not be accessible to all as there are 61 steep steps to the top of the windpump. However, on the ground floor there is information about the windpump and a film which also shows the upper levels and the views from the top.  All information is available in large print, and an induction hearing loop is also available.  

Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT)

The NWT have a variety of accessible destinations all graded on its level of accessibility.  

• Barton Broad and Marshes reserve is accessible via a boardwalk, visitors travel through the wet carr woodland to reach a viewing platform overlooking Barton Broad. There are also several accessible car parking spaces close to the boardwalk and in the main car park.
• Cley and Salt House Marshes has a hardened path leading to a boardwalk with passing areas, which leads to the hides.  It is also possible to access East Bank, which has a hardened path, that stretches towards the beach overlooking the reserve. 
• Hickling Broad and Marshes has accessible parking spaces, picnic tables adapted for wheelchair users and wheelchair accessible toilets at the visitor centre.  It has hardened paths to Cadbury and Secker's hides and the view point on the Broad. Perch benches are located along the trails. Bittern hide and the raptor roost watch point, can both accessed via a ramp. There is also the Pleasure Boat Inn, which has dedicated and paved accessible parking spaces, level access into the pub as well as wheelchair accessible toilets.
• Holme Dunes does not have accessible parking, but it is possible to access the Norfolk Coast Path via a hardened path.  The reserve has some sections of boardwalk and hardened paths leading to one wheelchair accessible wildlife hide.
• Ranworth Broad and Marshes has a visitor centre with an accessible ground floor (the first floor is only accessible via a narrow spiral staircase). It has some limited accessible car parking spaces at the end of an accessible boardwalk which leads to the visitor centre (approx 300m).  There is a boardwalk and short section of road which leads to the nature reserve which offers a further boardwalk winding through woodland and fen to a seating and viewing area by the Broad.  A wheelchair accessible wildlife hide sits part way down the boardwalk, overlooking a peaceful and wildlife rich area of the site.
• Sweet Briar Marshes can be accessed from a number of locations. The two main entrances have a lightweight easy-to-open field gates. The opening mechanism is suitable for wheelchair/ mobility scooter users.  The main entrances are connected by a 2.5m accessible path which follows for 1.1km via a meandering route through the reserve. The main path has raised edges which offer a tapping/orientation board for mobility cane users (there are breaks in the edging where other paths connect).  There are five seats available along this route, approximately 200m apart. Mown grass paths create loops to and from the main path. 
• Weeting Heath has hardened paths leading to accessible hides overlooking the reserve. There is no dedicated accessible parking bays, and it I a rough surface leading to the wheelchair-accessible unisex toilets, which are made available for visitor's use when attending events at the nature reserve.

Accessible Norfolk Broads

• The RA Boat Trip depart from Hoveton Riverside Park.  The 1- or 2-hour boat trips can take up to 9 passengers including up to 4 wheelchair users.  
• The Nancy Oldfield Trust offer a variety of accessible activities on the water, from motor cruising, sailing and paddle sports to their ‘Well-being on the Water’ initiative where they offer anyone who is receiving palliative care or has a terminal disease, the chance to come with their friends and family to have a relaxing motor cruiser trip or sailing session, free of charge. 

Accessible Beaches

Cromer 

A beach wheelchair can be hired from Cromer Pier and Wells Beach Café has a beach wheelchair for hire. Cromer also has Blue Badge parking on the west side of the promenade which gives access to the whole of the prom, pier and the beach. For those parking in town there’s a lift from the top of the cliffs down to the east prom. The lift also gives access to the Rocket Café, which has a balcony overlooking the beach as well as indoor seating. An Accessible Toilet is available both there and at the west prom. There are some ramps on to the beach but the level of the beach is constantly changing, so these may not always be usable.  

Hunstanton 

At Hunstanton seaside resort, disabled access has been provided to all the main public areas including the beach. The paved promenade has several slopes leading down to the beach where you can see the famous striped cliffs. There is also a specially designed sensory garden, which provides opportunities to touch, hear and smell the plants and sculptures.

Sheringham 

Sheringham is a Blue Flag beach, it has limited free on-street parking and pay and display in the town and on the cliff top. Accessible toilets are available. The paved promenade is accessible from the road and there are ramps on to the beach. The changes in the levels of sand with the tides may make some ramps easier to use than others. 

West Runton

From the car park at West Runton beach on the deep history coast, you can access the beach via a paved slope. This Blue Flag beach is where the 600,000 year old skeleton of a steppe mammoth was found, the most complete skeleton ever found in the world.

Wells-next-the-Sea

At Wells-next-the-Sea there’s plenty to do in town for those using a wheelchair. The ramp on to the beach is rather steep and care is recommended.  There is the chance to walk from the quay in town to the beach with views over the harbour and salt flats along a tarmac path. It takes about 15-20 minutes and there is a café and accessible toilets once you get there. There is a short boardwalk and views of the beach if you turn left at the top of the ramp from the beach car park.

Holkham

At Holkham beach there are dedicated Blue Badge car parking spaces. From the car park, there is a sturdy wooden track that leads you to a viewing platform which offers fantastic views of the beach. 

Sea Palling 

Sea Palling has access via a slope to the Blue Flag beach from nearby parking. The slope is fairly steep and can be covered with sand, so care is needed.   There is a accessible toilet, plus café, pub, fish and chips and amusements.

Retail

• Chantry Place Shopping Centre, Chapelfield.  It has over 90 shops, cafes and restaurants with plenty of indoor seating.  It has designated accessible parking, a Changing Places Toilet.  It offers autism friendly hours.  Assistance dogs are welcome.  It has levels access with lifts between floors.  
• Castle Quarter Shopping Centre, Norwich.  There is designated accessible parking.  A Changing Places Toilet is available.  It has step free access, lifts available and plenty of indoor seating. It is a member of Norwich City Dementia Action Alliance. 

Transport

Throughout Norfolk, most regular public transport buses are low floor. They also offer the Flexibus pre booked scheme.  Instead of having fixed timetables, Flexibus plans its route according to the pre-booked requests.  The buses offer accessibility features, complete with space for wheelchairs, prams, pushchairs, and your shopping bags!  

There are also taxi firms which offer vehicles that are wheelchair accessible.  These are in Kings Lynn and West Norfolk. They are Hackney Carriage vehicles and can be found at:

King's Lynn

• Tuesday Market Place
• Blackfriars Street (outside Taste of India)
• Corner of New Conduit Street
• Norfolk Street (Between RSPCA and Rowlinson's)
• Sainsbury's car park (lower level)

Hunstanton

• Greevegate (opposite the Town Hall)

Downham Market

• High Street (near to the Downham Clock)

South Norfolk and Broadland and Breckland wheelchair taxis are available from 

• Canary Taxis
• Freedom Transport Ltd
• Our Hire Taxis
• Goldstar Taxis
• Norfolk Travels Ltd
• NORSE Eastern Ltd
• United Taxi 

Changing Places Toilets

Changing Places Toilets is a campaign which is gathering great momentum across the region, and this opens the area to those with severe disabilities. These facilities are available in places such as – 

• Cromer
• Sheringham 
• Wells-next-the-Sea, also this facility is very close to the Norfolk Coast National Landscape
• Gaywood
• Fakenham
• Blickling – National Trust Blickling Estate 
• North Walsham
• Dereham, also this facility is very close to Dereham Windmill which has an accessible ground floor and has videos telling the story of the windmill for those visitors unable to access the upper floors.   
• The Nest – near City of Norwich Aviation Museum 
• Numerous in Norwich 
• Whitlingham Country Park 
• Norfolk & Norwich Hospital
• University of East Anglia 
• Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens 
• Great Yarmouth x 4
• Gorleston-on Sea – Pier Head Gardens 
• Stradbroke
• High Lodge Thetford Forest 
• Kings Lynne
• Nene Park – Ferry Meadows 
• Great Yarmouth – Sealife Centre
• Norwich – Roarr 
• The Nest in Norwich is Norfolk’s community hub. 
• Banham Zoo
• Chantry Place Shopping Centre, Chapelfield
• Castle Quarter Shopping Centre, Norwich

Simply Owners recommend calling the venue and checking their accessibility to ensure it meets your individual needs prior to visiting.