Scolt Head

Coastal Marsh, Saltings in Norfolk King's Lynn and West Norfolk

England

Scolt Head

Arable field on Deepdale Marsh The rest of this segment of reclaimed land is now grazing marsh. — Arable field on Deepdale Marsh Credit: Hugh Venables

Scolt Head is a coastal marsh and saltings area located in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the north-west coast of the county, between the villages of Brancaster and Burnham Deepdale. Covering an area of approximately 913 hectares, Scolt Head is a designated nature reserve and is part of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The landscape of Scolt Head is characterized by its vast stretches of saltmarsh, sand dunes, and tidal creeks. The marsh is home to a diverse range of plant species, including sea lavender, sea aster, and samphire, which thrive in the saline conditions. It serves as an important habitat for a variety of bird species, including waders, ducks, and geese, making it a popular spot for birdwatchers.

The reserve is also renowned for its wildlife, with a number of rare and protected species calling it home. It is one of the few remaining strongholds for the natterjack toad in Norfolk, and it is also home to a population of marsh harriers, one of the UK's rarest birds of prey.

Visitors to Scolt Head can explore the area on foot, following designated trails and boardwalks that provide access to the marsh and dunes. The reserve offers stunning panoramic views of the coastline and provides a peaceful and tranquil environment for visitors to enjoy. It is also a popular spot for water sports enthusiasts, with opportunities for kayaking, paddleboarding, and sailing.

Overall, Scolt Head is a unique and beautiful coastal marsh and saltings area, providing a haven for wildlife and a place of natural beauty for visitors to appreciate and enjoy.

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Scolt Head Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.98081/0.67903039 or Grid Reference TF7945. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Arable field on Deepdale Marsh

The rest of this segment of reclaimed land is now grazing marsh.

Hugh Venables

Deepdale Camping and Rooms

Nice place to spend a reasonably priced self-catering weekend with close friends in dormitory accommodation in the roof space, or park your tent/van round the back. Free parking included and a shop next door! Link

Ian Paterson

Pleasant path

Just about the most perfect surface for a footpath. Clean, well-defined, flat, firm but not too soft nor too hard, no mud, no puddles, no dog poop, no litter!

Ian Paterson

St Mary's Burnham Deepdale

Taken from outside Dalegate Market Link

. The OS symbol for a church with a tower seems inappropriate in these parts, where round-towered churches, as here, are common. The tower at St Mary's is thought to be Norman Link

HelenK

The Manor of Brancaster - National Trust

Richard Humphrey

Saltmarsh and creeks, Brancaster Staithe

A view from the car park of the White Horse

Richard Humphrey

Signpost in the garden of the White Horse, Brancaster Staithe

The garden and car park abut the saltmarshes at this popular North Norfolk hostelry.

Richard Humphrey

St Mary's church, Burnham Deepdale

The church has an eleventh century tower but most of the external detailing of the body of the church dates to the nineteenth century Link

Jonathan Thacker

Brancaster Beach looking east

Christopher Hilton

Brancaster Harbour, with a wreck in the distance

Christopher Hilton

Brancaster Harbour

Christopher Hilton

Brancaster Harbour, distant wreck

Christopher Hilton

Brancaster Beach looking east

Christopher Hilton

Outflow channel & SS Vina

This is the outflow channel you have to cross to visit the shipwreck. On low tides it is possible, but be warned the tide can easily cut you off.

Julian Dowse

Outflow channel, Brancaster Bay

Some children nearly missed getting back across the outflow channel before the tide came in. They are up to their chests.

Julian Dowse

Western Brancaster Harbour, Brancaster Bay

Taken from the south of the outflow channel at a very low tide. Ship wreck SS Vina and Scolt Head Island can be seen in the distance. When you walk there, they are a lot further away than you imagined. Also, the beach undulates a lot and for this reason you need to be careful, as it is easy to caught out by the tide. The camera location was fixed using a Nikon GP-1 GPS unit attached to the camera. This is embedded in the EXIF data.

Julian Dowse