6 Best Places for Seal Watching in Norfolk (& Map)
A trip to see the seals in Norfolk is one of the best days out you can have in the East of England. Experience common and grey seals in their natural habitat and enjoy the rugged Norfolk coastline.
Having lived in East Anglia for years, I’ve visited multiple seal-watching spots many times. I’ll cover my favourite places to see these cute but fierce mammals along the Norfolk coast.
As I travel without a car, I’ll also include tips on how to see the seals in Norfolk by public transport.
6 best places to see seals in Norfolk
Norfolk is one of the best places in the UK to see seals in the wild, and I feel fortunate to live close enough to make regular trips to watch these incredible creatures. Seeing the Norfolk seals up close is always a special sight.
In a hurry? My favourite places to see the seals in Norfolk are Blakeney Point, Horsey Gap, and Winterton-on-Sea.
Seal watching trip to Norfolk – quick guide
🛌 Where to stay in Norfolk?
I stayed at the cosy Dales Country House Hotel, Sheringham. The deluxe rooms have a four poster bed and the gardens back on to the National Trust Sheringham Park. I loved this wonderful hotel, it felt like a truly special stay.
🚎 How to get to Norfolk and around?
Take the train to Sheringham station and use the Coast Hopper bus to travel along the coast to Blakeney and Cley (from £3).
🍽️ Where to eat and drink?
Eat at the Lobster in Sheringham. Stop for hot drinks at Wilverton Hall Cafe.
⛵ What to do in Norfolk?
Book a seal watching boat trip from Morston Quay.
1. Blakeney seals
One of my personal favourite places to see the seals in Norfolk is Blakeney. You can see beautiful grey seals basking on the shingle at Blakeney Point. Over 4000 seal pups are born annually here.
In order to protect the seals, from the end of October to the middle of January access is restricted to the area of Blakeney Point where the seals come ashore during pupping season.
To see the seals, take a Blakeney Point seal watching boat trip from Morston Quay.
Public transport
I’ve used the the Coastal Hopper 1 bus to travel to Morston. It’s leaves regularly from the nearby towns of Sheringham and Cromer, which both have train stations. Tickets are reasonable at only £3 per person (single journey).
Alternatively, I’ve also taken the same bus along the Coast Road and got off at Beach Road near Cley. From this stop I walked out to Cley beach and saw many seals in January, despite the bitterly cold wind.
2. Horsey Beach seals
The grey seals at Horsey are protected by the closure of the beach during seal pupping season (November to end of January). However, you can still see the Horsey seals by using the viewing areas.
You’ll find members of Friends of Horsey Seals at Horsey beach to answer your seal-related questions.
Horsey beach is a popular place to see seals in Norfolk so expect crowds during pupping season. I enjoy visiting outside of pupping season so I can take a walk along the long stretch of beach. I’ve seen hundreds of seals at Horsey, it’s a spectacular sight.
Public transport
Horsey Gap is more difficult to get to via public transport than Blakeney, but it’s not impossible. I’ve taken my bike on the train to North Walsham and cycled along the coast to Horsey (one hour).
I’ve also taken the Coastal Clipper bus to Winterton and walked up to Horsey (one hour and 20 minutes). You could also book a taxi from Winterton.
Pro Tip: Keep at least 10 metres away from seals so that they don’t feel threatened. Close proximity of humans to a seal can cause a mother seal to leave her young.
3. Winterton-on-Sea seals
Winterton beach is 5.5 km south of Horsey beach and although you’ll find fewer seals here than at Horsey, there are also fewer people.
The walk up from Winterton-on-Sea to Horsey is a lovely stroll. As you get close to Horsey you should start to see more seals.
Public transport
There is a train station at Great Yarmouth. From there, take the Coastal Clipper bus #1 from to Winterton. Journey time is 40 minutes.
4. Hunstanton seals
You can see common seals at Hunstanton during the summer. Head out to the Wash on Searls Seal Safari, to find the seals, April to October. Ticket price is from £24 in 2026.
There’s also a seal hospital, at the Hunstanton Sea Life Aquarium.
Public transport
There is a train station at nearby King’s Lynn. From there, take the Coastliner bus (or bus #34 or #35) for an hour up to Hunstanton.
5. Waxham Beach
35 minutes walk north of Horsey Gap is a quieter option for seal-watching, at Waxham beach. Whilst Waxham isn’t part of the main seal pupping area at Horsey, it’s close enough that it’s also possible to spot seals here.
6. Scrooby Sands (Great Yarmouth)
Jet Adventures offer a seal-watching boat trip from Heritage Quay, South Pier, Lowestoft and out to see the seals at Scrooby Sands, near Great Yarmouth.
Ticket price is from £41 in 2026.
If you enjoy wild UK scenery but don’t want to drive, my Lake District car-free itinerary is another outdoors-focussed trip to save. It’s ideal if you want a weekend break with lakeside walks, mountain views and travel by public transport.
Best time of year to see seals in Norfolk
The pupping season follows the coast around to the east throughout the year. It starts at Hunstanton during the summer and continues on through Blakeney, then down the coast to Horsey beach during winter.
A boat trip to Blakeney Point provides the opportunity to see a seal colony in Norfolk throughout the year.
Norfolk seal watching boat trips in 2026
For a fun activity to do on the Norfolk coast I recommend a seal watching boat trip to see the seals at Blakeney Point. I loved my trip.
Norfolk seals boat trip film
Here’s a one minute guide I made during the seal watching boat trip I went on at Blakeney Point.
Map of seal watching spots in Norfolk
I’ve created a map that shows the main seal-watching locations. Click the arrow icon to the left of the map heading to view the names of each place.
For a budget-friendly place to stay, check out the YHA in Sheringham.
For more places to visit in East Anglia, read my article on a Cambridge day trip, full of local knowledge.
Check out my guide to the 27 Best Things to Do in Eastbourne.