Kelling Heath

Kelling Heath is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest covering nearly ninety hectares in north Norfolk. It lies between the towns of Holt and Weybourne, within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The heath sits on the Cromer Ridge, a glacial moraine left by retreating ice at the end of the last Ice Age. Together with Salthouse Heath nearby, it forms one of two distinct outwash plains from different pauses in the same glaciation. Both sites show steep ice-contact slopes and deep dry valleys that geologists recognise as nationally important. Natural England calls the heath ‘a fine example of oceanic heathland’. Heather, bell heather, western gorse, gorse and bracken cover most of the ground, with patches of mixed woodland. Heathland birds nest here, including nightjar, whitethroat and tree pipit. Dry conditions suit reptiles such as the common lizard and adder. The North Norfolk Railway cuts through the heath and serves a halt named Kelling Heath. A holiday park borders the site, offering accommodation close to the open landscape. Visitors walk sandy paths that cross the dry valleys and rise over the ice-contact slopes. Heather carpets turn purple in late summer, while gorse brightens the ground with yellow flowers. Woodland edges provide shade and shelter for nesting birds. The railway halt sits beside a footpath, linking the heath with the nearby coast. At dusk, nightjars begin their churring calls across the open heath. The holiday park’s borders give easy access without disturbing the protected habitats.