Scolt Head Island National Nature Reserve

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Overview
Scolt Head Island NNR is the prime example of an offshore barrier island in the UK. It is situated on a dynamic coastline which is steadily growing westward. The saltmarshes are considered to be among the finest in the UK and are some of the best documented and researched in the world. The island supports nationally and internationally important numbers of breeding terns, including the sandwich, common, arctic, roseate and little terns. It also attracts wintering wildfowl and waders such as Brent geese, shelduck, wigeon, teal and curlew. A large colony of sandwich terns raise their young on the island each year. The plant communities of the dunes and saltmarshes are classic examples of their type. Vegetated shingle ‘lows’ contain plant species of national importance such as matted sea lavender and sea heath.
Location
Brancaster Staithe
About the area
The North Norfolk Coast is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and probably the finest of its kind in Europe. Here you’ll find a string of quaint villages and small towns – Holkham, Wells-next-the-Sea and Cley next the Sea are 21st-century favourites, while Sheringham and Cromer are classic examples of a good old-fashioned seaside resort where grand Victorian hotels look out to sea.
Area image

Scolt Head Island National Nature Reserve

Recommended by Visit England Logo
Overview
Scolt Head Island NNR is the prime example of an offshore barrier island in the UK. It is situated on a dynamic coastline which is steadily growing westward. The saltmarshes are considered to be among the finest in the UK and are some of the best documented and researched in the world. The island supports nationally and internationally important numbers of breeding terns, including the sandwich, common, arctic, roseate and little terns. It also attracts wintering wildfowl and waders such as Brent geese, shelduck, wigeon, teal and curlew. A large colony of sandwich terns raise their young on the island each year. The plant communities of the dunes and saltmarshes are classic examples of their type. Vegetated shingle ‘lows’ contain plant species of national importance such as matted sea lavender and sea heath.
Location
Brancaster Staithe
About the area
Area image
The North Norfolk Coast is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and probably the finest of its kind in Europe. Here you’ll find a string of quaint villages and small towns – Holkham, Wells-next-the-Sea and Cley next the Sea are 21st-century favourites, while Sheringham and Cromer are classic examples of a good old-fashioned seaside resort where grand Victorian hotels look out to sea.