Holkham Hall

A visit to Holkham with all its attractions and beautiful surroundings makes for a memorable day out.

Full of action and adventure, history and nature, and non-stop family fun, you could spend a week at Holkham and it wouldn’t be long enough.

Holkham hosts an exciting programme of events throughout the year, including seasonal markets, tours, art classes, workshops, wildlife walks, food festivals, live music, outdoor cinema, sports activities and much more.

Even better, it’s just 2 miles down the road from Wells!

Nestled within 25,000 acres of rolling parkland, Holkham Hall is an 18th-century Palladian style house built by Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester.

The current Earl and his family take great pride in opening their doors and sharing the treasures within.

You’ll find the Marble Hall with its impressive 50ft dome ceiling, a grand staircase leads to a myriad of state rooms including sumptuous bedchambers where royalty once lay.

State dining rooms adorned with porcelain, galleries of art by the Old Masters, libraries bursting with books and the Old Kitchen with its rows of polished copper pots.

Holkham has remained largely unchanged since the late-18th century, and much of what you will see is as Thomas Coke intended.

Explore the tranquil and enchanting walled garden dating back to the late 1700s.

Discover Georgian and Victorian greenhouses and vineries, a formal ornamental garden, an established vineyard, a working kitchen garden, the exotic garden with its large lawn and the cutting garden with its beautiful array of blooms.

There are plenty of wildflowers in and around the Walled Garden to encourage and support pollinators.

The sweeping landscapes and stunning vistas that surround the Hall make up just a small part of Holkham Park. It is abundant with wildlife (including a resident herd of Fallow Deer), wildflowers, fascinating architecture, and trees older than the Hall itself.

There’s over 3000 acres of parkland at your fingertips, so bring a blanket and enjoy a picnic with a view, or follow the designated walks and cycling routes for a closer look at prominent landmarks, such as the Monument and the Obelisk.

In Holkham Park, you’ll find several cycle routes to choose from, all with varying lengths and difficulty. With so much to see and do, cycling through Holkham Park gives you the opportunity to discover much more than you would by foot.

Why not hire a bicycle from the Cycle Hire Centre? There are bikes to suit all ages and abilities including adult bikes, electric bikes, child bikes, tag bikes and trailers.

Full day, 3 hour and 2 hour hire is available.

Head down to the jetty and discover Holkham Lake by rowing boat. Just pop on your life jacket and take to the water with your family and friends (dogs are welcome on board).

What better way to while away a summer’s afternoon than in a rowing boat on Holkham’s mile-long lake? This stretch of water is a haven for wildlife and a great way to see the Hall and park from a new perspective.

Each boat seats up to five people. Pre-booking is not available.

The woodland play area is the perfect place to let children run wild and free. They’ll discover treehouses, bridges and climbing frames, where they’ll be swinging, sliding, and zipping down wires all day long.

There’s a toddler’s area featuring a sandpit, and parents can enjoy the neighbouring mini Woodland Café.

Ropes Course

Begin your trail of discovery through the treetops, over wobbly crossings and swinging bridges before getting your feet safely back to the ground with a descent down two ziplines.

A fully trained team will fit your harness, give you a thorough introduction to the equipment and guide you over the short induction course before the real fun begins!

You’ll head high up into the woodland and see Holkham from a completely unique perspective.

The Courtyard Café is an ideal spot to enjoy a tasty snack or a light lunch during your visit to Holkham Park.

You can choose from a selection of sandwiches, wraps, hot food and salad and sausage rolls. Cakes and traybakes are available if you fancy something sweet, and drinks include tea, coffee, juice or even a beer.

The Victoria is a 4-star hotel at the gates of Holkham Park. The restaurant received two AA Rosettes in 2023. The head chef works with local producers to create delicious menus based on the three key principles of fresh, local, and seasonal.

At the Courtyard Gift Shop you’ll find artwork, stationery, tweed hats & jackets, luxurious skin care products, books, games & toys for children, home & garden goodies, dog treats and a variety of produce, recipe books & beverages for foodies.

Holkham have carefully curated a selection of products, many of which are crafted in Norfolk by local creators and producers.

Delight in one of the most unspoilt, natural, and beautiful stretches of sand in the country, along with the many fascinating habitats and rare species of flora and fauna that make up the Holkham National Nature Reserve.

Enjoy the windswept tidelines, infinite vistas, grazing marshes, maze of creaks and saltmarsh; hear the rustle of the dunes and the sway of the pines and feel at home at Holkham.

Dogs are welcome year-round on Holkham Beach, but there’s an on-lead policy in place between 1st April–30th August in some areas to protect nesting birds.