At the E end of the North Norfolk Coast, along the last 19km of the A149 lie the towns of Cley, Sheringham and Cromer. Immediately S of these lie their heaths, although much has been transformed by natural woodland regrowth, farmland, buildings and conifer plantations a few more natural looking areas still remain.

Salthouse Heath lies S of the A149 immediately E of Cley and stretches past Salthouse to Kelling. It covers roughly 2000ha. It is one of the best preserved heaths in this part of Norfolk and is therefore very good for typical heathland birds such as Wood Lark, Tree Pipit, Nightjar and Nightingale (in scrub) and Crossbill can be found in conifer plantations. Stone Curlew will have to be sought elsewhere.

Our strategy for night birds and saving money was to drink in the Dun Cow (main road at Salthouse) then stagger out back to our cars on the heath (hoping at least someone else had remembered a torch!) and sleep for free in the open air to the sound of the Nightingales. It really makes you appreciate just how loud Nightingales are when they are in the bush just above your head, and by the early hours you also realize how bloody persistent they are! If we managed to sleep despite Nightingales and Nightjars, rain and the familiar habit of sliding down the hill while asleep (on your wet polythene ground sheet) to wake in a tangled mess of sleeping bag and gorse bush, it would be an early start at Cley and then on for breakfast at a local cafe. It may not actually be allowed to sleep out there but we had never had problems and I think the trick is to keep well away from any house and don’t cause a nuisance.

The best known area for visitors are perhaps the National Trust places near Beeston Regis at Stone Hill and Row Heath and Beacon Hill. These and much of the rest of the area are accessible by Public Rights of Way, and also minor roads in places.

Birds seen (this is a composite list from all my visits).