Open accessNational Trust land — free to wander
Scolt Head Island holds internationally important numbers of breeding Sandwich and little terns, with common and Arctic terns nesting too, so landing near the colonies is restricted through the summer; large flocks of pink-footed geese winter on the saltmarsh instead. The island is a barrier of dunes, shingle and saltmarsh off the north Norfolk coast, separated from the mainland by a tidal channel. A seasonal ferry, the Welcome, crosses from Burnham Overy Staithe between April and September, timed around high water; at low tide, experienced walkers sometimes cross the flats instead, but the channel and mud shift, and getting the tide wrong is dangerous, so it’s not a crossing to attempt without local knowledge. The National Trust and Norfolk Wildlife Trust own the island jointly, and Natural England manages it as a national nature reserve. Brancaster Staithe, a few miles west along the coast, is the nearest village with a beach and a pub.
