There are few really wild places left. Yet the precious ecosystem of the North Norfolk coast is one of them. You’ll be taken to places known only to a few, inaccessible to bigger boats. Powered by wind and oar, this peaceful 3-4 hour low impact journey follows the natural rhythm of the tide, through protected creeks to the heart of an area internationally recognised for wildlife. It’s a hotspot for rare and migratory birds and the best time to see them is from autumn through the winter into early spring when they return to summer feeding grounds in the high north.

Aboard one of the Coastal Exploration Company’s gorgeously restored sail boats, you’ll drift silently in this fragile, beautiful liminal zone, where you might see Curlews with beaks curved as a crescent moon, busy Dunlin, Red Shank, Turnstones, Oyster Catchers, Spoonbills, Little Egrets, Marsh Harriers, Cormorants hunched like witches, Grey Heron and perhaps, at dusk, a spectral Barn Owl hunting above the sea wall. Immersed in the wild, cries of oystercatchers and gulls haunt the clear air, an ancient, exhilarating call that tugs the soul.

As the tide reaches equilibrium, you’ll stop for an hour, have mug of steaming hot tea or freshly ground coffee and a fabulous locally sourced meal. Perhaps artisan sourdough, chunks of Norfolk cheese, hearty pies, delectable cake or velvety soup.

If you don’t own binoculars just ask to borrow a pair when booking. And, by prior arrangement, you can even borrow a professional ornithologist!