Norfolk isn’t immune from chilly weather. Snowy winds can blast straight in from Siberia but usually the winters are mild with fairly low rainfall. It’s wise to pack a bobble hat but there’s no need for ice picks! However, the undulating geography around Beacon Hill tells the story of a much colder past. 430,000 years ago you’d be standing in the path of a huge glacier that extended northwards. The treeless land would be barren with no sign of the woods you see now. You’d experience the bitter chill of a vast ice flow, pouring dirty water from melting crevasses as the last Ice Age thawed.

Today’s gentle hills and valleys were created by this continental ice sheet whose retreat shaped the land forming what we now call the Cromer Ridge.

The area is now under the careful stewardship of the National Trust and autumn is a spectacular time to explore the woodland tracks. Around Beacon Hill and Lion Mouth near stately Felbrigg Hall, oaks and sweet chestnut trees are a haven for deer and squirrels. You might spot a jay’s bright blue flash or shimmer of crow’s plumage as the branches drop their leaves for the winter’s rest.

And if you’re wondering about the ‘Roman Camp’ on maps, no archaeological remains have ever been found. There are earthworks, but they’re not believed to be Roman. The name is likely to have been rustled up by Victorian cabbies, spinning tall tales for tourists. Hope they got a good tip!