West Norfolk… Naturally

Sustainable Tourism aims to increase the benefits and minimise any negative impacts linked to tourism. This can be achieved by protecting landscapes, wildlife and natural resources when visiting tourist destinations. The way you choose to travel, how you dispose of your waste, where you seek local experiences and so on – there are many great (and even fun!) steps you can take to help us protect the environment and support local and independent tourism businesses.

This general guide highlights how visitors and tourism businesses can help move towards a greener West Norfolk.

A couple looking through a hide and holding binoculars at RSPB Titchwell Marsh Nature Reserve in West Norfolk.

Grab your binoculars, put on your walking boots and reconnect with nature this Autumn in west Norfolk. Renowned for its biodiversity and distinctive landscape, it’s no surprise west Norfolk is home to some of the best nature reserves, wildlife parks and tranquil gardens in the country.

GroundWork Gallery in King’s Lynn is dedicated to art and environment. It shows the work of contemporary artists who care about how we see the world. Groundwork Gallery and West Norfolk & King’s Lynn Borough Council were also involved in the project “Beuys’ Acorns”, which has planted a circle of seven oak trees at Harding’s Pits, accessible on foot from King’s Lynn town.

West Norfolk is a great place to explore, unwind and discover amazing rural history and heritage, stunning coastline, breathtaking countryside and some truly outstanding natural habitats.

Norfolk – Good Journey County helps visitors enjoy west Norfolk by train, bus, bike and foot and promotes attractions in west Norfolk that offer discounts for car-free visitors.

Five parks based in west Norfolk have been awarded the coveted Green Flag Award and have been officially recognised as some of the country’s best parks.

Walking and cycling are considered two of the greenest and healthiest methods of travel. In this guide, we would like to bring your attention to the recent changes made to The Highway Code and how this affects pedestrians and cyclists.

Choose greener ways to travel and reduce your impact on the environment. In this guide, Visit West Norfolk will be highlighting green methods of travelling including buses, bikes, coaches and electric vehicles.

To help ensure that sustainable rural and coastal west Norfolk comes first, Visit West Norfolk help spread the #RespectProtectEnjoy message as far and wide as we can.

West Norfolk is a walker’s paradise; discover miles of shoreline and superb countryside footpaths during your stay including Fen Rivers Way, Nar Valley Way, Norfolk Coast Path, Peddars Way, and Sir Peter Scott Walk.

West Norfolk is ideal cycling country – whether you bring your own or hire a bike locally, and there’s a wealth of cycle routes criss-crossing the whole area, often following traffic-free paths and traffic-calmed roads to provide extra peace of mind for the cyclist.

Are you looking to explore west Norfolk in your electric car? Our handy guide will tell you where you can charge your vehicle during your stay!

Sustainability Guides for Businesses in West Norfolk

Sustainable tourism is on the rise and as a result, consumers are seeking greener alternatives that can help reduce their environmental impact. It is important for businesses in west Norfolk to integrate eco-friendly practices in order to meet the needs of this growing market.

Visit West Norfolk have created simple guides to help Accommodation, Food & Drink and Retail tourism businesses become more sustainable. Each guide includes easy to implement tips that can be incorporated into different areas of your business. Take a look below:

Many visitors are adopting a more sustainable way of living (and travelling) to reduce their carbon footprint. When searching for places to stay, they are looking for eco-friendly accommodation that employ green initiatives. In this simple guide Visit West Norfolk highlights the best sustainable practices for your accommodation business.

It is important for businesses in the food industry to consider how they can integrate green practices into daily operations to reduce their carbon footprint and meet the needs and expectations of this growing market. In this simple guide, Visit West Norfolk will be highlighting how restaurants can become more eco-friendly and includes easy to implement tips that can be incorporated into different areas of your business.

The future of retail is green. Customers are choosing to purchase from shops that have a positive approach to environmental sustainability. In this brief guide, Visit West Norfolk provides tips on how you can make your retail business more sustainable. From changes like recycling to reducing your electricity usage, these green initiatives can help your retail business cultivate a more environmentally friendly business model.

A final helpful tip for businesses from us: the national tourism agency VisitBritain also offers a superb range of resources and guidance on how you can make your business more sustainable on their website.

Nature Reserves and Wildlife Parks in West Norfolk

Art for the Environment | GroundWork Gallery

Explore West Norfolk

Good Journey – West Norfolk

Five West Norfolk parks awarded the coveted Green Flag Award

Road Safety Awareness for Pedestrians and Cyclists

Sustainable Transport in West Norfolk

Safe and Responsible Travel

Walking in West Norfolk

Cycling in West Norfolk

West Norfolk Guide to Electric Car Travel

Sustainability Guides for Businesses in West Norfolk

How to Make Your Accommodation More Sustainable

How to Make Your Food Business More Sustainable

How To Make Your Retail Business More Sustainable