Blakeney Point
Blakeney Point is a shingle spit on the coast of North Norfolk north of the village of Blakeney in the English county of Norfolk.[1] It is managed by the National Trust as part of its Blakeney National Nature Reserve and within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Description
Blakeney Point spit runs East to West and is tied at its eastern end to the mainland at Cley. The spit is approximately 3.5 miles in length[2] but is subject to change all the time. The spit is composed of a shingle bank which in places is 65 feet (20 m) in width and at some points, 33 feet (10 m) high. It has been estimated that there are 82 million cubic feet (2,300,000 m3) of shingle in the spit.[3] At the point on the western end sand dunes have accumulated. Between the shingle spit arm and the raised coastline there are salt marshes. The spit was formed by longshore drift and this continues westward. At the western point the shingle curves laterally south towards the land. This feature has occurred several times over the years giving the impression on the map of the teeth of a comb. Between Weybourne and Cley next the Sea work has taken place to maintain an even height of the bank and to repair it as a natural sea defence for the villages behind and the A149 coast road that runs parallel with the shingle spit. From Cley the River Glaven flows to the landward southern side of the spit, where it abruptly turns west and flows into the sea at Blakeney Point. At the end of the spit is a visitor information centre which is housed in an old lifeboat station.
Access
Blakeney Point can be accessed on foot or by boat. At the end of the lane that runs from Cley to Cley Eye behind the shingle bank there is a car park (charges apply). From here it is possible to walk westwards along the spit to Blakeney Point. To reach the headland and visitor centre you may also catch one of the several boat trips that operate from Blakeney and Morston harbours. Entry to the sensitive nesting ground on the point is restricted during the breeding season. There are also many facilities for Birdwatching on the salt marshes and spit. Groups of visitors are requested to contact the warden to make prior arrangements for their visit.
Seal watching
Blakeney Point is one of the best places in Great Britain to watch and study seals. The seal colony is made up of Common and Grey Seals and numbers are around 500. The Common Seals have their young between June and August, the Grey Seals between November and January. Both suckle their pups for about three weeks, during which time they grow very quickly, putting on between 1 kg and 1.6 kg a day, due to the very rich and fatty milk they are fed. The seals usually bask on the sandbanks at the far end of the spit. The grey seals are the larger of the two species and have large speckles on their coats and longer pointed heads with parallel nostrils. The common seals have a more rounded face with ‘v’ shaped nostrils. The best way of viewing the seals is to catch one of several boat trips which are run from Blakeney and Morston harbours. Between April and October the trips operate on a daily basis, although they also run throughout the winter months. Times of trips depend on the tide and are posted on timetable boards at both harbours. The seals are very inquisitive and often pop up alongside the boats.
Bird life
The spit is also teeming with birds. During the summer months you can spot Common Terns, Sandwich Terns, Little Terns and Arctic Terns. Other species to be seen are Oyster Catcher, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Dunlin. In the winter months large numbers of ducks and geese, including Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Pink-footed Goose. Greylag and Brent Geese, can be seen, especially on the salt marshes.
Wildlife Gallery
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Sandwich Tern feeding its young
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Gastronomy
A famous local delicacy is Samphire, or Glasswort. The scientific name for this is Salicornia europaea and locally it is sometimes called poor man's asparagus. Samphire is a fleshy edible plant, which grows in the intertidal mudflats and salt marshes in the areas around Blakeney Point. A traditional way to eat it is first to boil it lightly, then drag through peppered butter, then 'suck' the flesh of the stalk. When it is in season, many locals sell bunches from small stalls outside their cottages at very reasonable prices. In recent times it has become a very fashionable delicacy served in top restaurants in London and Europe, where the tiny plant fetches inflated prices.
The Spit in 1649
The spit and
Salthouse ancient channel map made by Surveyor John Hunt in 1649
References