Explore Norfolk during February Half Term Week

Looking for a great day out? Norfolk has much to offer at half term from wonderful coast and countryside walks, to a trip on the Broads with Broads Tours, a chance to Go Ape in Thetford Forest, special snowdrop walks with the National Gardens Scheme, and a visit to the Dad’s Army Experience at Bressingham Steam Museum.

Norfolk Tourism Director, Crispian Emberson said: “Norfolk is a beautiful county to visit at any time of year. But February can be particularly rewarding. There are spectacular winter swan feeds at Welney, carpets of snowdrops at Walsingham, wonderful woodland walks at National Trust properties like Oxburgh Hall, along with the chance to take to the water with Broads Tours.”

For full details of things to do and places to stay in Norfolk see www.visitnorfolk.co.uk, or contact Norwich Tourist Information Centre tel. 01603 727927.

Here are some ideas to help you get started.

Visit Bressingham Steam Museum and Gardens near Diss, open from Saturday, February 9 to Sunday, February 17. Entry to the Winter Garden, Dad’s Army Exhibition and loco sheds is £3.50 Adults and £3.00 Children. Rides available on The Victorian Carousel and one of the narrow gauge lines, pay as you go, www.bressingham.co.uk

Take a cruise on The Broads on the Vintage Broadsman with Broads Tours, Saturday, February 9 to Sunday, February 17. Trips depart at 11.30am and 2pm each day and last for 1½ hours. All children receive a free wildlife identification sheet and can enter a free colouring/drawing competition, www.broads.co.uk

Go Ape at Thetford Forest gives families the chance to experience aerial trekking activities above the forest floor on a high wire assault course including extreme rope bridges, tarzan swings and zip slides, www.goape.co.uk

Go on a snowdrop walk with the National Gardens Scheme at Lexham Hall and Bagthorpe Hall on Sunday, February 10 www.norfolkgardens.org

Enjoy the shows at Norwich Puppet Theatre, one of two dedicated puppet theatres in the UK –Hey! Wait for me, Saturday, February 9 to Tuesday, February (show for toddlers), 11am and 2.30pm daily and Thursday, February 14 to Saturday, February, 16 mini festival of German Puppet Theatre (puppetry for all), www.puppettheatre.co.uk

See the Welney winter swan feed – thousands of Whooper and Bewick’s swans, ducks and other waterbirds gather on the Ouse Washes to over-winter. Watch them being fed, from the centrally heated observatory at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Welney. www.wwt.org.uk/visit/welney

Explore Wroxham Barns Junior Farm, a hands-on experience in a real farmyard. Feed the lambs, pat the goats and donkeys, groom the ponies and stroke the guinea pigs. Open from Saturday, February 9, www.wroxhambarns.co.uk

Visit the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich and see Cloth & Culture NOW, a major contemporary textiles exhibition featuring new work by 35 artists from Estonia, Finland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania and the UK, www.scva.ac.uk

Go on the bug trail at Pensthorpe Nature Reserve near Fakenham and have a close encounter with the insects under your feet www.pensthorpe.com

Take a ride on the narrow gauge steam Bure Valley Railway, a nine-mile ride from Aylsham to Wroxham and the Norfolk Broads www.bvrw.co.uk, or the full gauge North Norfolk Railway from Sheringham to Holt, www.nnrailway.co.uk

Explore the children’s woodland trail at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, South Walsham, www.fairhavengarden.co.uk

Take the Tiger Tree Walk at Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens, near Great Yarmouth www.thrigbyhall.co.uk

Go racing at Fakenham Racecourse on Friday, February 15 – charity race at 12.30pm. first race at 1.25pm, www.fakenhamracecourse.co.uk

Enjoy the hellebore open day at the National Trust’s Blickling Hall, Saturday, February 16, 11am to 4pm. Get advice and information on growing hellebores with Roger Harvey, www.nationaltrust.org.uk