Pensthorpe Natural Park

You may not have heard of Bill Makins, but in the 1980s he designed a truly sustainable gravel extraction process that enabled him to create one of the most biodiverse nature reserves in England just a mile or so from Fakenham - following the extraction of over a million tonnes of gravel.
Pensthorpe Natural Park was purchased by Bill and Deb Jordan in 2003, and is now recognised internationally as an EU Special Area of Conservation - in addition to having four designations as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
With one of the largest wildflower meadows remaining in Norfolk, 80 different species of grasses and an incredible variety of wildlife (it’s not unusual for 60 different species of bird to be spotted on any given day), Pensthorpe is pioneering a new vision for conservation, experiential nature and wellbeing.
The future for Norfolk’s wildlife looks even more promising thanks to the work of the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust (PCT), which is committed to habitat and species conservation and on long-term projects to conserve and reintroduce key species such as cranes and red squirrels.
Let’s face it, where else in Norfolk can you enjoy a fabulous day out and see 49 resident flamingos?