Wilder Hickling: A haven for nature, heritage and people

We will safeguard the habitats of the Broad and surrounding area to enable wildlife and people in the Upper Thurne area to thrive, including being better able to adapt to the impacts of climate change. 

During Phase 1, we will:

• Focus on helping iconic Broads wildlife species thrive as we face the prospect of a warmer and wetter climate.
• Secure more land in the Upper Thurne area for wildlife conservation.
• Manage wetland habitats to better store carbon.
• Create larger, more resilient natural floodplains.
• Adapt conservation management to meet future challenges.
• Embed monitoring to build evidence for effective management of habitats across the Norfolk Broads landscape.

We will improve access to Hickling Broad and Marshes, helping a wider diversity of people to enjoy, understand and support the area’s special wildlife and wild spaces. 

During Phase 1, we will: 

• Create new wildlife experiences for a wide variety of visitors, including young people and people with limited access to nature.
• Improve connections between NWT Hickling staithe and Hickling Broad and Marshes nature reserve with accessible features. Develop new features at the nature reserve, including viewing points and wildlife experiences.
• Install a Changing Places toilet at NWT Hickling staithe. A Changing Places toilet is a fully accessible toilet facility for severely disabled people, designed for those unable to use standard toilets, providing dignity, comfort, and independence.

We will help people better recognise how nature thriving in the Broads supports local livelihoods. The Trust will work to sustain these benefits and develop new ways to contribute to the local economy. 

During Phase 1, we will: 

• Seek ways to expand our offer to visitors in a way that continues to create volunteering opportunities and support the area’s wider hospitality and tourism sector
• Work closely with our landlord tenants at The Pleasure Boat pub to ensure its future success, including developing new wildlife experiences for visitors
• Install EV charging points for cars and electric bikes across NWT car parking

We will develop new and meaningful ways to bring Hickling Broad and Marshes’ amazing natural and social heritage to life for visitors. 

During Phase 1, we will: 

• Find innovative ways to tell the story of the Broads, its natural and social history
• Deliver memorable experiences that encourage visitors to find out more about the heritage of the site.
• Provide additional information across the area which tells the natural and social history of Hickling Broad and Marshes.
• Use planting to ‘naturalise’ car park boundaries, and blur the lines between the built and natural environments.

A national public appeal in 2017 allowed Norfolk Wildlife Trust to purchase Hickling Broad and Marshes in its entirety. As the principal landowner for the nature reserve, NWT embarked on designing a vision for the site. Like so many projects, work was put on hold during the pandemic only to resume in 2023 when NWT purchased a plot of land at Hickling staithe, which included the Pleasure Boat Inn pub, adjacent buildings and a large car park, together with associated moorings.  

Following the renovation and re-opening of the pub in 2024, NWT updated the vision for Hickling, created with the help of consultant landscape architects and specialist ecological advice. 

In implementing our vision for Hickling, we recognise the challenge of balancing the desire to improve accessibility and to enable more people to engage with nature and wildlife in the area, whilst also protecting the valued feeling of wildness and the unspoilt nature of the Broad and marshes. 

Maintaining this balance is at the heart of this project. We will be guided by commitments which safeguard the landscape character of the area, ensuring building work is in keeping with the local area, ensure biodiversity considerations are fully incorporated with no loss of biodiversity value, and apply the principles of sustainable development.