Why our countryside matters more in Summer – August in Norfolk

It’s early on an August morning in Norfolk. The light is golden, the air already warm, and the only sound is the rising song of a skylark above a field of ripening barley.

This is late summer in our county, not just a season, but a living, breathing reminder of why our countryside matters.

August brings a rush of colour, sound, and life to Norfolk’s landscapes. It’s a time to enjoy our green spaces, but also a moment to recognise the vital role they play in supporting wildlife, farming, and our own wellbeing, and why they need our protection more than ever.

A month alive with wildlife

In August, Norfolk’s countryside is teeming with life. Along the coast, little terns are tending to late broods, while the saltmarshes shimmer with sea lavender. Inland, dragonflies skim over the still waters of the Broads, and hedgerows brim with blackberries and honeysuckle, attracting bees and butterflies in their hundreds.

Our wildflower meadows – rare in the UK, but still found here in pockets like Swannington Upgate Common and Buxton Heath – are critical feeding grounds for pollinators before autumn. Without these spaces, species like the Norfolk hawker dragonfly or the swallowtail butterfly could disappear from our county altogether.

Supporting Norfolk’s farmers

August is the height of the harvest. Fields turn gold as wheat and barley are cut, and the sugar beet crops, a Norfolk staple, are thriving. In orchards and allotments, plums, apples, and late strawberries are picked, destined for local markets and farm shops.

Farming shapes the very look of Norfolk’s countryside, but it’s also under pressure from changing climate patterns, rising costs, and land-use competition. Protecting farmland means protecting food security, rural jobs, and centuries of heritage.

A space to breathe

From a shady walk in Thetford Forest to a sunset cycle along the Peddars Way, Norfolk offers countless places to reconnect with nature in August. Research shows that time spent outdoors boosts mental health, reduces stress, and improves physical wellbeing — benefits that feel especially powerful in summer’s long, light days.

For many, these moments in nature are more than leisure, they’re essential. Whether it’s spotting marsh harriers over the fens or watching a child pick blackberries in a hedgerow, these experiences root us in a sense of place and belonging.

Why August is a call to action

But August is also when pressures on our countryside can be most visible. Loss of wildflower verges, overdevelopment on farmland, and disturbance to nesting birds all threaten the delicate balance that makes Norfolk’s summer landscapes so rich.

This is the time to act – by supporting local conservation projects, joining CPRE Norfolk’s campaigns, and making small choices that help protect our countryside.

Your invitation to explore and protect

This August, we invite you to explore somewhere new:

• Walk the flowering saltmarshes at Snettisham.
• Take a camera to the meadows around Diss and see what species you can spot.
• Visit a farmers’ market and meet the people growing Norfolk’s food.

Share your experiences, tag us on social media, and tell others why you love our countryside. Every story shared is another reason to keep it safe.