The Stiffkey Whirlygig

When planning our walks, I usually pore over maps looking for local historical sites, quirky unusual things, or stunning views and landscapes. Looking at Google Maps for a walk I was planning between Wells-next-the-Sea and Morston I wondered what the strange circular shape just west of the Stiffkey Saltmarsh Carpark was. On the mapping software I use to plot our walking routes this circle had several “ruins” comments and a “whirlygig” comment. I left it there and thought we’d find out when we did the walk, but even after the walk neither of us understood why a circular tarmac patch was sitting in the saltmarsh near Stiffkey. Almost as soon as we got back home after a 120-mile drive, I was on the internet to find out more about the Stiffkey Whirlygig thing.

We, and probably most other people, associate the North Norfolk coastline with tranquillity, beautiful scenery, and intriguing wildlife. Okay, we’ve come across World War-era listening posts and sea defences while out walking, but the story behind the “Top Secret” Stiffkey Whirlygig brings home the part Norfolk played in the protection of our country. The area to the north of quiet Stiffkey village was once a military training site and was used by the War Office between 1937 and 1955 to train anti-aircraft gunners. Now I understand that not too many people lived in the area around Stiffkey, but just imagine the noise of these guns. I’m cannot imagine they were all that secret.

Norfolk Coast Path Passing the Stiffkey Whirlygig

So, how do gunners do their target practice? Well, they can’t practice shooting at real pilots flying real aircraft, so initially they had planes towing targets behind them. You can imagine that this training was a little limited, so they came up with the idea of using remote-controlled planes which would be able to duck and dive much like a real attacking aircraft would.

The remote-controlled planes were made from metal and wood and had a wingspan of around 12 feet. They were powered by a two-stroke engine of about 70 horsepower which allowed them to reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. In all, these dummy aircraft weighed just over 140 kilograms. The only problem was getting these things up into the air!

Norfolk Coast Path Joining the Stiffkey Whirlygig Runway © essentially-england.com

And that’s where the Stiffkey Whirlygig comes into play. It was a circular runway used to get remote-controlled aircraft off the ground so that they could be flown around and used for target practice. The runway is about 300 feet in diameter and has a steel pole with rotating head at its centre.

For take-off, a plane would have sat on a trolley which was secured to the rotating head. Upon starting the plane engine, both plane and trolley would start rotating around the runway until they reached a launch speed of around 85 miles per hour. Once off the ground the dummy aircraft was under full remote control.

If the remote-controlled aircraft survived the training session, they were either glided or parachuted back to the military base. Some planes didn’t make it back and these were often a prize for the local villagers as they could use the fuel or materials.

Stiffkey Whirlygig Central Post with Rotating Head © essentially-england.com

Today, the Stiffkey Whirlygig is a little overgrown and the runway is breaking up. If out walking, I suppose you could easily just walk past not knowing that it is there. But now that you do know its there and you do understand what it was used for, it is worth walking around and getting into the centre to see the old rotating post. And it’s rather special as it is the only one known in the U.K!

Parts of the military camp also survive around the High Sand Creek Campsite. The concrete blocks used to mount the anti-aircraft guns are still to be found and many of the military building are now used for farm storage. The Officers’ Mess is now the Rescue Wooden Boats Heritage Centre, and the Guardhouse has become the camp site office.

Part of Stiffkey's Old Military Base © essentially-england.com

For more information on the Stiffkey Whirlygig and the military base you can check out a very interesting YouTube video here.

And if you are out in a walking group that passes this quirky site, or you see someone with a confused look on their faces, then please do explain to them what they're looking at.

Are You Planning a Holiday in Norfolk?

Where You Could Stay

Norfolk has no shortage of fabulous holiday accommodation whether you want to spend time on the beach, love boating or want to explore inland. You may covet a tiny fisherman's cottage like the one in Blakeney we kept returning to. You may like something larger and more modern like a loft overlooking the Norfolk Broads, or the right place for you may be a chic city apartment perfectly placed to explore Norwich...

Holiday Cottages in Norfolk: The Granary, Hingham | sykescottages.co.uk

The Granary
Hingham
Sleeps 4

Holiday Cottages in Norfolk: The Dingle, Cromer | sykescottages.co.uk

The Dingle
Cromer
Sleeps 9

Holiday Cottages in Norfolk: The Hermitage, West Beckham | sykescottages.co.uk

The Hermitage
West Beckham
Sleeps 4

To see other holiday cottages in Norfolk click here. Or check out holiday cottages in other parts of England by clicking here.

However, if you fancy a hotel how about some of these...

The Goldern Lion Hotel
Hunstanton

Blakeney House
Blakeney

Chalk & Cheese
Shouldham

To view more hotels in Norfolk click here or you can use the search box below.

What You Could See and Do

It's next to impossible to be bored in Norfolk, there's just so much to do and see. The list below includes some of our favourite places

Explore Norwich with its shops and two cathedrals and pay a visit to Norwich Castle and its teapot museum.
Visit Admiral Lord Nelson's birthplace at Burham Thorpe and read the report of the Battle of Trafalgar in a copy of The Times from 1805
Spend a day at Sandringham and Castle Rising Castle
Take a ride on the Holt to Sheringham Railway and explore the beautiful little town of Holt and the seaside town of Sheringham
Explore the ruins of Castle Acre and Castle Acre Priory
Shop in Burnham Market
Wander around the small town of Blakeney, explore the church and harbour before making an attempt to reach the seals at Blakeney Point
Admire the famous windmill and go birdwatching in Cley-next-the-Sea
Be wowed by the rhododendrons in Sheringham Park
Visit Anne Boleyn's family home, Blickling Hall, or explore Oxburgh Hall, a fabulous manor house with a moat.
Go wildlife spotting while walking through the Cley marshes from Blakeney
Or even fish for crabs and wander along the famous pier at Cromer.

For more things to do in Norfolk and walking and cycling routes return from our Stiffkey Whirlygig page to the Norfolk page.

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