The Cley Spy story began back in August 2001. Even way back then, we knew we had something special. Norfolk is one of the best counties in the UK for birdwatching and Cley is one of the best places to see birds in Norfolk. We have some of the largest uninterrupted reedbeds and bracken marshlands in the UK on our doorstep, attracting millions of birds season to season. Yet before Cley Spy, there was nowhere to buy decent binoculars and telescopes for miles around.
At Cley Spy, we love to meet all our customers and really get a sense of what you need your equipment for, this way we can give you the best advice and help you choose the best optics for your needs (birdwatching or not).
Since the beginning, Cley Spy has been governed by simple philosophies. The cornerstone of which is to treat people how we would want to be treated. No fuss, no sales goals, just honest advice and courteous service, no matter what you're looking for.
Nobody likes snooty sales people whose only objective is to sell you something (anything). Nobody likes to be pushed into a hurried decision only to buy the wrong thing at the wrong price.
At Cley Spy, we are dedicated to delivering outstanding customer service and our team gives you as much attention as you like, whether your budget is £15 or £1500. We believe that whatever your budget or level of optics expertise, everybody deserves the same amount of time and attention.
Since those early days, we have moved into our very own purpose-built building at the top-end of the old farm. Cley Spy is still the largest optical showroom in Europe, but now we have enough space for a wild meadow and wild pond with hides along the edge.
We are nestled in the beautiful North Norfolk countryside, amongst blooming plants and wildlife, proud to call this special place home. T
he shop is positioned at the beginning of a beautiful walk through the countryside, giving you a great place to test your optics in 'real world' conditions. To find out more about our wild meadow and the walks you can take from Cley Spy, just head to the
We love it when customers come to our beautiful shop in Norfolk. It means we can talk with you face-to-face and help you test equipment to find the right binocular, telescope, monocular or accessories. If you decide to shop online, we are there for you too! Our online
are easy-to-read and jam-packed with helpful information to help you decide which products suit your needs. We have a wealth of information to help you decipher optical jargon and honest reviews to guide you through the products.
The Cley Spy team is a tight-knit community of folks from all backgrounds. A wide range of skill-sets and interests are represented here: we have birdwatchers, wildlife experts, plane enthusiasts and artists, as well as ramblers and professional photographers, among others.
We are lucky enough to have a Digiscoping expert on-site who takes stunning photographs of birds and animals in our wild meadow. Why not check out some of his handywork on our
page? If you need any help, he can answer your questions on how to get the best out of your digiscoping set-up. There are also a couple of handy young gents who are a dab hand at fixing things. If you have an old pair of binoculars, or maybe your tripod's decided to break when you're out birdwatching, these two guys will more than likely be able to fix them for you. Come into the shop,
