Wherever you stay in north Norfolk, there’s a beach within easy reach. From sand dunes with Hollywood credentials to peaceful wildlife havens, find your idyllic seaside spot
Norfolk’s coastline is beautifully diverse, from stripy cliff tops, vast sandy vistas to picturesque saltmarshes teeming with birdlife and all just a short distance apart. Tide times are available locally, but please be conscious that incoming water can rise rapidly and it is easy to get caught out so stay aware of your surroundings. Take plenty of change as parking charges apply to most beaches – pay for the day, take a picnic and make it a real day out. Here’s our guide to our favourite beaches…
Hunstanton Beach
With smaller beaches at Snettisham and Heacham, Hunstanton Beach is the first seaside town on the coast road. Leave the amusements and Green behind and walk the sands when the tide is out, when rock pools teem with limpets and tiny crabs, along with plenty of shells the seagulls have left behind after their feast. Marvel at the red and white striped cliffs and have fun sorting the coloured stones below. When you’re ready, head back to town and enjoy an ice cream and one of Hunstanton’s famous sunsets (it’s why we call it Sunny Hunny!), in Norfolk’s only west-facing, coastal town.
Old Hunstanton Beach
A short distance along the A149 brings you to neighbouring Old Hunstanton Beach. While Hunstanton has the bustle of a traditional seaside town, Old Hunstanton has a more relaxed vibe. Wander along the sand-lined path, past the RNLI station and you are greeted by sand dunes and pretty pastel beach huts, which are perfect for relaxing with friends and family. The beach is soft white sand, with just a narrow spit of shingle that the sea has left behind as it recedes. When the tide is out you can walk for miles and paddle pleasurably with a view to Boston, on the other side of The Wash, on a clear day.
Holme Beach
Truly a hidden gem, Holme Beach is quieter than its well-known neighbours, but no less stunning. The reason could be that the walk from the car park is lengthy, past the golf course and over the sand dunes, but once you arrive you are almost guaranteed a solitary spot to enjoy its wide-open space. As the tide goes out, small pools are perfect for younger children to splash and play in safely, within eyesight.
Thornham Beach
One of our favourite walks through salt marshes and creakes, Thornham Beach leads to RSPB Titchwell, a nature reserve with reedbeds and lagoons which attract birdwatchers year-round.
Brancaster Beach
One of the most popular family beaches, nestled next to RSPB Titchwell, Brancaster Beach is burgeoning with wildlife making it a fantastic spot for nature lovers to catch sight of migratory birds, along with the occasional seal bobbing along during the summer months. A great spot for wind- and kitesurfing.
Holkham Beach
The backdrop for many Hollywood films, Holkham Beach is one of Norfolk’s finest. The walk from Lady Anne’s Drive leads to a majestic pine forest which then reveals its sandy beach and dunes. Even the Queen’s Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment enjoys an annual canter along the sand and a cool off in the sea, so don’t miss out on this epic landscape.
Wells-Next-The-Sea
A super popular destination all year round, known for it’s vast beach and row of iconic beach huts. Take a leisurely walk from Holkham Beach, along the sands to Wells, just 2½ miles away. When you tire of the sand, head up to the quayside and try your hand at crabbing – all you need is a line, bait and bucket which you can buy from a nearby traditional seaside shop.