Nearby beaches
Beaches and coast line
Norfolk has some fantastic beaches, all with their own character and attractions.
These are not exclusive but they are our favourites :
West Runton
This has a good car park next to the beach. The walk down the slip ramp is steep but short.
The best rock pooling at low tide. There are some fantastic fossils to find. The most common are Belemnites, which can be found in broken chalk at the base of the cliffs, especially after a storm.
The walk along the cliffs is lovely as is the walk along the beach (difficult at high tide) towards Cromer.
Horsey gap
Lovely, often wind swept, seals on the beach. During pupping there are marshals who are knowledgeable and very happy to chat. Beach feels remote. Car park is within easy reach of the beach but if you are going to see the seals during pupping then the beach is roped off and the walk is a little longer. No toilets, pay car park.
Sheringham
Lovely cliff top walks, especially along side the golf course (which is spectacular especially the 5th hole). The Beeston bump provides a hill climb and good views.
There are good walks around the Roman camp to provide some lovely views and woodland walks.
The railway is fun, and often hosts specialist days (1940’s or Viking weekend) and the train ride through to Holt is worth it with children. The Santa express is good but booked out for a while in advance.
The town is nice and has some good shops, bakery and a supermarket
Cromer
A classic British seaside town. Good beach, fun pier and good coffee shops, fish and chip shops and nice walks both along the beach and cliff tops. Great golf course. For a wet day with the children there is pottery-painting (Sticky Earth Cafe). There is a great coffee shop (Huckleberries) and bakery (the Craft Bakery), both opposite the church.
Wells-next-the-sea
Parking is busy but close to the beach. The beach is amazing and we love it: it is huge and has plenty of room. Great kite flying, river and sea swimming (but the current can be fast). The dunes are brilliant for hide and seek. The shell hunting is reasonable, with sand that is perfect for sandcastles; the walk through to Holkham is a favourite, especially when coming back through the forest, which has some really good rope swings.
Holkham & Holt Nature Reserve
Holkham is found at the other end of the Wells walk. Famous as the backdrop for the final scenes in the the movie Shakespeare in Love, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes, the beach lives up to its Hollywood reputation! Good café (The Lookout) to refuel and watch the birds on the saltmarshes. The Lookout also has toilets and a free water station for people and dogs alike. The beach access is good and there are good walks in both directions though the woods with tree swings and great tree climbing.
Nearby Holkham Hall has fabulous grounds with scope for an all day visit. Conkering in the autumn is great fun and the deer are a lovely sight at all times of year. Bike riding (bikes can be hired) is easy for all ages. There is a good adventure playground which is free or you can pay for overhead tree top walks. The food in the park is good and the food at the Victoria is good for a more substantial meal. Holkham Hall has various events throughout the year.
Brancaster
This feels more remote and is a lovely wide, sandy beach. When the tide is low and a popular place for sand kiters and surf-kiters. The cliffs are spectacular. Parking is available locally at the beach.
Salthouse
Salthouse Heath and Salthouse Marshes are part of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve and attract bird watchers and walkers year-round. There are often rare migratory birds to be found in the area. Across the marshes there is a fine shingle beach, good for sea fishing. Parking along the coast at various points and in the village too.
Blakeney & Morston
There isn’t a beach here as such but both villages have a quayside which is very popular with children who like to go crabbing, local shops can supply the goods needed. We have most luck when using squid as bait!
Both villages also offer seal trips to Blakeney Point to see the local seal colony.
For parking there is the National Trust car park at Blakeney. Car parking available at Mortson.
A little further away, and each with their own personalities, there are also great beaches at :
Overstrand
Mundesley
Bacton
Walcott
Sea Palling
Happisburgh
to name a but a few.
DOGS ON BEACHES
During the summer, to help ensure the local beaches are clean and safe for everyone, dogs are subject to restrictions on some stretches of the shore. Areas where dogs need to be kept on leads – or are banned completely – are clearly signposted.
Restrictions apply on parts of the following beaches from 1 May – 30 September annually and please be aware that many beaches along the coast have dunes, which have nesting birds – the main nesting season is March - August: