Norfolk Coast

The Norfolk Coast is simply stunning and yet even on busy days many of the Norfolk Coast beaches have empty hideaways where you feel you have the place to yourself. Come and find a Norfolk beach with miles and miles of wide sand, pine forests, salt marshes and mud flats, most of which is unspoilt Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it’s easy to see why artists and writers have flocked to the Norfolk Coast for years! The North Norfolk Coast is a wonderful area for walking or cycling with a gentle undulating landscape, some of the best nature reserves in the country, pretty coastal villages, crumbling flint cottages, intriguing shops and galleries and plenty of welcoming pubs and restaurants. The Norfolk Coast is a great part of the UK coast and ideal for those Norfolk beach holidays!

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We start our tour of the Norfolk Coast in Hunstanton - or Sunny Hunny as it is often known! This seaside resort has the unusual distinction of being an east coast resort that faces west and as a result gets more than its fair share of sun and enjoys some lovely sunsets. You can enjoy all the traditional seaside attractions, such as donkey rides on the beach, or if you’re feeling more adventurous a ride on a sea buggy, which trawls up and down the coast. There is also a swimming pool, an indoor leisure centre, a theatre and Sealife Centre.

Old Hunstanton is just North of the main resort of Hunstanton and is the site of the original settlement before 1860 when New Hunstanton was built. Old Hunstanton is much quieter and picturesque, with empty beaches.

At the extreme north west corner of Norfolk, where the Wash meets the North Sea, you will find Holme next the Sea, a small unspoilt village, where the main attraction is the golden sandy beach. It's an ieal place for a family day out and on cooler days, when the beach is less appealing, Holme next the Sea is the starting point of 2 long distance footpaths - the North Norfolk Coast path to Cromer (44 miles) and the Peddars Way to Knettishall Heath (46 miles).

Moving along the North Norfolk Coast, we come to RSPB Titchwell and the lovely harbour of Brancaster. RSPB Titchwell Marsh is a renowned nature reserve and a haven for native and migrating birds. The freshwater and saltwater habitats at Titchwell support a huge variety of wildlife, lots of which are visitors to Britain. Fishing boats still operate from Brancaster harbour and you can buy their catch from nearby shops. The North Norfolk Coast path, stretching right along this portion of coast, makes a lovely walk.

Burnham Overy Staithe is one of 7 villages referred to as "The Burnhams". Overy Staithe comes alive with boats when the tide allows, as there are plenty of creeks and channels to explore in your dinghy or motor boat. A couple of miles inland is Burnham Market, known as "Chelsea on sea" as it attracts visitors from upmarket London and has the sort of shops that you would normally find down the Kings Road!

Holkham bay is a magnificent wooded bay, that is wonderful for a walk. A drive leads from the bay to nearby Holkham Hall, which is set in parkland. The hall is open to visitors (seasonal)

Despite its name, Wells next the sea is situated a good mile or so from open water. In Tudor times, when it enjoyed much easier access to the sea, it was one of the great ports of eastern England. It’s still one of the most attractive towns on the North Norfolk coast, and the only one to remain a commercially viable port. The town has many narrow lanes and facilities including hotels, pubs, tea-rooms and countless shops.

Wells has 2 narrow gauge steam railways! One to Walsingham and the other along the harbour to the beach.

Moving East, we come to the quay at Morston. A channel leads out to sea past Blakeney Point, a spit of sand that sticks out into the North Sea. The point is a nature reserve managed by the National Trust and a visitor centre sits on the spit, open to visitors in season. Morston Quay is a popular starting point for boat trips to the tip of Blakeney Point to view the Seal Colony situated there.

Not far from Morston is the the lovely coastal village of Blakeney, which is one of the most enchanting on the North Norfolk Coast. The village is set on a small hill leading down to the harbour and has pretty flint cottages (many for holiday rent), shops, tea-rooms, restaurants, pubs and inns. Fabulous walks take you along the North Norfolk Coast.

Very close to Blakeney is Cley next the sea. The village is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and enjoys an international reputation for bird watching. Two features dominate Cley. The first is the picturesque 18th century windmill standing on the edge of the marshes. The second feature is St. Margaret's Church next to the village green.

Cley has an excellent delicatessen where you can purchase items for your picnic, but you will also find a gallery, a famous smoke house, restaurants, tea shops and two good country pubs.

Next along the coast is Salthouse, Kelling and Weybourne. Here a ridge of heathland rises behind the coast, giving fabulous views out over the sea and marshes below - who said Norfolk was flat!

The North Norfolk Railway runs from the Georgian town of Holt to the seaside resort of Sheringham, via Weybourne. The railway run regular steam and diesel services and hold a series of events.

Sheringham is a traditional seaside town, which grew up around its old fishing village, and a few little boats still bring in the daily catch. Sea, cliffs, fine sands and bracing air are some of the reasons why Sheringham is so popular. It is anything but the monotonous strip, with plenty of facilities, including many interesting shops, pubs, restaurants and tea-rooms. Among the glories of the area are the surrounding woods (including Sheringham Park), with views over the sea, and miles of bracken-covered undulating uplands, covered with golden gorse and purple heather.

The nearby town of Cromer is a classic North Norfolk Coast town, situated on a cliff-top overlooking fine sandy beaches. Cromer Pier has survived despite bad damage and has a Lifeboat Station and Pavilion Theatre, which still stages end of pier shows. The church dominates the town as it has the tallest tower in Norfolk. The streets and alleys are crammed with shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes.

Linking Cromer with Overstrand, is one of the best walks in Norfolk. A cliff top path takes you past the Cromer Lighthouse and the Royal Cromer Golf Course. Overstrand itself is a lovely village and attracted many rich and famous people to build holiday homes.

Moving down the East Norfolk Coast, we come to Mundesley, which grew rapidly when the Victorians brought visitors to the district by opening a railway in 1889. The railway has long gone, but the fresh sea breezes off the North Sea remain as invigorating as ever. Mundesley today is a holiday resort with a wonderful sandy beach, considered one of the best on the Norfolk Coast.

Mundesley contains a number of facilities including shops, eating places, pubs, tea rooms and possibly the smallest museum in the country. Nearby Stow Mill is one of the best Windmills in Norfolk and well worth a visit.

The lovely Norfolk Coast village of Happisburgh is dominated by two main buildings - the red and white candy striped lighthouse and the large village church with its tall tower. Both of these buildings are located on mounds, giving wonderful views over the surrounding coast and countryside.

At nearby Sea Palling there is a wonderful, blue flag, sandy beach, which is deserted for most of the year and is a great place for a walk.

Horsey Mere is the closest of the Norfolk Broads to the Norfolk Coast (about one mile). Here you can find a superb windmill owned by the National Trust. The beach at Horsey is virtually deserted as there is poor access from the road. It is a wonderful remote spot to visit - with a great pub too (The Nelson).

At Winterton on Sea, we discover a lovely unspoilt ancient coastal village, with miles of beaches and sand dunes. Although we are only a few miles north of Great Yarmouth, there are no amusements here, just pretty cottages, a lovely 300 year old pub, a cathedral sized church and a nearby windfarm.

Just north of Great Yarmouth is little Yarmouth - better known as Hemsby! The beach is the main attraction here, but there is plenty of amusements, entertainment, shops and refreshments for the whole family to enjoy.

Finally, we come to the king of seaside resorts - Great Yarmouth. With its 2 piers, many attractions, funfair and amusements, Great Yarmouth is everything you would expect from a typical British seaside resort! For example, the horse and carriage ride that takes you along the seafront, past the many amusements to the pleasure beach funfair.

Don't miss Yarmouth's sea faring history - the town has a couple of interesting museums charting the towns past and the South Quay is still busy with cargo!

See Guided Picture Tours of other areas of Norfolk

Norfolk Coast summary of what to SEE and DO