Norfolk beach guide and where to go
The East Anglian county of Norfolk is renowned for its coastline, home to a series of stunning beaches fit for royalty. A favourite destination of the Royal Family, the Queen Mother owned a Norfolk beach hut for decades.
The Norfolk Coast has amazing scenery and wildlife - from its big skies and large expanses of beach, to its grass-topped dunes, marshes and pine woods. An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty stretches for 55 miles along the coastline from Old Hunstanton to Mundesley - a must for bird watchers, wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. The first coastal nature reserve in Britain was created at Blakeney Point, home to a seal colony and an important site for migrating birds.
History buffs will be fascinated to learn that the oldest set of footprints, outside of the Great Rift Valley in Africa, were found on the beach at Happisburgh.
Hunstanton, overlooking The Wash, is unique in being the only west-facing resort in East Anglia - so head here for amazing sunsets!
Much loved seaside towns like Hunstanton, Cromer and Great Yarmouth provide a traditional British seaside experience - fish and chips, amusements, candy floss, end of the pier shows and, of course, miles of sand!
If you want to escape ‘Robinson Crusoe’ style, there are quieter beaches where, even on a sunny August day, there’s still enough space for everyone to spread out with all their beach paraphernalia.
The Norfolk coast really does have something for everyone and we have beach huts in various locations for you to choose from.
PROS
huge beaches with lovely sand
many undeveloped and relatively empty areas with great dunes and wildlife
CONS
the sea isn’t quite as sparkling clear as other parts of the British Coast such as the south and west
travel time to get there with windy roads (but this can also be a pro as it means it’s less crowded than the south coast)
not much swell for surfers.
for keen swimmers, you will have to wade a while!
