Expand your horizons in Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells is famous for its vast, sweeping beach and colourful beach huts. There are few better places to relax, unwind and enjoy the sea air. Walk the dogs, fly a kite, build sandcastles, play ball games, birdwatch, or just kick off your shoes, feel the sand between your toes and have fun paddling in the shallows.
The beach at Wells-next-the-Sea is part of the Holkham Estate.
Please contact the Estate Office directly for any enquiries or comments regarding the beach and its environs.
For further details visit Holkham Estate Beach Information.
Wells beach is located approximately one mile from the town. You can walk there, drive and park, or during the summer, travel by the Wells Harbour Railway, a 10¼” gauge miniature railway.
The beach walk is wheelchair friendly and has ramps at both ends.
Beach Road runs from the town to the beach entrance, where you can find the Beach Café and car park. The beach train has its terminus a few steps away at Pinewoods Holiday Park, which has a well-stocked shop serving the park visitors.
A toilet block with shower is located at the entrance to the car park.
There is a large car park at the entrance to Wells Beach, run by Holkham Estate. It is located approximately 1 mile due north from the town centre.
For Sat Nav directions use postcode NR23 1DR.
Opening hours are 6am – 9pm.
Parking costs:
Up to 1 hour: £2.00
Up to 2 hours: £3.50
Up to 4 hours: £6.50
Over 4 hours and all day: £9.00
The all day ticket is transferable to Holkham Park during the visitor season, saving £3.00.
A weekly ticket can be purchased for £30.00.
Coaches, caravans and trailers are prohibited and the car park is locked at night with no overnight parking permitted.
For more information visit the Holkham website.
During bank holiday weekends and the peak summer season Wells Beach Car Park often fills to capacity before midday.
In order to prevent cars from driving through town to the car park entrance and being turned away, electric signs have been stationed beside the road in various places indicating if the Wells Beach Car Park is full, or if it still has spaces available.
If you’re heading to the beach and the beach car park is full, you can park at the new Wells Town Car Park on Freeman Street and take the Wells Harbour Railway to the beach, or walk along the Beach Mile bank.
A short footpath runs from the eastern end of the car park to Harbour Station, the quay, and the start of Beach Mile.
For details on alternative parking in Wells, see the Visiting By Car page.
Dogs are allowed on the beach at Wells all year round subject to certain restrictions.
A dog-free zone operates for the first 200 yards of beach from the main entrance so that people can dig in the sand without fear of finding something unpleasant, but there are no restrictions from the pinewoods entrances.
The section of the beach where dogs not allowed is signposted.
At nesting time areas of the beach are roped off to protect nesting birds and people are asked to keep dogs on leads for the same reason.
Dog should be kept on leads until they get on to the beach. It is your responsibility to keep your dog under close supervision and control and you MUST clean up after your dog and use the dog waste bins provided.
Two out of three people rescued by Wells lifeboat crew in 2020 were walkers cut off by the tide. To stay safe, make sure you return to dry beach sand or the dry land by the marshes 4 hours before high tide. Always carry a means of calling for help, ideally a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch.
Look out for local information boards showing the latest daily tide times, or ask a beach warden, car park attendant, or at the Harbour Office or Coastwatch Lookout. You can also download a tide app like Tides Near Me or My Tide Times (App Store / Google Play).
View the RNLI Guide to Water Safety for more information on staying safe by the water in the Wells and Holkham National Nature Reserve areas.
Wells RNLI lifeboat station is situated at the eastern edge of the beach. It houses an all-weather lifeboat and an inshore lifeboat to save lives and assist with emergencies around Wells and off the North Norfolk coast.
Wells Lifeboat crew and helpers are on stand-by 24 hours a day, every day of the year. If required they are summoned by radio pager and will quickly make their way to the boathouse, usually by driving to the end of Beach Road and then running across the beach.
The boathouse is generally manned during working hours on weekdays. Presently, access to the boathouse is restricted to those involved in lifesaving activity or by prior agreement.
The boathouse will hopefully be open once again to visitors for open evenings and other key events in the near future.
For more information visit Wells Lifeboat.
The best time to appreciate and enjoy the vast open spaces of Wells beach is when the tide is out. To check the weather forecast and tide times for the next few days, visit our Weather page.
A number of beach huts are available to hire by the day or week.
