Wells-next-the-Sea Beach

Wells-next-the-Sea is famous for its award-winning beach. Considered by many to be the best in the country, Wells Beach has something for everyone.

There are vast, seemingly endless expanses of soft, golden sand to walk on; raised dunes to lie in for privacy and shelter; abundant space to fly a kite or play beach games; crystal-clear water to paddle and swim in; shaded pinewoods to explore – the list goes on and on.

On any sunny day you’ll find all these things and more.

Wells Beach is 1.4km (0.9mi) between Holkham Beach to the west and the deep water channel to the east. The beach has a gentle slope and is therefore very wide – at low tide the sea can be over 1km (0.6mi) away!

Birdwatchers can observe the terns, oystercatchers, avocets and other waders feeding along the foreshore and around the edge of tidal pools, with birds of prey hovering over the pinewoods. Beyond the Corsican pines lie the grazing marshes and saltmarshes of the Holkham National Nature Reserve.

If you’re lucky you can watch seals basking in the sunshine at the water’s edge.

Dog owners have both the expanse of the beach to walk on, plus the added bonus of the cool, shaded pinewoods for dogs to explore. The Norfolk Coast Path runs between the pinewoods and the grazing marshes of the nature reserve and eastwards to Holkham Gap.

The car park is situated right next to the beach, so you don’t have far to walk. At the beach entrance there’s the dog-friendly Wells Beach Café with a shop selling beach essentials, a Joules clothing store, and a toilet block with showers.

Lifeguards are on duty from 10am – 6pm during the summer months. There is a Lifeguard hut some way along the beach and a Coastwatch lookout post at the entrance.

Wells Beach is connected to the town, approximately 1 mile away, by Beach Road. You can walk on the raised bank with a walkway that offers gorgeous views over the harbour and the quay, or you can take the Wells Beach Bus. The much-loved miniature railway was decommissioned in 2021. The beach bus provides a convenient way for tired toddlers to get back to town after an active day at the beach.

Wells Beach has everything you could wish for, and yet despite its popularity, it’s so big that it never feels crowded.

For further information on Wells Beach, including the Lifeboat Station which is often open to visitors, see Wells Beach.

There is a large car park at the entrance to Wells Beach, run by Holkham Estate. It is located approximately 1 mile from the town centre. For Sat Nav directions use postcode NR23 1DR.

Parking charges apply.

The all day ticket allows free parking on the same day in Holkham Park during the visitor season.

Coaches, caravans and trailers are prohibited and the car park is locked at night with no overnight parking permitted.

For prices and opening times visit the Holkham website.

Alternatively there is parking at the Wells Town Car Park or the Freeman Street car park in town, and you can walk to the beach or take the Beach Bus from the top of Beach Road by the recreation field down to the beach.

For more details on parking in Wells-next-the-Sea see our Visiting By Car page.

The Lynx operated Coastliner 36 service drops off on Freeman Street (The Ark Royal stop) which is the closest bus service for Wells Beach. From there you can walk along the raised bank (running alongside Beach Road) down to the beach, about 1.7km (1.1mi).

Alternatively, between Easter and October, you can catch the Wells Beach Bus from the top of Beach Road by the recreation field down to the beach.

The Coastliner 36 service also drops off at The Buttlands in the centre of town, as does the Sanders Coaches operated Coasthopper CH1 service.  This adds an additional 400m to the journey.

For details of bus services in Wells-next-the-Sea and along the coast, see our Visiting By Bus page.

Just before the entrance to Wells beach you’ll find the Wells Beach Café which serves hot and cold food, sells drinks and ice creams, and is very dog friendly. Dogs can look forward to puppuccinos, treats, doggy ice-creams and a Bark Up Bar.

Inside there’s a gift shop selling beach toys and other beach essentials.

A Joules clothes shop is just a few steps away.

Pinewoods Holiday Park, around 400m back down Beach Road, has a well-stocked general store serving the park visitors. There’s an access path leading from the south side of the car park so  you don’t need to walk along the roadside.

A toilet block with shower located at the entrance to the car park.

The raised bank , leading from the town to the beach entrance is wheelchair friendly and has ramps at both ends.

• There are steps to the beach over the dunes from the west end of the car park.
• Ramps are provided at the east end of the car park and the end of Beach Road.
• Further access points can be found along the path which runs parallel to the beach  through the pinewoods, incorporating steps rising over the bank and down to the beach.
• There is no formal disabled access along the beach itself, however a solid footway runs for about 50m westward from the beach access point in front of the Coastwatch lookout.
• Beach wheelchairs are not provided.
• Several flights of steps supplement the ramps. All steps have handrails.

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.

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.

In order to avoid the dog-free zone at the entrance to the beach, you can access the beach using one of the flights of steps that rise up over the dunes and down onto the beach. These can found along the northern edge of the car park and on the path that runs through the pinewoods.

The Wells Beach Café is very dog friendly – canine companions can enjoy puppuccinos and doggy ice-creams. Dogs are welcome inside the café and the shop stocks a selection of dog treats and accessories.

RNLI Lifeguards and Coastwatch volunteers watch the beach from July to September 10am to 6pm daily.

First aid is available from the Lifeguards when operating.