North Norfolk Beach Guide

Exploring the magnificent beaches along the North Norfolk coast

Norfolk is blessed with some of the most beautiful and breathtaking beaches in the UK. From sunsets at Snettisham to horses at Holkham, the cliffs at Hunstanton to the seals at Blakeney, North Norfolk’s beaches are spectacular and unique. Our essential guide provides detailed information and photos of every beach.

A row of colourful beach huts on stilts in the sand at Wells beach, backed by mature pinewoods.

Wells-next-the-Sea Beach

The best beach in the UK!
Wells is justifiably famous for its fabulous beach. Boundless fine, golden sand, colourful beach huts, cool scented pinewoods, plentiful wildlife, a miniature train for tired little legs – Wells beach has something for everyone.
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Horse riders on the beach at Holkham.

Holkham Beach

The beach for soft sand, blue skies and riding your horse
An immense, shallow beach which seems to go on forever. Holkham has a vast expanse of firm golden sand that’s simply perfect for building sandcastles and taking the horse out for a spin.
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Blakeney Point Beach

The beach for seal spotting and bird watching
A 4-mile shingle and sand spit famous for its breeding colonies of common and grey seals. You can visit this National Trust-managed nature reserve by foot or regular boat trips from Morston Quay.
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Sandy beach and dog walkers at Brancaster in Norfolk.

Brancaster Beach

The beach for kite surfing and building sandcastles
A beautiful and popular beach with soft golden sand. Perfect for dog-walking, kite sports and family picnics, there’s a surprising frisson of danger lurking out on the sands.
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The empty beach during low tide at Old Hunstanton with marram grass in the dunes.

Old Hunstanton Beach

The beach for kitesurfing, dog walking and lying in the dunes
A wide, sandy beach backed by dunes with beach huts nestled within, Old Hunstanton Beach is quiet and close-to-nature, without any of the noisy amusements or other trappings of a busy holiday resort.
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Holme beach with sea holly and marram grass in the sand dunes.

Holme Beach

The beach for long walks and dodging golf balls
A vast and undiscovered sandy beach that’s never crowded on even the busiest summer’s day. Walk for miles and enjoy the peace, isolation and undisturbed natural landscape.
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A row of colourful beach huts on the promenade at Sheringham.

Sheringham Beach

The beach that rewards good timing
A busy seaside resort with a long well-kept promenade and lifeguards on duty in summer. Keep a close eye on the tide times if you want to enjoy the sandy but elusive beach.
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Distant view of Hunstanton from beach at low tide.

Hunstanton – Main Beach

The beach for family fun and amusements
A bustling Victorian coastal resort with a funfair, amusement arcades, pony rides, watersports and amphibious coastal cruises. The classic family seaside experience.
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The cliffs and boulders at Hunstanton beach.

Hunstanton – North Beach

The beach with the striped cliffs and strange boulders
One of the most famous and recognisable geographical features in Norfolk. A designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, this is a place to search, explore, discover and wonder.
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A dog walker at Thornham beach on a sunny day.

Thornham Beach

The beach for discovering the wild beauty of nature
A mile-long walk along the Norfolk Coast Path, through a picturesque landscape of marshes, wild flowers and reed beds, leads to this fine, sandy beach. Wild, remote and beautiful.
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Sand dunes and crystal clear water at Burnham Overy Staithe beach.

Burnham Overy Staithe Beach

The beach with soft pale sand and a beautiful scenic walk
An idyllic walk between grazing marshes and sailing boats, past meandering creeks and grassy dunes, leads to a vast, quiet, breathtakingly beautiful beach.
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Grassy dunes and an empty beach at Titchwell.

Titchwell Beach

The beach for bird watching and discovering buried wreckage
On the edge of RSPB Titchwell Nature Reserve, and reached via a walk alongside the lagoons of the reserve, it’s mostly wild and natural, with some reminders of the area’s military history.
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Vehicles and fishing equipment on Cley beach.

Cley Beach

The beach for birdwatching, beautiful views and barbecues
Surrounded by idyllic and unspoiled countryside views, grazing marshes and saline lagoons rich in wildlife, and the raw power of the North Sea, Cley Beach is a place to immerse yourself in nature.
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The sandy cliffs and pebble beach at Weybourne.

Weybourne Beach

The pebble beach with the golden sandstone cliffs
With deep drifts of smooth pebbles, crashing waves, crumbling iron-orange & white cliffs, and picturesque countryside views, Weybourne Beach is strange, beautiful and full of surprises.
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The pebble beach under a blue sky at Salthouse.

Salthouse Beach

The beach for fishing, walking and contemplation
A place of contradictions – windy and warm, bleak and beautiful, featureless and full of life. A place to tune out and clear your mind, and appreciate being at one with the world.
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Walkers on the beach as the sun sets at Snettisham.

Snettisham Beach

The beach for sunset walks and “Snettisham Spectaculars”
Wild and natural, a favourite spot for dog walking and enjoying uninterrupted sunsets. Backed by heath and lagoons, the extensive mudflats attract thousands of wading birds.
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A sandy beach with picnic table under a blue sky at Heacham.

Heacham – South Beach

The beach for dog walking and sunset strolls
A short stretch of beach backed by dunes, chalets, the Heacham River and fields beyond. It’s quiet and peaceful, relatively wild and undeveloped with gorgeous sunset views across The Wash.
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Long concrete steps leading down to the beach at Heacham.

Heacham – North Beach

The beach for watching the evening performance
A favourite beach for dog walkers, the concrete sea defenses provide an easy-access promenade, and the perfect seating to appreciate the evening sun, sea and sky.
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A military pillbox partially buried in the pebbles on Kelling beach.

Kelling Beach

The secret beach for dog walking, running and fishing
Overlooked by the anti-aircraft gun emplacements of its military museum neighbour, and with a lonely pill-box standing guard, the pebble beach at Kelling is small, quiet and virtually unknown.
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Aerial view of properties at Hunstanton south beach.

Hunstanton – South Beach

The beach for launching watercraft and escaping the crowds
The short stretch of beach that Hunstanton forgot, South Beach lies at the southern end of Hunstanton’s beach promenade, marking the transition into Heacham North Beach.
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