The Norfolk Explorer

Norfolk is known for its skies. If you stand in some of the many beautiful open spaces you’ll see a huge sky, spanning for what seems like the entire horizon.

It’s also known for being one of the darkest counties. With so little light pollution in the east of the country, we are blessed with the ability to see thousands of stars at night and even the milky way without a telescope.

And some of the best places you can do this are at our formidable beaches. Here’s a guide to the best.

1. Hunstanton

I’m biased because I used to live here, but Hunstanton is a beaut. “New” Hunstanton town is perfectly pleasant with the amenties you’d expect (I’m talking chippies), and plenty of arcades, but head to Old Hunstanton and you’ll find a beautiful beach with the most stunning tri-coloured sandstone and chalk cliffs.

There’s also another reason to love Hunstanton beach and that’s the direction it faces. Whilst Hunstanton lies in the east of the country, due to the position of where it sits in the “hump” of East Anglia, it actually faces west, meaning that you can see a stunning sun setting right on the water whilst actually being in the east.

A great place for all the family with handy bus links along the coastal path.

2. Horsey

Along with the beauty of our beaches, there’s a rather special beach that also happens to be home to some very cute seals.

Horsey beach is known for having the largest colony of grey seals in the UK and they are a sight to behold.

Park at the Horsey Windpump car park (free if you are a National Trust member) and walk towards the beach along the fields and marvel at the adorable sea dogs. In the winter months when they are pupping, you cannot go on the beach, but during the rest of the year it is fine, just be sure to keep your distance.

Horsey is also right in the heart of the Norfolk Broads so you get two for the price of one!

3. Cromer

In the heart of north Norfolk sits a beachside town perfect for a fun-filled family day out.

Not only is Cromer home to the traditional seaside amenities (crazy golf, arcades and shops) it also has the formidable Victorian wooden pier jutting out. It is home to one of only five ‘end of the pier’ theatres in the UK and the only full season ‘end of the pier show‘ in the world!

It’s also the perfect place to sit with your chippies, enjoy the sea view or take in a spot of crabbing off the railings. Cromer is also one of four beaches in Norfolk to have a Blue Flag for cleanliness of the water, and as someone who regularly swims here, I can see why!

4. Happisburgh

Firstly, what’s funny about Happisburgh is how you pronounce it. The English language is well known for having words that sound nothing like they are spelled, and some of the places in Norfolk are no exception.

Happisburgh = hays-borough. Of course it would!

Aside from the interesting name, it is also perhaps just as famous for its candy-striped lighthouse, sitting proudly atop the cliffs and acting as a landmark on the horizon.

There’s not an awful lot in Happisburgh, but I think that’s what gives it its charm. You can park on the cliff, explore the cliff top and the lighthouse and then walk down onto the beach below. And that sand is some of the nicest sand in Norfolk in my opinion.

The walk along the beach from the beach carpark to the lifeboat station is a pleasant walk, and not too far.

5. Holkham

I’ll start by saying that this is an award-winning beach. That’s right, it’s regularly winning awards for how beautiful this beach truly is.

It’s also a Royal beach, which is perhaps why it regularly takes the top spot. I’ve actually been on the beach whilst Kate, Wills and family were having a walk. It was a crisp early January morning, we’d spotted what looked like a bodyguard up at the sand dunes, and as we walked closer, sure enough the family were taking their dog for a walk by the waters edge!

It’s part of the Holkham Estate with the beautiful sandy beach stretching for miles and the nature reserve just behind. From Holkham you can walk towards Wells-Next-The-Sea in the easterly direction, and Burnham Overy Staithe towards the west.

Holkham is a wonderful place for nature lovers, with wildlife and flora and fauna appearing in their abundance here. There’s a lookout spot in the heart of the reserve, and a quaint little café and toilets to refuel.

Other notable mentions

The above five beaches showcase a great selection of what the Norfolk coastline has to offer, with enough choice between a gentle stroll on the beach to a busier spot for the kiddies.

Here are some others I love that I also want to mention:

• Sea Palling – a lovely quiet beach just down from Horsey, so you can still expect to see some seals bobbing along in the water
• East Runton – another one of the four beaches to receive a Blue Flag award for cleanliness and just down the road from Cromer. Quieter than its neighbour, a great chippy and lovely water
• Great Yarmouth – I couldn’t leave this off the list. It’s not personally to my taste, but even I’ll admit that sometimes I want a bit of classic seaside cheese, and Yarmouth has plenty of that! Pleasure Beach rides, crazy golf, an aquarium and all the chips and doughnuts you could want