Exploring the north Norfolk coast

If I were to sum up north Norfolk, I’d describe it as “like the Cotswolds but with beaches and windmills”.

The northernmost part of East Anglia is absolutely delightful, boasting windswept, picture-perfect beaches, quaint, charming villages and more stately homes than you can shake a stick at.

It’s also very posh. As in so posh, the local petrol station sold fresh fruit and veg, meat, fish, wine, gourmet cookies and high-end frozen meals (it’s where I bought dinner every night!).

It’s teeming with wildlife, too, and I had to stop myself getting distracted when I drove around the countryside, as I was spotting hares, mice and rabbits from my car and had to dodge countless suicidal pheasants.

I spent a few days in a rented cottage on the coast near Heacham in March 2022 and had a wonderful time pootling around the area, discovering its many charms.

Here’s my short guide to a few of the gorgeous spots I visited during my time on the north Norfolk coast…

Hunstanton and Old Hunstanton beaches

This beautiful stretch of the Norfolk coast, overlooking The Wash, is renowned for its red and white striped cliffs and is a wonderful place to blow away the cobwebs.

Notable sights to look out for include the wreck of the steam trawler Sheraton (above), which washed up on the shore after coming loose from its moorings during a storm in the 1940s.

Beyond the striking cliffs, the coast gives way to a series of small sand dunes dotted with beach huts and a golden sandy beach. It makes a pleasant spot from which to watch the sun go down, too (above).

Heacham

This seaside resort on The Wash was once home to the family of John Rolfe, the Englishman who married Pocahontas in the 16th century.

Today, the village plays host to Norfolk Lavender. If you’re a fan of the aromatic shrub, a visit to their farm shop is a must – I ended up taking two huge pots of lavender home with me to Cardiff!

RSPB Titchwell Marsh

This diverse nature reserve run by the RSPB is made up of a variety of habitats, including reed beds, woodland, and fresh and saltwater marshes, and leads onto a sandy stretch of coast.

It’s one of the best places I’ve visited in the UK for bird spotting and I saw loads of species during my afternoon there.

Sandpipers, bearded tits, avocats, egrets, geese and marsh harriers are among the many birds that are known to grace the reserve’s habitats.

And it’s not just birds that call this stretch of coast home, I also spied a toad (above) and muntjac deer as I strolled around.

The large, picturesque reserve is unsurprisingly popular with twitchers, who come to spot and photograph the birds.

I found them all very friendly and welcoming, happily pointing out the different species to a clueless me.

I really enjoyed my afternoon at Titchwell Marsh, it’s a beautiful, tranquil spot and I was glad I’d taken the time to visit.

Burnham Deepdale

There isn’t much to this tiny, charming north Norfolk village, but its quaint church caught my eye as I was driving through, so I stopped to take a look around.

Historic St Mary’s Church dates back to before Norman times – its Saxon round tower is some 950 years old.

Inside, the small church is quite plain, but it features an early Norman font that’s a rare example of a stone calendar (above).

Holkham Estate

I loved my time in north Norfolk, but of all the places I visited, Holkham was by far my favourite.

The Neo-Palladian stately pile, set among 3,000 acres of parkland, is the family home of the Earl of Leicester.

Alongside the impressive mansion, the estate includes a huge lake, a sandy beach, a pine forest and a walled garden (below).

I arrived in the early afternoon and because the estate is so vast, I only had time to walk around part of the park, the walled garden, lake, church and woodland.

In hindsight, I should have planned to spend the whole day there as there’s so much to see.

The highlight of my afternoon? When a herd of deer crossed the path in front of me while I was walking alone through the forest. It was utterly magical and a moment I’ll never forget.

Blakeney National Nature Reserve

This 160-hectare freshwater marsh, situated opposite the village of Cley-next-the-Sea (below), is a lovely spot for a walk.

In the 13th century, the area was home to one of England’s biggest trading ports.

Today, this peaceful stretch of coastal marshland is a wildlife haven, home to hundreds of birds (twitchers abound) and grey seals.

Cley-next-the-Sea

In this picturesque village on the edge of the Cley Marshes, you’ll find a smokehouse, bookshop, deli, pub and more.

Its standout attraction is Cley Windmill (above), which is now a luxury B&B and once belonged to the singer James Blunt’s family.

From the village, you can wander across the marshes to the shingle beach and from there to Blakeney Point, where if you’re lucky, you’ll find the UK’s largest seal colony. Some 4,500 seal pups are born there each year.

Sandringham

Admittedly, this royal estate isn’t on the north Norfolk coast, but it is in north Norfolk and isn’t that far from the coast, which is why I’ve included it.

The secluded stately pile, where the royals decamp at Christmas, is set amid some 20,000 acres and like many royal residences, is open to visitors.

The house and gardens weren’t open when I visited, so instead I ambled around the estate’s arboretum, which boasts plants and trees from all over the world (above), then set off to explore the acres of surrounding parkland.

The estate has a number of walking trails and I spent a pleasant couple of hours ambling around them all.

Info

Norfolk Lavender, Caley Mill, Lynn Rd, Heacham PE31 7JE
norfolk-lavender.co.uk

RSPB Titchwell Marsh, Main Rd, Titchwell, Norfolk PE31 8BB
rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/titchwell-marsh

Holkham Hall and Estate, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1AB
holkham.co.uk

Sandringham Estate, Norfolk PE35 6AB
sandringhamestate.co.uk