Norfolk Beaches To Visit In May
May 1, 2022

Who doesn’t love a day out at the beach? The sound of the ocean, sand between your toes, ice cream in your hand. It’s a cheap, easy way to have fun with the family this summer.

Holkham Beach

Holkham Beach is one of the best beaches in Norfolk, if not England. Along the beach, it has crisp golden sands which many can take a stroll down to the water’s edge. Even when it’s full of hustle and bustle on the beach, you will still always find a peaceful, private place to relax. 

Holkham is also a haven for nature with the beach backing onto windswept dunes, salt marshes and the Holkham pines, a large belt of pine trees. All of this is part of a National Nature Reserve which is managed by Natural England and the Holkham estate and covers 11 miles of the Norfolk Coast.

Brancaster Beach

Brancaster is a beautiful beach full of perfect sands and is an all-year-round favourite. With miles of beach, there is plenty of room for picnics and family time. Brancaster also offers some cool activities like windsurfing, kit surfing, various buggies and many more. It is also known to be a dog-friendly beach which is said to be one of the best in Norfolk. There are a few facilities including the Brancaster Kiosk and plenty of parking. At low tide, the shipwreck of the SS Vina becomes visible. However, you should only admire it from a safe distance.

Cromer Beach

Cromer is a traditional Victorian seaside resort known for swimming and surfing. Many of the buildings in the town date back to the Victorian era, although the town has expanded rapidly in the last fifty years. Popular activities in Cromer Beach include building sandcastles, swimming, watersports and rock pooling at a low tide. The pier is also a good spot for sea angling. There are lessons and equipment for surfing available. 

The facilities are good, with toilets, shops, food stands and a slipway. Beach parking is available at the clifftop. From here, access to the beach is fairly steep but there is a lift connecting the town with the promenade and beach.

Old Hunstanton Beach

Hunstanton is a sunny beach with shadowed areas making the beach relatively sheltered from sea breezes and an excellent place to enjoy watching the sunset.

Hunstanton beach is remarkable for its striking pink and white striped cliffs, formed from a combination of Norfolk carrstone and white chalk. The spacious beach area has plenty of interesting rock pools for visitors to enjoy, and young explorers may be lucky enough to find fossils among the rocks and shingle.

The charming, Victorian resort of Hunstanton was purpose-built in 1846 and retains a particular type of old-world charm. Visitors will find the arcades and other traditional British beach holiday attractions that one would expect. The promenade is home to Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary, which features an underwater tunnel and a seal hospital.  

Wells – Next to See Beach

At low water, Wells beach has huge open views and miles upon miles of sands and shallow channels to enjoy. When the tide comes in, the beach is transformed into a harbour, with the entrance channel suddenly busy with visiting yachts, fishing boats setting out for the day or returning with their catch, local small boats going out to fish as well as clouds of small sailing boats racing or cruising within the harbour. The golden sands are backed by colourful beach huts which have been the subject of many a painting and postcard. The popular Beach Cafe nearby is perfect for refreshments during your visit.

Sheringham Beach

Sheringham, on the Deep History Coast, is a traditional seaside town with an amazing family-friendly beach, heritage steam railway, shops selling local produce and fantastic coastal and countryside walks. The sea there is nice and accessible, making it easy for you and your little ones to go for a dip.