Norfolk has some of the best beaches in Britain - some are sandy, some have shingle, and some are lined by dunes or cliffs. And you can always get away from the crowds on a sunny day by visiting a beach at a quiet coastal village or just off the Norfolk Coast Path.
Below is a selection of the beaches for you to enjoy:
- Brancaster - A huge sandy beach which never gets crowded. It is lined by dunes and a nature reserve. Popular venue for kite surfing.
- Cley - Covered in pebbles, this is a quiet beach. Behind it is the renowned birdwatching site of Cley marshes.
- Cromer - This traditional seaside resort has a long sandy beach, towering cliffs and a pier with a lifeboat station at the end. Great for family days out on the beach and also for surfing.
- Holkham - Long sandy beach fringed by dunes and pine trees. It has a naturist section at the far end. Gwyneth Paltrow was filmed walking along this beach in the closing scene of Shakespeare in Love.
- Hunstanton - Sandy beach running in front of a promenade and extending beneath its famous candy-striped cliffs to Old Hunstanton. Plenty of pools to explore around the groynes and the rocks in front of the cliffs. The North Prom is a starting point for windsurfing and Old Hunstanton is a popular spot for kite surfing.
- Sheringham - Mainly pebbles on this beach, but at low tide a band of sand and rock pools is exposed. Close to the town centre with its traditional shops, cafes and steam railway.
- Wells - The beach is about a mile from the town centre, and you can reach it by walking from the quay, driving to the car park, or ride on the miniature train in the summer. The beach is sandy and lined by beach huts, dunes and pinewoods. Walking west will bring you to Holkham beach.
- Great Yarmouth - The sandy beach stretches for 15 miles, north to Winterton and south to Hopton. The beach is lined by sand dunes and has seaside amusements including donkey rides and bouncy castles. The focal point for Great Yarmouth's seafront is the bustling Marine Parade, where you will find ice-creams, candyfloss, pubs, clubs, cafes, tea-rooms, restaurants, gardens and crazy golf.