Wells-next-the-Sea and Holkham Beach Walk
Norfolk
This stretch between Wells-next-the-Sea and Holkham is the north Norfolk coast at its most cinematic: miles of pale sand, dark pines and enormous skies. It is dog friendly year round, and for most of the year dogs can run freely across one of the largest open beaches in England once past the pinewoods.
Between 1 April and 31 August dogs must be on a lead in the designated wildlife zones at Holkham to protect ground nesting birds, with around 70 percent of the beach remaining off lead under close control. There is also a permanent dog free zone in the first 200 yards of Wells beach from the main entrance. The walking is flat and easy on firm sand at low tide, softer nearer the dunes, with pine needle tracks in the woods. Lady Anne's Drive and Beach Road both have large pay and display car parks, and Wells town has full facilities; there are seasonal kiosks and toilets at Lady Anne's Drive. Watch the tide on the sand banks, and keep recall sharp near Konik ponies and cattle grazing the NNR saltmarsh behind the dunes.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 8.0 km (5.0 miles)
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Duration
- 2 hr 30 min
- Walk Type
- Coastal, Woodland
- Route Type
- Out and Back
- Off Lead Potential
- High
- Livestock Risk
- Low
- Facilities
- Pay and display car parks at both ends, seasonal cafe and toilets at Lady Anne's Drive, full amenities in Wells town.
- Parking
- Large Holkham Estate pay and display at Beach Road, Wells, and along Lady Anne's Drive in Holkham village (both fill early in summer).
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