Season: autumn
The sandy beach at Wells, backed by dunes and pine trees, is part of the Holkham Estate and leads round to Holkham beach. It stretches for miles to the west into Holkham Bay. Eastwards, the beach continues but can be covered by the tide. In this direction are salt marshes, part of a nature reserve. Sprats and whelks are a local speciality. During the summer, you can take a miniature railway from the town to the beach. The beach is breathtakingly beautiful and has formed the backdrop for many films.
Ruth’s enduring relationship with the beach here via time spent at her beach hut.
An expansive beach at Wells-Next-The-Sea.
Season: summer
The channel by the beach at Wells-next-the-Sea was starting to fill as the fast moving tide careered inwards. In late afternoon the beach huts were starting to empty, but I was lucky enough to catch one family after they had enjoyed a fine day at the beach. The sky was blue and the sand was powdery and golden. It was a classic family day out.
Family times at the beach.
Season: winter
The sense of space on the beach at Wells is breathtaking. If you stand on the permanent dunes in the middle, the panorama takes in beach huts, with Wells Woods behind and an apparently endless vista out to sea across the channel. This is kept clear for the boats that take workers out to service the offshore wind farm. Like it or not, this has been a massive economic boost to the town and increased trade significantly.
What the beach means to Brian and Christine.
The wide expanse of Wells beach.
I grew up by the sea in Portballintrae, just across the beach from the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. So the beach brings back fond memories as a child racing down the sand dunes; camping out and making bonfires on the beach; swimming in all weathers; having the wind blow through my hair and enjoying the sense of freedom.
As an adult whenever I got stressed at work I would go and get a beach ‘fix’; the wind would clear my head and the sense of infinity would restore my soul.
Nowadays, since my husband died and I have a little dog (Zuki) the beach has another purpose. I now have a caravan at Wells-next-the-Sea and Zuki and I take long walks on the huge expanse of dog friendly beach all the way to Holkham and play ball endlessly – I am refreshed and we are both content. After our walk and play it is a stop at the dog friendly Wells Beach Café for Zuki’s favourite sausage roll. There are so many dog friendly places in Wells and Holkham for us to enjoy and the beaches are dog friendly all year round.
The beach is where I feel at home; at peace and immensely happy and it is great to have my little dog by my side to enjoy it with me.
The North Norfolk coast is like no other, especially come winter when the beaches are almost empty. Stroll out over the grassy banks, through pine forests and tidal flanks, and you are met with wider than wide skies and sand as far as the eye can see. Our beaches here give you a chance to breath, unwind and lose yourself. I try and escape to them with my husband, children and collie as much as possible. Who needs to dream when there’s such a true paradise on your doorstep?