Season: summer

Excellent visibility was the order of the day at Burnham Deepdale for this summer visit.  Walking along the sea wall towards Scolt Head Island, I saw a couple of egrets and a redshank.  The sounds of nature resonated and there was a clear view across the salt marsh towards the sea.  This is a birder’s paradise and the walk also leads to the wonderful beaches at Holkham and Wells-Next-The-Sea.  Highly recommended in any weather.

Differing perspectives on the beach from John and Steve.

A fine sight at Burnham Deepdale.

Season: winter

I visited during an afternoon in winter, with a pale sun shedding some light through the intense, stormy sky over Burnham Deepdale.  Although the tide was out and the sea felt miles away, the fragile scale of the sea wall gave this setting a frontier feel.  The greys, browns, blacks and blues of the land melded into the sky, so the environment seemed almost spherical, as if one was standing on a thin ribbon of land in the middle of it all.

Anne and Martin’s place in this environment.

A winter afternoon on the sea wall at Burnham Deepdale.

Season: autumn

Burnham Deepdale is a tranquil and remote part of the Burnhams.  Located next to the village of Brancaster, it lies among the creeks and marshes inside Brancaster Harbour.  The sea wall stretches a mile inland to accommodate the tide, with salt marshes to one side and freshwater meadows in the other direction, affording an outstanding view.  This is a fascinating area, steeped in history, with Nelson’s birthplace, Burnham Thorpe, nearby, along with the Earl of Leicester’s Holkham Estate.

David enjoys the sights, sounds, space and serenity of Burnham Deepdale.