Season: summer
An art exhibition was taking place, including a few installations on the beach itself. Keen birdwatchers thronged the top of the shingle beach and a redshank was perched on a post top on the approach road. There’s a great walk northwards from here along to Blakeney to see the seals. Behind the beach, the village of Cley-Next-The-Sea features excellent independent food shops and pretty, indigenous flint cottages. Like nearby Salthouse, the beach seems to be a different shape on each visit, a reminder of the power of the sea. With this in mind, here’s a link to our own adaptive relationship to the sea – Cley Smokehouse – innovative fishing boat trailer.
What the beach means to Heidi and Paul.
Season: winter
Summer and art on the beach.
Season: summer
The beach at Cley-Next-The-Sea is sparse and natural, with the odd fishing boat pulled up on the higher reaches of the steep shingle beach. It’s a favourite with anglers and bird watchers, who come to enjoy the migratory and resident birds. This is a great place to get back to nature.
Rob’s reason to be here.
The steep beach at Cley-Next-The-Sea.
Season: winter
With just one boat pulled up onto the higher reaches of the steep shingle, Cley beach was quiet for this visit. The long stretch north to Blakeney Point featured just two birdwatchers, whom I interviewed. The overcast sky fused into the horizon and the brightly coloured pebbles and shells provided the visual counterpoint. The mood was laconic and slightly wistful.
The pleasure of the beach for Nick and Amy.
On an almost deserted winter beach at Cley-Next-The-Sea.
Season: autumn
Pronounced “Cly”, Cley-Next-The-Sea sits in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty between Blakeney and Holt on the main coast road between Wells-Next-The-Sea and Sheringham. This is a well-to-do part of the county and the scenery is outstanding. The Norfolk Coastal Path passes this way and the area is also popular with birdwatchers.
With (Richard) Skipper, fishing on a shifting beach at Cley-Next-The-Sea.
A big sky above the beach and the marshes.
I moved to North Norfolk 6 yrs ago – Gods own country!
It is a beautiful & largely unspoilt part of the world, with lovely people, great beaches & sea-scrapes & fantastic sea-side towns & villages, notably Sheringham, beautiful countryside & of course the amazing city of Norwich – what else could anybody want?!
WE LOVE IT!
I’m looking forward to a soul enhancing stroll along here very soon … a walk by the sea seems to transform the mind – issues and dilemmas become less so – not sure why this happens – maybe its just by taking time out and getting some head space.
The beach is a way to the sea. My boat at Cley supplies much of our local produce direct from the sea, including crab and lobster. There’s a sustainability to the whole process and to our part in the local community. It’s all part of Cley.