Big skies and sandy beaches: five of the best in Norfolk

Holkham Beach

Consistently voted Britain’s most beautiful beach, Holkham is glorious. Come for a vast golden sweep of sand, undulating dunes and a bird- and wildlife-rich salt marsh, all framed by tall marching pinewoods. It’s easy to see why it often features as a film location, including the adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go in 2010. Part of the unspoilt 9,600-acre National Nature Reserve, conservation and sustainability are part of the lifeblood here with rare species and biodiverse habitats all carefully protected. Meandering paths shoot off through the woodland to the expansive and pristine shore. Families, nature lovers and bird enthusiasts will all love it here, and dogs are welcome year-round but must be kept on a lead to protect nesting birds between April and August. 

Stay a 15-minute or so drive away at Suaeda Cottage, a comfortable, traditional cottage on the beautiful North Norfolk coast. Villages to explore, wildlife, sandy beaches, sea air and long walks.

Horsey Beach

Wild and unspoilt, Horsey Gap is where you go to escape the crowds and the ice cream vans – you’ll barely see another soul and, even in summer, there’s plenty of room to bag a patch on the sand. Behind you are a vast series of dunes and in front, the UK’s largest grey seal colony. Numbers have been steadily increasing with over 3,500 seal pups born along this beautiful stretch of coastline in the 2023/24 season which runs from the end of October to February. There are designated viewing platforms so you can watch without disturbing the pups or their mothers and dogs must be kept on leads. There are zero facilities here so don’t forget to pack a picnic. 

Stay a 10-minute drive away at The Grain Barn, a stylish timber frame eco build, clad with recycled steel and with an upstairs living space to make the most of the glorious sunsets. 

Brancaster Beach

Part of the Brancaster Estate, Brancaster Beach is an endless expanse of golden sand stretching for miles in both directions. When the tide is out, it’s a perfect spot for beach-combing and shell-collecting. Often the tideline washes in hundreds of razor clams. Dog walks, sand castles, kite flying, a small wooden shop with beachy supplies, Brancaster has it all. Visit Branodunum, an intriguing Roman monument, now a grassy meadow home to skylarks. Explore the coastline on the coast path, soaking up panoramic views of the saltmarsh across to Brancaster Harbour and Scolt Head Island National Nature Reserve. If you’re lucky enough to glimpse thousands of over-wintering pink footed geese flying over the estate to roost as the sun sinks over the horizon, it’ll be an experience to remember.  

Stay a 10-minute drive away at Sextons Place, come for big open skies, sweeping beaches and the charming towns of north Norfolk from this pretty flintstone cottage in Docking village.

Winterton-on-sea

Regardless of the tides, Winterton beach enjoys a huge pale sweep of sand and very few visitors. Come for endless rolling dunes with criss-crossing paths to pick your way through on one side and the mesmerising rotations of a wind farm on the other. A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a National Landscape (previously an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) Winterton is a haven for breeding and overwintering birds including terns as well as being home to the rare Natterjack Toad that breeds in the shallow pools behind the main dune ridge. With a small mobile café for a quick refuel, dogs welcomed all year and an easy trip from the car park, this one’s a winner. 

Stay in the village at Mill Farm Threshing Barn, two stylish eco barns with generous hampers – Threshing Barn sleeps 8, Hay Barn 2. Close to village, beach & pub, with friendly owners close by. 

Mundesley Beach

This narrow, award-winning beach is hugely popular and a firm favourite with families. At low tide, it’s safe for swimming and paddling and there’s a jaunty promenade dotted with colourful beach huts framing the sands. There’s a special dog-friendly zone between May and September and the RNLI keeps a watchful eye in summer. Behind, clifftops rise up to a dinky maritime museum, believed to be the smallest in the UK, and pretty coastal gardens – perfect for a picnic stop off. The village has a clutch of shops and eateries if you forget to pack one!

Stay a 10-minute drive away at The Willows Cottage, escape to this cosy, restful cottage – a stroll from the village pub, close to the coast – for birders, walkers and loafers, and their dogs.

View all our special places to stay in Norfolk >

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