Norfolk Coastal Walks with Beaches, Dunes and Sea Views

Norfolk is one of the best counties in England for coastal walking. The routes are usually easygoing, but they still give you plenty of variety: wide beaches, dunes, pinewoods, salt marsh, cliffs, piers, fishing villages and nature reserves.

The Norfolk Coast Path is the main long-distance route. It links Hunstanton, Brancaster, Wells-next-the-Sea, Blakeney, Cley, Sheringham and Cromer, then continues east along the wider Norfolk coast. Many of the walks below use sections of this route, so they’re easy to adapt if you want a shorter or longer day.

Dog rules change from beach to beach. Some Norfolk beaches welcome dogs all year, while others have seasonal restrictions from spring to early autumn. Always check the signs at the beach entrance before setting off. You may also find it helpful to read our dog friendly beach holiday guide for more tips and advice.

Old Hunstanton is a good place to start if you want a beach walk without navigating the busier part of Hunstanton. The beach sits below striped cliffs and has wide sand at low tide. From here, you can walk north-east towards Holme-next-the-Sea, passing dunes, beach huts and open views across The Wash.

The walk is easy to follow if you stay near the beach, but tide times are definitely a factor. At high tide, parts of the beach can become narrower, so check conditions before setting out. Holme Dunes National Nature Reserve sits near the far end of the route and is known for birds, salt marsh and dunes.

Brancaster Beach gives you one of the widest beach walks on the north Norfolk coast. The beach is backed by dunes and looks out towards Scolt Head Island, a long shingle and sand barrier island managed as a nature reserve.

An easy walk starts from Brancaster Beach car park and follows the sand west or east depending on the tide. At low tide, the beach opens out into a huge stretch of sand. There are also views towards the remains of the SS Vina, a shipwreck on the sands. We recommend you don’t walk out to it, as the surrounding sand and tide can be dangerous.

This is a good walk for people who want space rather than a village-to-village route. The main things to watch are tide times, soft sand and exposed conditions. There’s little shelter once you’re out on the beach.

This is one of the best walks on the Norfolk coast if you want a mix of creek, dunes and beach. Start at Burnham Overy Staithe and follow the raised bank beside the creek towards the dunes. From there, you can continue through the dunes and out onto the beach, with Holkham Bay opening up ahead.

The first part of the walk follows the water, with boats, salt marsh and wide skies. Once you reach the dunes, the route becomes sandier and more exposed. At Holkham, the beach is huge at low tide, with pinewoods behind the sand and long views along the coast.

Holkham National Nature Reserve is one of the main landmarks on this stretch. Holkham Hall is inland, while Wells-next-the-Sea is further east along the beach and through the pinewoods. The Lookout Café at Lady Anne’s Drive is a handy stop if you extend the walk towards Holkham Gap.

Wells-next-the-Sea is one of the most popular starting points for a coastal walk in the East of England. The beach is reached by Beach Road from the town, with the harbour and quay inland from the sand. Once you reach the beach, the route towards Holkham Gap is clear and rewarding.

The walk follows the line of colourful beach huts, then continues along the sand or through the pinewoods towards Holkham. The beach is wide, and the pinewoods give some shelter from the wind. At Holkham Gap, you can stop near the Lookout Café before returning the same way.

Wells itself is worth a visit before or after the walk. The quay, granary building, narrow-gauge railway, shops and fish and chip shops make it one of the busiest coastal towns in north Norfolk.

Blakeney is one of the best places in Norfolk for a marsh walk. The village has a quay, flint cottages, cafés, pubs and access to the Coast Path. From the quay, you can walk west towards Morston or east towards Cley.

The shorter option is Blakeney to Morston and back. This follows the edge of the salt marsh, with views over creeks and mudflats. Morston Quay is the main departure point for boat trips to see seals around Blakeney Point. The National Trust manages Blakeney National Nature Reserve, which includes salt marsh, shingle, dunes and important wildlife habitats.

For a longer walk, continue east from Blakeney towards Cley-next-the-Sea. Cley is known for its windmill, smokehouse, flint buildings and Norfolk Wildlife Trust visitor centre. The walk is mostly flat, but it can feel exposed in wind or rain.

This is a more exposed walk than the beach routes around Wells and Holkham. Start at Cley-next-the-Sea and head east along the Coast Path towards Salthouse and Weybourne. The route passes close to Cley Marshes, shingle banks, reedbeds and open sea.

Cley Marshes is one of Norfolk’s best-known birdwatching sites. The windmill is a major local landmark, and the village has cafés, a deli and the Cley Smokehouse. From Cley, the path heads towards Salthouse, then continues along the coast to Weybourne.

The beach here is shingle rather than sand. Walking on shingle is slower and harder on the legs, so allow more time than the distance suggests. The coast is open and can be windy, with little shelter along some sections.

The walk from Weybourne to Sheringham gives you a different type of Norfolk coast. The land starts to rise, and the route moves from shingle and low coast towards cliffs, heath and views over the North Sea.

From Weybourne, follow the Coast Path east. The route passes Weybourne Hope and heads towards Sheringham Park and the cliffs above the town. This part of the coast has more height than the marshes further west, so it gives better viewpoints and a bit more effort.

Sheringham is a great Norfolk town for beach holidays and is a good place to finish. The town has a beach, promenade, shops, cafés, pubs, the North Norfolk Railway and a fishing history linked with crab and lobster. Sheringham Museum sits near the seafront and is worth visiting if you are interested in the local maritime history.

This is one of the best short walks on the Norfolk coast if you want sea views and a clear start and finish. The route links two of Norfolk’s best-known seaside towns and uses clifftop paths, beach sections and the Coast Path.

From Sheringham, head east and climb towards Beeston Bump. This hill is one of the most recognisable landmarks on the route and gives wide views across the coast. From there, the path continues towards West Runton, East Runton and Cromer.

Cromer is a good finish point because there’s plenty to do when you arrive. The pier, Pavilion Theatre, beach, promenade, RNLI lifeboat station and Cromer Museum are all close to the centre. Cromer is also closely linked with Cromer crab, and there are plenty of places to eat after the walk.

Overstrand is a quieter village east of Cromer and west of Mundesley, with a beach, cliffs and a more residential feel than the larger resorts. The walk from Overstrand to Cromer gives you sea views and a shorter route than Sheringham to Cromer.

You can walk along the clifftop path where open, following signs towards Cromer, or use beach sections when tide and conditions allow. The cliffs on this part of the coast are prone to erosion, so check the route and keep away from cliff edges.

Winterton-on-Sea is one of the best places on the east Norfolk coast for a beach and dune walk. The village has a sandy beach, large dune system and access to long routes towards Horsey and Hemsby.

A good route starts at Winterton Beach and heads north along the sand or through the dunes towards Horsey Gap. This stretch is known for grey seals, especially in winter when pups are born. If seals are present, keep well away and never walk between a seal and the sea.

The dunes are part of the appeal, but they are also sensitive. Stick to paths where possible and avoid fenced-off areas. The beach can feel remote once you leave Winterton, so take water and check the weather.

Sea Palling sits on the east Norfolk coast and is known for its sandy beach and offshore reefs. The walk south towards Happisburgh gives you beach, dunes, sea defences and one of Norfolk’s most recognisable lighthouses.

This route needs planning because the coastline is affected by erosion, and beach walking depends on tide and conditions. In places, you may need to use inland paths or lanes rather than staying on the sand. Check the route before setting out.

Happisburgh Lighthouse is the main landmark at the far end. The village is also known for coastal erosion, with cliff loss clearly visible in the surrounding area. Keep away from cliff edges and do not walk below unstable cliffs.

For wide sand and dunes, start with Old Hunstanton, Brancaster, Holkham or Winterton. For salt marsh and wildlife, Blakeney, Morston, Cley and Salthouse are better choices. For cliff views and seaside towns, Sheringham to Cromer is the easiest route to plan.

See Best Beaches in Norfolk for Families >

Tide times matter on this coast. Large beaches such as Holkham, Wells, Brancaster and Red Wharf-style tidal areas can change a lot between low and high water. Some shingle and cliff routes are harder underfoot than they look on a map.

Dog owners have plenty of choice in Norfolk, but summer restrictions apply on several popular beaches, including Cromer, Sheringham, West Runton, Overstrand, Mundesley and Sea Palling. Holkham, Old Hunstanton and Winterton are often better options for dog walks, but wildlife rules still matter.

See Norfolk Dog Friendly Coastal Cottages >

A well-placed stay can make these walks much easier, especially if you want to leave the car behind for part of the day. Browse our Norfolk coastal accommodation to compare nearby options.