NORTH NORFOLK
June is always a month of adventure for us. It is our birthday month and each year we head away on a fun camper trip somewhere in the UK. North Norfolk’s coastline has been on our to-see list for the longest time. We have read of the flat lands, windmills, and the villages full of flint houses and knew that eventually curiosity would get the better of us and we would have to visit. We spent our birthday week driving around in the camper exploring the giant sky landscape, vast stretches of golden sand, heathery marshes and quaint villages that many travel magazines had promised awaited. Find our favourite spots below!
HUNSTANTON
We started our North Norfolk coastal adventure in the seaside town of Hunstanton. We explored the town, with its many coffee shops, ice-cream parlours and typical seaside gift shops before heading down the cliffs to the beach below. Golden sand stretched on for miles as we walked along the edge of the sea, paddling in the rock pools and enjoying the summer sunshine. Afterwards we jumped back in the van and headed towards Eric’s Pizza near Thornham for lunch.Sat on an orchard and next to a farm and fresh fish shop, Eric’s Pizza is located in a yurt, lit up with fairy lights, serving wood-fired pizzas and the best Aperol Spritz. We also stopped in the farm shop for supplies for breakfast the following day.
BURNHAM OVERY STAITHE
We wanted to find somewhere to swim for our next stop and so a quick google search led us to Burnham Overy Staithe. We enjoyed driving through the quaint towns, admiring the marshland and flats along the way, stopping at the tower windmill en route. When we reached the harbour, we parked right on the sand (possibly the most scenic car park of the whole trip) and then swam between the little boats just as the sun began to sink. We dried off by taking a walk along the saltmarshes, looking out to Scolt Head Island in the distance. We watched the sun set and then head off to find a place to park for the night.
SALTHOUSE
We woke up near the national trust beach in the tiny village of Salthouse, next to the Salthouse Marshes. Bright sunshine welcomed us as we clambered over the pebbles to the sea. We spent the morning swimming in the water before making breakfast at our scenic camp up. The saltmarshes here are one of the most popular areas in the county for bird watching and all throughout the night we could hear the birds chirping away. It made for a magical morning. If bird watching is your thing, bring some binoculars and find one of the many bird hides around the Salthouse area to spot some unique wildlife. We headed to Salthouse store in the village for pastries and coffee and we even came back to the village one evening for dinner at The Dun Cow, a gloriously quaint village restaurant serving local dishes. The asparagus was the absolute highlight. Drive up the hill away from the village and discover Salthouse Heath for the best views over Salthouse and the beach below.
CLEY-NEXT-THE-SEA
The next town over from Salthouse is Cley-next-the-Sea, a gorgeous little village, with adorable flint cottages and a dreamy windmill. We traveled back and forth through this town many times on our trip and loved it. We stopped at Pastonacre, a teeny bakery run out of the owners home. We queued up in their driveway to visit the hole in the wall and stocked up on salty foccaccia and sugary doughnuts, admiring the huge loaves of freshly baked sourdough. North Norfolk is most definitely an underrated foodie spot and you will never be short of wonderful, local places to try. Artemis coffee shop across the road from Pastonacre is also a foodie gem. Sit outside on the terrace to enjoy the view of the saltmarshes whilst you sip your coffee. Pockets stuffed with goodies, we headed around the corner to see the famous windmill. We followed the path along to the beach, flatlands either side, as we both agreed the landscape here is unlike anywhere else we’ve seen in the UK. Cley-next-the-Sea is not to be missed!
WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA
Wells-next-the-Sea was one of our favourite spots on our trip. The town has all the charm of a typical seaside resort. Cute cafe’s, little gift shops, boutiques and chip shops are dotted throughout the town. Rows of flint cottages lead down to a boat-filled quay, fishermen stopping to unload fresh shellfish into the town. We grabbed some chips from French’s (highly recommend) and sat at the harbour watching the boats come and go. We then followed the mile-long road down to Wells beach. We walked through the gorgeous smelling pine forest and over the sand dunes to reach the sandy beach, lined with the most colourful beach huts. The weather was on our side as we sat in the sand and soaked up the sunshine. If you are after a longer walk, follow the path along and you’ll come to Holkham Beach, one of the most popular beaches in all of North Norfolk, known for its golden sands and dreamy waters. Like many places along our Norfolk adventure, we would visit Wells-next-the-Sea again before our trip came to an end. Fellow coffee addicts head to GROUND and grab an iced coffee to accompany you on the walk to the beach.
BLAKENEY
We ended the day in the town of Blakeney, where yet more traditional flint cottages, tiny local pubs and boats awaited. We walked along the harbour and then through the salt marshes of the Blakeney Nature Reserve, watching people paddle board and kayak in the evening sun spotting birds as we went. If you visit, take a boat trip from nearby Moreston Quay towards Blakeney Point, where you will spot the home of a large colony of grey seals, North Norfolk’s most famous residents.
HORSEY GAP
The next day, after stopping at yet another lovely coffee shop in Melton Constable (highly recommend a visit to Siding), we followed the coast around to Horsey Gap to seek out some seals for ourselves. We had heard this area was the perfect place to spot some seals without having to go on a boat tour. We walked in the sunshine, paddling our feet in the sand and before we knew it, we’d found the cute creatures playing in the sea. We sat on the steps that line this stretch of coastline and watched as the seals hobbled in and out of the sea. If you love wildlife then you’ll adore North Norfolk.
TRIMINGHAM BEACH
If you are after the perfect place for a sunset, the beach near Trimingham is the best place to watch the sun go down. We arrived here just as the sun was starting to set and stayed into the evening, lighting a campfire on the beach. Sheltered by the cliffs above, this stretch of golden sand was a gem to discover. We parked up nearby for the night and visited again the next morning to have coffee and breakfast on the beach, with Norfolk’s infamous blue sky and clear waters in the background. A blissful way to start another sunny day in Norfolk.
SO MUCH MORE TO DISCOVER
There is so much more to see in North Norfolk and beyond. This is just a round-up of some of our favourite places we visited on the trip. We would recommend spending a good few days in the area, driving between the little flint cottage filled towns and the stunning beaches. The wildlife and landscape is unlike any we have come across before in the UK and for that alone North Norfolk is worth your time. What’s more, you’ll find unforgettable foodie spots, incredible local artists and villages that are undeniably charming along the way.
