EAST OF ENGLAND
04. Sea Palling, Norfolk
Distance: 2.3 miles/3.7km | Time: 1.5 hours | Grade: Easy | Total ascent: 32m
Enjoy a walk from Waxham along the Norfolk coast to the classic little seaside village of Sea Palling, with its ice creams, fish and chips, amusement arcades and more. The sandy horseshoe bay – often visited by seals – is the perfect spot for a refreshing mid-walk swim before returning on the coast path between sand dunes. You can see the work undertaken here, including the creation of nine barrier reefs just offshore to slow down coastal erosion, a real challenge in this part of East Anglia. And you’ll enjoy wide, uninterrupted views of both the coast and countryside.
1. START
Park in Waxham, a tiny flint village home to 14th-century St John’s Church and the 16thcentury Grade I-listed thatched Waxham Great Barn. The Dunes Café next to the barn is a great place to stop for pre- or post-walk refreshments. Follow the Norfolk Coast Path fingerpost sign north-west on to a wide sandy path, and continue up and over the dunes to the unspoilt beach where you turn left. See the eco-friendly Shangri-La holiday home, built to Passivhaus standards, on your right. Enjoy the expansive sea views up and down the beach, which is rarely crowded even at the height of summer. You might be lucky enough to see a seal or two basking on the beach or playing in the sea. If you do spot one, keep your distance.
2. 0.1 MILES
Walk along the beach, backed by concrete walls and granite boulders, for about a mile until you reach the village of Sea Palling. If you want a longer walk, continue along the beach, but this is a lovely spot to stop for a dip. The sandy horseshoe bay is very popular with families, and in summer has RNLI lifeguards and a dog-free section.
3. 1.1 MILES
After a swim, walk into the village, perhaps for an ice cream, passing the volunteer lifeboat station on your left. Continue straight through the village – with its fish and chip shops, seaside souvenirs and Reefs Bar – along Beach Road for about 100m and turn left on the Norfolk Coast Path back towards Waxham.
4. 1.7 MILES
Follow the Norfolk Coast Path to Waxham, with high sand dunes on your left. The track passes several beach chalets in various states of repair, with farmland to the right where arable crops are grown in rotation. Expect to see butterflies, whispering marram grass and seasonal wildflowers. Look out, too, for coastal birds, such as little terns. You soon rejoin the sandy path where you started. Make time to visit both St John’s church with its simple interior and the biggest barn in East Anglia, Waxham Great Barn.
USEFUL INFO
Starting point
Free parking on Church Road in Waxham, NR12 0DY. Do respect the locals.
Terrain
It’s a lovely, easy family walk, with a long sandy stretch of beach.
Map
OS Explorer OL40
Swim
RNLI lifeguarded in summer, the beach at Sea Palling is clean, sandy and sheltered, great for a swim.
Eat/drink
Try dog- and child-friendly Reefs Bar in Sea Palling. reefsbar-seapalling. foodanddrinksites.co.uk
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