Stage 11: Burnham Overy Staithe – Wells-next-the-Sea

Jo and I walked this, the 11th stage of my Grand Norfolk Hike, on Saturday 25th March 2012.

Burnham to Wells
Burnham to Wells

After a long, and rather fraught journey to the coast, we disembarked the Coasthopper at Burnham Overy Staithe and made our way down to the beach.

And what a place it is, miles of sandy beach, dunes, woods and with hardly any other people about. All our stresses and worries dropped away, it was lovely.

Martin on Holkham beach
Martin on Holkham beach

Jo decided to go for a dip in the Wash, she lasted ten minutes before coming out, ‘too cold for a spring swim’ she announced.  Fair enough.

Jo going for a dip in the Wash
Jo going for a dip in the Wash

We walked at a leisurely place up the beach…

On a Holkham sand dune
On a Holkham sand dune

and admired the beach huts at the foot of the wood.

Beach huts
Beach huts

We decided to head into the wood itself.

The pine forest at Holkham
The pine forest at Holkham

We finally arrived at Wells just in time for a bag of chips each before catching the bus back to King’s Lynn.

A fine days walk in the most beautiful of countryside, and all in the company of my wonderful wife, Jo.  Perfect.

6 thoughts on “Stage 11: Burnham Overy Staithe – Wells-next-the-Sea

  1. Gorgeous! My wife has been there and says it’s the most beautiful beach she’s been to. We plan to visit!

  2. The vast Holkam Beach is an amazing place . My favourite Norfolk place. Did you see the marsh harriers circling behind the pine woods ? Jo’s dip equally amazing

  3. Inspired by your reports, I explored this part of the coast last week. It is well worth the tortuous journey up there and the traffic jams must help to preserve the emptiness of the area. I agree it is a fantastic antidote to the pressures of life but I wish I had the courage to swim in the Wash.
    In case your interested I made a brief video of my trip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJruf6YPETQ

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