North Norfolk Coast Path

July 2011, A hot sunny day.

Start: Wells-next-the-sea.  OS map OS251, Grid ref: TF 914 430

Distance:  7 miles return walk.  

Time:  3.5 hrs including camera stops.

We started the walk at the beautiful town of Wells on the north Norfolk Coast path.  Wells is a small seaside town with a few arcades and the landmark granary with it's overhanging gantry.  Walking along beach mile we arrived at the lifeboat station where a little further along the beach we found dozens of bright coloured beach huts on the golden sands.  Some of the popular huts can fetch upwards of £64,000!

Beach huts all in a row

Well-next-the-sea, the granary to the left.

Our walk began at the harbour where we parked our car for £4 for the day.  Along the dockside we watched children catching brown crabs while the fishermen were bringing in the catch of the day, usually crab and lobster.  Further along we found some sheds where Billy a local lobster fisherman was making new lobster pots.  He explained that each one lasts about 5 years in the sea.  He has about 1600 of these pots out there and with lobster fetching upto £20 per kilo near Christmas, that's not a bad living, all be it a hard one.

Billy making a lobster pot

Following the path alongside the salt marshes is easy and well sign-posted.  On a hot day it can be quite tiring as there is no shade on the route.  Jasper did manage to find a bush to lie in while we stopped for a quick snack half-way along.  It took a lot of persuasion to get him out again.

One hot dog!

The Salt marshes.

It is truly a beautiful place to walk with butterflies fluttering in the hedgerows, and the perfect place for twitchers to watch the vast array of wild birds in the area such as Hen Harriers, Merlin and Peregrine. As you arrive at Blakeney point, where the same two wardens have watched over it for the last 50 years, it is a short walk inland to Stiffkey (pronounced Stookey) turning left at the main road, we found a lovely old pub for lunch and a bowl of fresh water for Jasper.  The meals are huge and home-made and the pub was a definite respite from the days sun.

The Red Lion at Stiffkey

Stiffkey is a lovely village where the houses are all made using the traditional Norfolk method of cladding them using flint stones taken from the shores.  It is also famous for it's blue shelled cockles called 'Stewkey Blues'.  They get their unique colour from the mud and can be found on the best tables around the world, but far better here at home.  On a more spooky note, Stiffkey is said to be the haunt of Black Shuck - a huge black hound reputed to be the inspiration for the 'Hound of the Baskervilles'.  It is supposed to roam the coastline terrorising its victims and is said to appear just before a close relative dies.

Waiting for the tide.

After lunch we headed back the way we had come stopping to pick some fresh samphire on the mud flats at Wells.  This salty veg, also known as poor mans asparagus, has been collected by the locals to sell for hundreds of years.  It is best served boiled with a knob of butter and some fresh crab or lobster.

Samphire

After stopping to see the catch of fresh lobster Billy has brought home, we head back into town for a well deserved cup of tea at one of the small tea shops along the narrow streets of Wells.  Jasper took the opportunity for a quick nap too.  A great walk even though it is only a small part of the North Norfolk Coast path.

Catch of the day.

Time for tea