'I tried the stunning winter beach walk only two hours from Cambridge named among the best in the UK'

Matthew Senior
·4-min read

Going for a walk on the beach might not be top of most people's list for a winter activity, but the English coast still has allure in the colder months. Many of them have a tranquil atmosphere at this time of year that make them a must-visit.

Since Cambridgeshire is a landlocked county, we don't have any beaches or coastal areas to call our own. However, there are plenty within driving distance to enjoy for a day out.

One example of such a place is Holkham, which is located on the North Norfolk coast. The beach was recently named one of the best for winter walks by The Times. Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of the cold weather or long walks, but I always enjoy a trip to the seaside. With that in mind, I was optimistic that I would have a good day.

READ MORE: The day out near Cambridgeshire with a medieval castle and village pub

READ MORE: Flood warnings and alerts in and around Cambridgeshire

Holkham beach winter walk
The walk to the beach takes you through the nature reserve, which is filled with pine trees -Credit:CambridgeshireLive

Even though I've been to Holkham before, I could not remember much about it off the top of my head. I knew that it was one of the quieter coastal areas, at least compared to places like Wells, Hunstanton and Cromer, so that, combined with the freezing temperatures, meant I was not expecting it to be busy.

I parked at the car park at Holkham National Nature Reserve, which was only a short distance from the beach. There were actually quite a lot of cars, which took me a bit by surprise, but then again, the Norfolk Coast is always popular, no matter what the weather is like.

Holkham winter beach walk
Holkham is especially quiet when visiting during the cold months -Credit:CambridgeshireLive

I started my walk to the beach by following the boardwalk through the pine woods before making my way to the salt marsh. It turns out that looks can be deceiving as although there were lots of cars parked, there was barely a soul about, with the only sounds I could hear coming from the gentle breeze flowing through the air.

All of this made the atmosphere around me feel very mellow and relaxed. I assumed that the large majority of people were at the beach, so I started making my way towards there, but that proved to be easier said than done.

I followed the right path, but there was so much water around and some of the sandy areas were completely flooded. At one point, I was even blocked off by a long puddle that separated me from where I wanted to go, but fortunately, I managed to get across without getting myself completely drenched.

Holkham winter beach walk
It might be a bit tricky, but climbing on the dunes will give you some great views -Credit:CambridgeshireLive

The beach looked as inviting as ever and, much like the salt marsh, there were very few people about. However, as I walked around, there was a calm and tranquil beauty as my feet kept getting swallowed by the sand and the only sounds I could hear were the waves crashing against the shore.

In The Times list, it said that the vast sands and sea are "somehow more satisfying" in the colder months and I can definitely see why. There's something about walking on a beach on a cold November day with no-one around you that just makes you feel so peaceful and relaxed.

I carried on the path round Holkham Bay and made my way up to the sandy dunes to get a better view of the area. Because it was so cold, I couldn't really get a sense of the coastal air that surrounded me, but for most of the time, I was too distracted watching the waves to even think about that.

Holkham winter beach walk
You can really appreciate the sights and surroundings when not many people are around -Credit:CambridgeshireLive

Once I saw enough of the beach, I made my way back towards the pine woods. Up until that point, I had never noticed how large the area was and I managed to get myself confused on what the right direction was, but in the end, and with very wet feet, I reached the forest.

I stopped off at The Lookout to get one last look at the beach from afar and also checked out some of the other routes in the nearby area. Since the beach is near the Norfolk Coast path, its easily accessible to other beaches for those who want to explore more of the county's coasts.

Although I personally prefer to visit beaches in the summer, I could definitely see the appeal of going for a walk on one in the winter. It might have been chilly, but I wouldn't have much hesitation going again in the future.

Latest stories

  • 29 Customers Who May Just Be The Dumbest People On The Planet (And That's Saying Something)

    I'm getting a headache just reading these.

  • Jet2 holidaymakers disgusted after taking closer look at hotel bed

    Jet2 said it is 'investigating as a matter of priority'

  • The truth about Spain’s new ‘Big Brother’ travel rules

    Tourists visiting Spain will face more paperwork on their holidays, thanks to a new law that requires hotels and car hire firms to gather detailed personal information about their customers.

  • These lights are being installed around a Welsh city - there's a problem if you see them flashing red or purple

    It is the first city in the UK to have the lights installed

  • 7 things I will miss the most when I leave Norfolk

    After a decade of living in Norfolk, I am moving away at the end of the year and these are the things I will miss the most.

  • The story of the Glasgow pub with a secret village hidden beneath it

    The story of the Glasgow Wetherspoons with a village hidden 'beneath' it

  • London to Edinburgh train upgrades could make rail faster than flying

    Proposed improvements and efficiency measures aim to cut 20 minutes from the journey

  • Cost of switching off UK wind farms soars to ‘absurd’ £1bn

    British bill payers have spent an “absurd” £1bn to temporarily switch off wind turbines so far this year as the grid struggles to cope with their power.

  • Could Tenbury Wells be the first UK town centre abandoned over climate change?

    Worcestershire town has been flooded seven times in past four years and shop owners can no longer afford insurance

  • ‘It just keeps coming and coming’: Heavy lake-effect snow dumps more than 5 feet over parts of Great Lakes region

    Post-Thanksgiving travel will be treacherous in parts of the Great Lakes region on Monday with more lake-effect snow falling after the region was already buried under feet of it, while cold temperatures remain across a large swath of the United States.

  • Rhodes: British holidaymakers issued with torrential rain warning amid deadly Storm Bora flooding

    Holidaymakers are being warned of flooded properties and streets and possible power cuts as Storm Bora hits

  • Can the Panama Canal reinvent itself before the next drought?

    STORY: :: Tres Hermanas, Panama This unpaved road crosses the rural and self-sustaining Tres Hermanas community in Panama. But these lush valleys, home to dozens of towns, will be submerged if the Panama Canal Authority moves ahead with a plan to build a massive reservoir on the Indio River. :: Rodolfo Hernandez, Tres Hermanas resident “All that you see here, the green trees seen throughout this area, everything would be lost.” Rodolfo Hernandez is a local resident. “…The Indio River community has not yet said yes to them.” The proposal to dam the river over the next six years pits the future of thousands of people against the water needs of the powerful Canal Authority. Some don’t want to leave. Others are focused on getting fair compensation if they are forced to move. And public opposition could derail the entire project. :: Lake Alajuela, PanamaBut with more extreme weather seen over the last decade set to continue, the $1.6 billion dollar proposal seems as necessary as it seems extreme. :: Record-setting droughtTres Hermanas sits here. The state-owned Canal Authority aims to create a vast dam on the Rio Indio to secure extra freshwater. The 50-mile-long artificial waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans relies on freshwater to operate its locks and, the Authority says, provide drinking water. Ricaurte Vazquez is the administrator of the Panama Canal Authority. :: Ricaurte Vazquez, Administrator, Panama Canal Authority “…And that imposes a relative disadvantage in relation to all other maritime navigation systems in the world." :: Panama Canal AuthorityWhy? Because last year was the third driest year in the canal’s 110-year history. :: Lake Gatun, PanamaAnd meteorologists forecast more severe droughts and faster water evaporation amid hotter temperatures. The waterway is Panama’s main source of hard-currency revenue and accounts for 3.1% of the country’s GDP. It is critical to U.S. imports of vehicle and commercial goods from Asia, and for U.S. exports of commodities, including liquefied natural gas. The latest drought forced vessel traffic to be restricted. But the new plan would allow up to 15 extra canal transits a day during the dry season. The Authority believes the Rio Indio reservoir project is the most complete solution to more frequent droughts. VAZQUEZ: "We understand that this is the most important challenge to maintain the canal's sustainability in the long term in the face of demand, due to Panama's population growth, which will require fresh drinking water for its consumption and that leads us to the national conversation of how to tackle this problem." :: Approvals and relocation The project must still pass a long approval process, including a public consultation. But some infrastructure work, including a bridge, is already visible. The Ministry of Public Works has said the bridge is for cars and people to cross the river. Ilya Espino de Marotta is the canal’s deputy administrator. :: Ilya Espino de Marotta, Deputy Administrator, Panama Canal Authority "Of course, the most complicated part is the process of resettling people. These are conversations that need to be held individually with each family...” To contain the Rio Indio, some 2,260 people would have to be relocated, according to an initial survey by the Canal Authority. 2,000 more would be at least partially impacted. A more accurate census should be completed in January. The project has set aside $400 million, mainly for relocations. But opinions are divided. Some would be willing to sell their land, while others want to fight the project. Dilubino Agraje Dominguez represents the Rio Indio communities through the activist group Countrymen Coordinator for Life. :: Dilubino Agraje Dominguez, Representative, Rio Indio communities"The countryside, nature, their peace for life, for work is what makes them happy. You can show them beautiful, modern things, all well-arranged, but it is not the same for the resident who is used to living under his thatched roof, taking his time to go to the mountain and resting at home whichever day he wants…” The shipping industry is apprehensive.:: November 8, 2023The country’s Supreme Court recently suspended a controversial mining contract with Canada's First Quantum Minerals, after broad public opposition. And instrumental in blocking the contract was Countrymen Coordinator for Life. :: Another option There is an alternative: to transfer water from an existing reservoir fed by the Bayano River. This plan could be finished sooner, without relocations, and is gaining traction among local communities. “There is a real importance to maintain healthy rivers...” Professor LeRoy Poff is an expert on aquatic ecology from the University of Colorado. “I think from an environmental damage point of view that this dam has many negative impacts and very few positive benefits that couldn't be acquired through this alternative project.” :: Panama Canal AuthorityBut the Canal Authority discarded the Bayano option 8 years ago over higher costs and its location. And lawyers say it could mean complicated negotiations with the hydroelectric power providers involved. Faced with a changing climate, Deputy Administrator Espino thinks both projects will be needed in the long run. Ahead of the next drought, the Canal wants shippers to consolidate cargoes and could deploy water recycling measures, if needed.For residents of Tres Hermanas, resource-intense expansion must have a limit. HERNANDEZ: "We are not against the progress of our country, our country must progress, but it must be according to what is necessary and not harming its people."

  • UK weather: Snow forecast as Britain faces chilly week with Met Office predicting -7C frost

    Temperatures to plunge after mild weekend weather with snow forecast for Scotland and northern England

  • Storm Bora floods homes, streets in Greek island of Rhodes

    Torrential rains flooded homes, businesses and roads in the popular Greek tourist island of Rhodes on Sunday, forcing authorities to temporarily ban the use of vehicles as Storm Bora pounded the country for a second day. On Saturday, a man died in flash floods which hit another Greek island in the northern Aegean. The fire service received more than 650 calls to pump water out of flooded buildings on Rhodes island and evacuated 80 people to safer ground, with the city of Ialysos hit the hardest.

  • The five most picturesque villages to visit in County Durham this winter

    The five most picturesque villages to visit in County Durham

  • Bear chases moose family into pond

    This is the moment a bear chased a small herd of three moose into a pond in Yukon, Canada on July 17. One of the moose turned around and challenged the bear, causing it to give up on its pursuit.

  • UK weather: Temperatures forecast as low as -10C

    Forecasters are predicting a widespread frost across the UK, with the potential for -10C (14F) in some places. Most areas will turn dry on Monday evening and, as skies clear, temperatures are set to plummet overnight. "Rural areas, mainly in Scotland, could dip as low as -10C (14F), while -6C (21F) is possible in parts of Northern Ireland and north Wales," said Sky News weather producer Chris England.

  • I traveled to 50 of the top countries for tourism and ranked them from my least favorite to my No. 1 pick

    I've traveled to over 80 countries, so when I saw the list of the top countries for tourism in 2024, I had thoughts. Here's my ranking of the top 50.

  • Snow to hit parts of Scotland as temperatures drop below freezing

    Temperatures in parts of Scotland could hit as low as -8 degrees celcius as the colder winter weather hits the country.

  • The ultimate British Christmas holiday checklist (if you’re American)

    If, as Charles Dickens had it, “there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour,” then Britain is the place to be for Christmas. Few peoples celebrate the holiday in as large or drawn-out a fashion as this island nation. From mid November – while America still eagerly awaits the family feasts of Thanksgiving – the festive lights are up on Regent Street in London, to the regular backing of Mariah Carey and the Pogues. Theatres, concert halls and churches adver