The secret beaches of Norfolk’s Broads

Most people don’t realise that the Broads National Park in Norfolk stretches all the way to the coast – and a trio of untouched beaches where visitors can enjoy vast stretches of sand and, if they’re lucky, a swim with the local seals.

Horsey village has the famous Horsey Windpump and Horsey Mere but that’s not all: there’s a lovely tucked-away medieval church and a brilliant pub, too, beyond which you can follow the path all the way to the dunes and beautiful sandy beach.

There’s not much to the village of Waxham beyond the impressive thatch of Waxham Barn, a vast 16th-century construction, which is open to the public and which is also home to a cafe and handily located bike hire facilities. But follow the path through the dunes and the beach awaits – a glorious sandy expanse.

The village here is lovely, and has a good pub to boot, but the beach and dunes are awesome, a vast, dog-friendly stretch that extends for miles in either direction. You can swim with the seals, have lunch in the excellent beach cafe or just hide out in the dunes. Plus, it’s one of the few breeding grounds of little terns in the country.