via Hempstead Heath

Sea Palling via Hempstead Heath Explore the coastal fringes of the broads then enjoy a beach walk back to the start

Getting started There are two bus services reaching Sea Palling, Neaves service 36 --Wroxham- and Sanders service 34 - –North Walsham. Get off the bus at the terminus on Clink Road, Sea Palling. Timetable information can be found on the Traveline website or telephone 0871 200 22 33. Unfamiliar with the area? You might find it helpful to take a map with you. Sea Palling is covered in the Clink Road bus stop Ordnance Survey Explorer Series, The Broads, map number OL40.

Refreshments During the summer season there are various refreshment opportunities including Beach Rock Café and Coffee Shop, as well as an ice-cream parlour, snack bar and amusements at the end of Beach Road. Reefs Bar on Beach Road is open year round. Dogs are welcome.

Reed-fringed ditches

What to expect Allow at least 3 hours for this 6.2 mile walk. It takes you through a land of reed-fringed ditches, tree-lined farm tracks and winding country roads. The great variety of old wooden summer beach huts nestling at the base of sand dunes give an evocative reminder of the simple pleasures of a coast holiday. The walk finishes on a long stretch of beach. Although this is an easy, flat walk, the open landscape often has strong winds giving an added sense of exposure and that last beach section certainly makes your legs ache! Sea Palling

Version: Nov/2016 Sea Palling via Hempstead Heath

Along the way . . .

The landscape There are beautiful views on the coast where the dunes slope down to long, windswept sandy beaches. Behind the dunes the walk takes you through farmland on the fringes of the Broads. The landscape here is mostly open farmland with occasional low hedges. The fields are usually divided by a grid of reed-lined drainage ditches, with areas of scrub leading to woodland as the ground rises.

Happisburgh Lighthouse The settlement pattern has developed gradually though the ad-hoc spread of holiday plots with structures ranging from beach-huts to prefab inter- war and post war holiday type bungalows and Along the way . . . caravan parks. The tree-lined bridleway winds its way around Hempstead Common, an area of small pastures divided by straight dykes. Crop marks visible on aerial photographs have shown a dispersed group of earlier field boundaries and track ways of an unknown date, perhaps representing several phases of activity which could be Iron Age to Roman in date. Pause as you stand beside the 13th Century St Andrews Church and look to the west for a good view of Happisburgh Lighthouse at this point. This red and white lighthouse was built in 1791.

St Andrews Church

Explore more . . . There is a choice of routes on the way back, rather than returning along the base of the sand dunes and retracing your steps, why not walk along the beach if the tide is out? It’s almost a mile and a half walk between the rocky sea defences and sand dunes. Count the sea defences; the way back through Cart Sea Palling beach Gap is opposite the fourth sea defence.

The Norfolk Coast area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) is one of 42 AONBs in and Wales, which together with 13 national parks comprise our finest landscapes, rich in wildlife and cultural heritage. The Norfolk Coast Partnership is funded by Defra and local authorities to bring local organisations together to conserve and enhance the area’s natural beauty and promote its sustainable use and enjoyment. Sea Palling via Hempstead Heath

Walk instructions

Explore More tip………… have a quick look at the sea at the start of this walk to check where the tide is if you wish to return along the beach in about two hours time. Having a look here at the start will also identify a point to aim for when walking back on the beach!

1 From the bus terminus at the junction of Clink Road and Beach Road, start by walking down Beach Road towards the sea. Take the path to the left of the concrete ramp, pass the toilets and then take the narrow path which starts behind the toilets. Keep left to walk at the base of the sand dunes. The path widens out and becomes a vehicle track. Pass the small wooden chalets in the dunes and continue ahead at the junction with Clink Road. Stay on Clink Road as it leaves the base of the sand dunes and winds its way inland. 2 Turn left at the junction, ignoring the road which is shown as ‘unsuitable for HGVs’. 3 At the sharp right hand bend, turn left onto the farm track, which is a public bridleway. Follow the bridleway for approximately 1.6 miles. The bridleway starts as a tree-lined farm track, then it becomes a field edge path at the waymark post and continues with the hedge on the right, before reverting to a farm track, called Common Road. Remain on this track to the end, ignoring all side turns and continuing ahead at the junction with another public footpath, keeping Hempstead Heath on your right. Hempstead Heath is shown on the map, it is now arable fields. 4 Turn right onto Hempstead Road and walk along the road for almost half a mile. Turn first left signposted to Eccles-on-Sea. Pass St Andrew’s Church and turn immediately right onto a field edge public footpath. At the end of the footpath, turn left onto Beach Road and walk to the end. You now have a choice of bearing right to walk around the base of the dunes, or continuing ahead over the dunes onto the beach.

5 Explore More tip………… why not return to the start point via the beach? At the end of Beach Road, go through the dunes and have a look at the sea. If the tide is out turn right and walk along the beach, keeping the sea on your left. After 1. 4 miles turn inland beside Sea Palling Independent Station, which is opposite the fourth sea defence rocks. Go through the concrete gap to Beach Road and your start point.

5 If the tide is in, keep right and follow the road at the base of the sand dunes, the road becomes a sandy track between the dunes and chalets. Continue ahead as it becomes a tarmac road. Ignore the right turn which you took near the start of the walk. Retrace your steps to the start point.

Sea Palling via Hempstead Heath

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Neaves service service Neaves 34 North Walsham 34 North

Sanders service service Sanders 3 hours Time Time Bus terminus, Palling. Sea Reefs Bar, Beach Road, Palling,Sea open Happisburgh Happisburgh Bus terminus, Clink Road, Palling. Sea Grid ref -

6.2 miles 6.2 year round. Additional cafes, shops, open seasonally. open shops, cafes, Additional round. year Mundesley Refreshments Start point point Start TG429274 OL40 map OS Explorer 36 Norwich Distance Distance transport Public

Published by Norfolk Coast Partnership — www.norfolkcoastaonb.org.uk