The sun's out! Time to really enjoy our beautiful coastal walks

We meet up with chair of Norfolk Trails to chat about the continued improvements to coastal paths - making them accessible with conservation in mind

“10 out of 10 from us!” Comments one walker as we pass, “It’s just brilliant this.”

I’m out enjoying our coastal paths.  And before heading to the see the latest improvements in Holme, I'm along the boardwalk at Brancaster, which opened a few years ago. 

And I’m walking with the person responsible for the developments - the chair of Norfolk Trails, Andrew Jamieson.

Andrew opening the boardwalk, 2024

“This was a really important development for me, my father lived the last 10 years of his life in a wheelchair.

“He adored the salt marsh, he loved the sea and the coast, but dragging him along the bumpy sand dunes to get to the sea was quite an event. He would have loved this.”

That’s the reason some of us live in this part of the country - or love visiting it - the privilege of being able to access such beauty. 

And with the recent sunshine, a coastal walk is, in my opinion, one of the best activities.

As we wander, Andrew tells me the idea to open up the countryside to as many people as possible, is something he ‘heartedly believes in’.

“We’ve done the boardwalk here, and in Holme. We’re currently going through a consultation process to do exactly the same thing between Sheringham and Beeston.

“I think it’s the most beautiful place in the world the North Norfolk Coast, it’s why I became a County Councillor to do my bit to help it develop and indeed conserve it when necessary.”

We stop to chat to more walkers, who tell Andrew the walkway is ‘brilliant’ and ‘just blends in’.

When the conversation ends he turns and says, “Just look at the reeds, aren’t they just an amazing colour - look at them, how they wave and move, it is the most beautiful spot.

“Norfolk is about the only place, along the whole coast - not just Norfolk - where people can come in a wheelchair or with a pushchair, where they can get onto this boardwalk and down to the sand.”

We then head to Holme, “I love this place,” he tells me, “I live a mile from it and I’ve been down here since I was knee high.

“I think it’s really important to conserve this area. I don’t mean conserve just by stopping people, I mean by building up infrastructure which helps people come down to enjoy it, without destroying this very vulnerable landscape.

“Where as many people can come as possible, through a wonderful landscape - but we’re going to have a very light tread aren’t we as a civilisation leaving a little path like this.”

We continue our walk, passing more happy faces and exchanging niceties. I can hear wildlife and the sea, and think maybe next time I'll bring sunscreen (hope I'm not tempting fate).

This truly is a stunning place to be, and thanks to those like Andrew, it will continue to be place of great beauty.