cley-(nearly)-next-the-sea, part two

We were back in Cley-next-the-Sea last week, staying in Manor Coach House, just a few steps from the famous windmill:

The house was just as perfect as we'd remembered,

filled with light and decorated in the most soothing shades of white and pale gray:

the perfect place to relax after a bracing walk by the sea.

Luckily it wasn't gray on the beach. Here's the beach at Cley, which despite the 'next-the-Sea' moniker, is actually a mile from town:

Even more spectacular was the walk from Holkham to Wells-next-the-Sea:

Stumbling up and over the grassy dunes,

we came upon the most amazing beach, with a seemingly endless expanse of sand and surf:

At Wells, we spied some fabby beach huts,

before turning inland to make our way back through the pines, which were planted as a wind and sand break for the fields behind. After the blowiness of the beach, the calm was very welcome. And equally welcome was the cart selling homemade Holkham Ice Cream!

We also walked through Sheringham Park, designed by Humphry Repton in 1812 and now part of the National Trust, where we were greeted by a herd of cows,

before the fields gave way to cliffs and more views over the sea:

Sun and surf, sand and shingle: the British seaside holiday has it all...

and cows to boot!