Wells-next-the-Sea

Wells-next-the-Sea is a village on the north Norfolk coast, with a population of 2165 in 2011. The chief attraction is Holkham Hall, and the coast is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Get in

Wells is 30 miles northwest of Norwich, 15 miles east of Hunstanton and 20 miles west of Cromer.

Lynx Coastliner 36 runs hourly from King's Lynn, taking two hours via Sandringham, Hunstanton, Brancaster and Burnham to Wells, and continues to Walsingham and Fakenham.

Sanders Coaches CH1 CH3 and CH4 run hourly from Sheringham. Coach 46 meanders through the fields from Holt.

National Cycle Route 1. A loop of cycle path runs through the village, the main route running just ½ mile to the south. (updated Jun 2017)

Norfolk Coast Path. A long distance footpath running from Hunstanton to Sea Palling but also linking to the Peddlars Way long distance footpath (updated Jun 2017)

Get around

The town is small enough to walk around.

See
  • Seals. From Morston, take a ferry to see the seals at Blakeney Point for listing and further information of seal colony and viewing trips.
  • 🌍 Holkham National Nature Reserve. At 3,900 hectares (9,600 acres), England's largest national nature reserve, comprising of grazing marsh, woodland, salt marsh, sand dunes and foreshore. (updated Jan 2017)
  • 🌍 Holkham Hall, Wells-next-the-Sea, NR23 1AB, ☏ +44 1328 713111, . Visit hall, gardens, deer park, cycle hire, boat hire, children's play area, cafe. (updated Apr 2017)
  • 🌍 Walsingham is an attractive village 5 miles south of Wells. In the Middle Ages it was a major destination for pilgrimage, and this tradition was revived in the 20th century. The Augustinian priory was virtually erased in 1538 by Henry VIII, leaving only the east facade. The shrine just north, built in 1938, is an unusual example of an Anglican Marian shrine, commemorating a vision of 1061. The equivalent RC shrine and basilica is just south. There are some dozen other chapels and shrines dotted about. You can get here on the W&W Light Railway (see below), but in a twist worthy of Tolstoy, the original railway station is now a Russian Orthodox chapel.

Do
  • 🌍 Wells and Walsingham Light Railway, Wells Next-the-Sea NR23 1QB (on A149), ☏ +44 1328 711630, . Apr-Oct. This was the route of a standard-gauge branch line axed by Beeching in 1969. A 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) gauge railway was rebuilt over four miles of the track bed, opening in 1982. In summer trains (usually steam-hauled) putter along it to the village of Walsingham. (updated Mar 2022)
  • The Beach is west side of the creek outflow, a mile north of town via Beach Road, with sands extending away to Holkham and Burnham. East of the creek is muddy, and with access impeded by wetland.
  • Festival of Sport is a family-oriented taster weekend for various sports, led by big names. It's in the grounds of Holkham Hall (see above), in mid-August.

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Camping

Stay healthy

Connect

As of March 2022, Wells has 4G from EE, O2 and Vodafone, but no signal from Three. 5G has not reached this corner of Norfolk.

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