Heacham: Beaches, the Wash and history

Heacham offers several distinct themes for planning a trip: beaches, a walk with views over the Wash, a golf course and historic sites. North Beach and South Beach differ in the facilities mentioned; the Heacham Circular Walk combines views with a memorial plaque, while the Church of St Mary the Virgin represents Heacham’s architectural history. Norfolk Lavender and Heacham Manor round out this selection with gardens, shops and golf.

Beaches and their facilities

North Beach has an amusement arcade, a café, a fish stall and beach huts available to rent. South Beach has a café and a gift shop; public toilets are available at both beaches. The key difference when choosing between them is therefore the additional facilities: beach huts and a fish stall are at North Beach, while the gift shop is at South Beach. A café and public toilets are shared features. This makes it possible to choose a beach based on specific facilities without assuming that both have identical amenities.

The Heacham Circular Walk

The Heacham Circular Walk offers views over the Wash and passes a memorial plaque to Mercedes Gleitze. It commemorates her historic swimming achievement. The walk thus combines views of the Wash with a specific historical connection. This differs from the memorials to Princess Pocahontas in the Church of St Mary the Virgin: Gleitze is commemorated by the plaque along the walk, while Pocahontas is commemorated by the memorials in the church. The two places therefore offer different points of connection to Heacham’s history.

Norfolk Lavender

Admission to the main area of Norfolk Lavender, including the gardens, the National Collection of Lavenders and the shops, is free. The gardens and collection give the visit a botanical focus; the shops are another part of the experience. Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the main areas, provided they are kept on a lead. For guests with a dog, this lead requirement is a practical detail to consider when planning. Norfolk Lavender thus complements the beach and history themes with a visit featuring gardens, a collection and shops.

The church and local history

The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the oldest surviving building in Heacham. Its main structure dates from the late 13th century and was originally laid out in the shape of a cross. The church also contains memorials to Princess Pocahontas. Architectural history and remembrance therefore represent distinct historical connections: the date and original floor plan relate to the main structure, while the memorials commemorate Pocahontas. The church gives Heacham’s local history a clear architectural and memorial focus.

Golf at Heacham Manor

Heacham Manor Golf Club has an 18-hole championship golf course that incorporates natural features of the surrounding area. These include two rivers and four lakes. These features distinguish the golf course as a travel theme from the beaches, whose facilities vary, and the historical connections of the walk and church. If golf is part of your trip, you can assess this option by its size, championship classification and the bodies of water incorporated into the course. Heacham thus offers a choice of different interests without conflating its beaches, local history and golf.

Discover more destinations: Foulsham, East Harling, Costessey, Hockering, Great Bircham, Corpusty, Wiggenhall Saint Peter, Upwell.

For the main travel overview: Norfolk.