The Heacham Circular Walk offers views across the Wash and passes a memorial plaque to Mercedes Gleitze and her historic swimming achievement. Heacham also has two beaches with different facilities, Norfolk Lavender, a championship golf course, and the Church of St Mary the Virgin, the village’s oldest surviving building. You can plan your stay around your interests: beach amenities, scenery, golf and local history each offer a different focus.
North Beach and South Beach compared
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. This makes it easy to choose based on the facilities you’re looking for: if you want an amusement arcade, a fish stall or a beach hut to rent, North Beach is a good place to start. South Beach is worth considering if you’re looking for a gift shop by the beach. A café and toilets are practical features shared by both beaches.
A walk with views and a memorial
The circular walk is a practical choice if you want to combine scenery and history in one route. It offers views across the Wash and passes the memorial plaque to Mercedes Gleitze, commemorating her historic swimming achievement. This brings a viewpoint and a named place of remembrance together along the same route. If you choose a walk not only for the scenery but also for a historic landmark, consider making the Heacham Circular Walk a focus of your stay.
Lavender gardens, local history and golf
The main area of Norfolk Lavender is free to visit and includes gardens, the National Collection of Lavenders and shops. Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the main areas, provided they are kept on a lead. The garden, collection and shopping offer different reasons to visit; if you’re travelling with a dog, remember the lead requirement when planning your visit.
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is Heacham’s oldest surviving building. Its main structure dates from the late 13th century and was originally laid out in the shape of a cross. A cruciform ground plan describes a layout in the shape of a cross; here, it refers to the original design of the main structure. The church also contains memorials to Princess Pocahontas. The date, layout and memorials offer different points of cultural and historical interest: the building’s age and design on the one hand, and the remembrance of Pocahontas on the other.
Heacham Manor Golf Club adds golf to the range of options. It has an 18-hole championship golf course that incorporates natural features of the surrounding area, including two rivers and four lakes. For golf enthusiasts, this brings together a specific course size and championship classification with features of the landscape. The mix of sport and natural elements gives this option a different character from the beach, walking or local history.
Discover more destinations: North Burlingham, Gayton, Great Yarmouth, Castle Acre, Baconsthorpe, Watton, Dersingham, Wells-Next-The-Sea.
For the main travel guide: Norfolk.
