Dark clouds on the North Norfolk Coast

Some dramatic skies while walking sections of the Norfolk Coast Path between Cley and Brancaster Staithe.

Cley and Salthouse Marshes

Some lone trees in the reedbeds at Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Cley and Salthouse reserve.

A ray of sun catching the water on one of the drainage ditches on the reserve.

This section of the Norfolk Coast path is characterised by salt marshes and small coastal villages. Most of the villages are separated from the sea by vast expanses of salt marsh and the path constantly leaves the coast to follow inlets up to the villages then back to the coast again.

Cley

Looking across the marshes to the village of Cley and it’s windmill.

Cley windmill dates back to the early 1800’s.  In the centuries before that, Cley had been a busy port with trading links across the North Sea, particularly with Holland.  Later, when more land was needed for agriculture, they built an embankment to reclaim land  but this resulted in the channel to the sea eventually silting up and the end of Cley as a port.

Wells-next-Sea

Like Cley, Wells is also a mile inland but it has a vibrant quayside and a wide channel leading down to the sea.

Looking back towards Wells from the coast path.  

The path follows a dead straight embankment from the town to the sea.

Just before the entrance to the North Sea is Wells lifeboat station, looking very colourful against the dark sky.

Brancaster Staithe

Heading further west and clouds gathering at Brancaster Staithe.

More boats!