The beaches of the North Norfolk coast are beautiful, but then most people know that.

Holkham Beach is one of the very best made famous by the closing footage in Shakespeare in Love, the Gywneth Paltrow character walking barefoot along the empty beach.

I too, recently walked barefoot along the beach on a beautiful autumnal day typical of North Norfolk, with blue sky, blustery wind, soft soft sand and lots of happy walkers, dogs, children all heading for the beach.  The tide was out so acres of sand were exposed and the throng of people magically dispersed, everyone heading in different directions. After five minutes of walking along the foot of the dunes, we found ourselves alone except for our two dogs.

We were sheltered from the off shore breeze and wandered along warmed by the sun and the cries of the birds

The dogs darted in and out of the dunes, sniffing through the grass up to the bordering forest of pine trees and back down again to splash, wade and swim in the tidal pools and little rivers that were making their way back to the sea.