Holkham Beach and Pinewoods Dog Walk

Holkham Beach is one of the great dog walking beaches in England - wide enough that you rarely feel crowded, backed by a pinewood that smells extraordinary after rain, and with enough space that a dog can stretch into a full run without getting near another person. The walk from the Lady Anne’s Drive car park takes you through the pinewoods first, and dogs are on leads through this section year-round; once you clear the treeline onto the dunes, the beach opens up ahead of you and most of it is off-lead accessible throughout the year. Between 1 April and 31 August, the most sensitive dune and beach zones around Holkham Gap and Gun Hill are roped off to protect ground-nesting shorebirds, but these areas are well-signed and over 70% of the beach stays open to dogs during this period.

One thing to take seriously here is the tide. Holkham Bay is a wide, flat, tidal beach and the water comes in fast across the sands - if you walk far out across the flats, check tide times before you go and keep an eye on the water rather than just on your dog. The Lookout cafe near the car park is dog-friendly with water bowls outside, and opens from around 10am with hours varying by season.

Tidal risk: Holkham Bay is a wide, flat tidal beach. The tide comes in very rapidly across the sands and can isolate walkers who have walked far from the shore access point. Check tide times before visiting. Do not walk across the tidal flats when the tide is coming in. Return to the shore access point before the tide rises.

Seasonal notes: 1 April to 31 August - dogs on leads in Holkham Gap and Gun Hill sections to protect ground-nesting shorebirds. Clear signage and wardens in place. Over 70 percent of beach remains off-lead. Year-round - leads required through pinewoods (Lady Anne’s Drive entrance). Summer - sand can become very hot in direct sun. Walk during cooler parts of the day.

Parking: Lady Anne’s Drive car park (NR23 1RG). Open 6am to 9pm daily. Up to 2 hours £3.60, up to 4 hours £7.00, all day £13.50.

Dog waste bins: Bins at the car park and at the Lookout cafe. No bins on the open beach - carry waste bags for the beach section.

Dog-friendly stops: The Lookout cafe (Lady Anne’s Drive) - dogs outside only. Water bowls provided outside. Open from approximately 10am, hours vary by season - check holkham.co.uk before visiting.