Wells-next-the-Sea isn’t actually next to the sea at all – but a mile-long walk away along the flood defence bank. It takes longer than you expect as you brace against the sea wind and stop to admire the view across the harbour.
But it’s worth the effort. Your reward is a vast sandy beach, arguably the finest in Britain – as The Sunday Times has crowned it. At the very least, according to The Telegraph, it’s up there in the top 20.
As the sea retreats it leaves huge sandbanks and water rivulets that invite you to build dams and sandcastles. But as the infamous Wells tide comes in the whole area is rapidly engulfed by the sea.
Watching the power and pace of the tide as it rolls in, is one of the highlights of your beach day when you’re safely behind the high-water foam lines. The benign trickling stream widens into a deep, swirling channel within minutes
