A solitude of sand

Holkham beach - wide, clean sands and and blue sky

I've only been to Holkham a few times, but it's one of my favourite National Nature Reserves and a place that speaks to my soul in a way I can't express in words. There are huge, wide, open beaches, pine woods, dune systems, agriculture and grazing marshes. I saw my first ever marsh harrier from a hide at Holkham, and to my everlasting delight I saw my first ever spoonbills there as well. I'd read about spoonbills but I had never expected to see any in the UK!

I remember playing frisbee on Holkham beach and I remember an amazing meal in a pub just across the coast road. I remember going bird watching there with friends at 6:00 o'clock one morning (a truly bizarre time to be out and about if you don't have to, if you ask me). I remember being dropped off at Wells-next-the-Sea one morning and spending the whole day walking around the reserve without seeing a single other person until I walked into the pub at the end of the day. I remember getting sunburned on the beach on one occasion, while we could see some awful thunderstorms just inland - we drove home through the most torrential rain. I remember the hot, Mediterranean, scent of the fir trees behind the dunes that same day.

Norfolk is my favourite English county, and Holkham is definitely my favourite beach anywhere. Even on a hot day with lots of visitors there, I took this photo and there's not a living soul in it. It just so brings back memories of special times at a wonderful place.  It's been my wallpaper for ages and I've no intention of changing it just yet.

#100Photos #3