Wells-next-the-Sea Beach

Wells-next-the-Sea gives you one of the most photogenic stretches on the north Norfolk coast: a row of candy-coloured beach huts raised on stilts against dark pinewoods, then a vast tidal flat that empties to the horizon at low water. For a sub-250g flyer it is close to ideal - launch from the open sand and you have huge, uncluttered airspace with the huts, the harbour channel and the distant lifeboat station all in frame. The light is the draw; early morning the wet sand mirrors the sky and the huts glow. Practical notes: this is Holkham Estate land backing onto Holkham National Nature Reserve, so keep take-off on the public beach, not in the private pinewoods, and don't drift west over the reserve or the seal-trip boats heading to Blakeney Point. It gets genuinely busy on summer afternoons, so fly early or out of season and keep well clear of the huts and swimmers. The tide comes in fast across the flats - know your times. Bring spare batteries; the space tempts long flights and there's no shelter from the sea breeze out on the sand.