Wells is at the heart of the low-lying stretch of North Norfolk coast between Cley and Brancaster. East of the town, the grey-green edges of the salt marshes melt into the North Sea. Muddy creeks and inlets wander among sand spits, eelgrass, samphire and sea lavender, and if you wait long enough you might see marsh harriers, bitterns, redshanks, bearded tits, avocets, reed buntings or sedge warblers.

On the western side of the wide channel which connects Wells with the sea, a straight lane beside a miniature railway leads to the beach and endless, shining low-tide sands. People look like ants in the distance, and away from the pretty group of stilt-high beach huts these vast expanses can feel utterly remote.

Read more about Wells-next-the-Sea in Candida Lycett Green’s new book Seaside Resorts, available now from Amazon (or from The Oldie website for £14.99).