LOLLOPING by the water’s edge at sundown, soaking up the last of the rays while the waves lap nearby, is most people’s ideal way to spend a holiday.
It’s not me doing the lolloping this time, though. Instead, it’s the 50 seals, who are reclining at leisure, just around teatime, as if mimicking the laissez-faire attitude of the holidaymakers at the nearby campsite and caravan park.
I’m at the peaceful Waxham Sands holiday park in Norfolk is a great spot for watching seals bob in the ocean and is more like glamping than a caravan park, next door to where the creatures gather in their numbers.
The site lies directly behind the grass-covered dunes at the back of unspoilt, sandy Horsey Beach.
It’s a well-known spot among the locals for watching seals bob and play in the water and, if you are lucky, come out to bask on the sands in the evening.
The animals are so common there are even signs warning tourists not to play with ring-frisbees on the beach to prevent discarded ones becoming trapped around the seals’ necks.
We could have watched these gentle lumbering giants go about their businesses for hours, honking at each other and shuffling to and fro.
My three children — Henry, ten, Nicholas, seven, and three-year-old Estella — were especially mesmerised watching their interactions.
Seal spotting and messing about on the sands at Horsey became our evening routine during our delightful stay at Waxham, and the site’s direct beach access made this so easy.
Run by Lovat Holiday Parks, Waxham Sands has a more upscale, bespoke feel to it than larger holiday parks I have stayed at on trips to Norfolk before.
More like a glamping site than a caravan park, a communal safari tent is decked out with comfy seating and board games, while a smart blue and white central office serves coffee and locally sourced foods, along with essentials.
A highlight for my kids was the humongous marshmallows sold on sticks ready for toasting around the communal fire pit, which was lit each evening.
Each night a different local street food truck parked up on site along with the all-important bar cart.
The children played on the adventure playground with other youngsters while we sipped a sundowner in the peaceful surroundings.
My seven-year-old even declared that the pizzas we had for dinner one night were “the world’s best!”
Whilst Waxham still has a large field of camping and touring pitches, we stayed in one of the park’s brand new luxury static holiday homes.
Our three-bedroom, two-bathroom holiday palace had a fully equipped kitchen with a dishwasher, but the standout feature was a spacious veranda where we spent lazy evenings with a glass of wine under the setting sun.
If the British weather takes a predictable turn, the imitation wood-burner inside provides a cosy atmosphere.
Despite being in a holiday home, with so much greenery right on our doorstep, we were still able to conjure up that magical campsite feel for the kids without having to go back to basics in a tent.
If you do fancy venturing further afield, ten minutes’ drive up the road is Horsey Mill, one of Norfolk’s famous windmills, lovingly maintained by the National Trust and open for tours.
The famous Norfolk Broads are within very easy reach too.
We headed to the town of Wroxham where we picked up a brand new electric day boat from local, family-run firm Broads Tours.
It felt like we had stepped straight into Wind In The Willows as we pootled along through picturesque, open waterways on our typical Broads circuit before mooring up for a pub lunch in the village of Horning.
The famous Norfolk Broads are within very easy reach too
The aptly named Ferry Inn has wooden posts to tie on to and dishes up pies of the day as well as juicy hunks of meat served with gravy boats of sauce.
The boat was clean, quiet and so easy to steer — so much so that the kids even had a go, pointing out swans, ducks and herons as we cruised through the water.
Those with energetic youngsters can make the 20-minute drive from Waxham Sands to the enchanting BeWILDerwood, a forest adventure attraction without the tedious queuing and piped music you find at other theme parks.
Instead of the usual rollercoasters, BeWILDerwood is a network of huge wooden play structures, zip-lines, massive slides and giant swings spread throughout a forest.
There is a storytelling stage where children can immerse themselves in charming tales of the fictional Boggles Twiddles and Crocklebogs, around which the attraction is themed.
We returned to our holiday home that evening even more relaxed than the lazy seals flopped on the beach.
Down time is a shore thing at Waxham.
STAYING THERE: A four-night break to Waxham Sands Holiday Park in a Standard three-bedroom holiday home, sleeping up to eight people, costs from £459 in total. Call 0333 200 1010 or see lovatparks.com.
OUT & ABOUT: A hire boat on the Norfolk broads costs from £21.25 per hour – see broadstours.co.uk
