North Norfolk's pristine and spacious beaches are at the heart of its attractiveness as a holiday destination, and as a place to live.

And the District Council takes great care in making sure they are safe and clean for everyone. This year, four of the district's most popular beaches boast Seaside Awards (the Tidy Britain Group's award for cleanliness and facilities). These are Cromer, Sheringham, Mundesley and Sea Palling, and all achieved this standard with the highest possible grade.

In addition, Cromer, Sheringham, Sea Palling and Mundesley also fly Blue Flags - taking pride in having achieved and maintained the strict European Union standard for water quality. That is not to say that North Norfolk's other beaches are not equally clean, but only "resort" beaches can qualify for Blue Flags, and few of North Norfolk's quiet beaches fall into that category.

From the lively foreshores of Cromer and Sheringham, to the uncluttered expanse of Holkham Beach (the real-life location for Gwyneth Paltrow's memorable coming ashore after the shipwreck at the close of the hit movie Shakespeare in Love), the beauty of North Norfolk's beaches is unquestionable.

For a free copy of the North Norfolk Coast & Countryside All Year Round Holidays brochure, call +44 (0870) 2410312