Heacham
Do not swim
The Environment Agency advises against bathing at this location.
Checked against the Environment Agency (England) · data last changed 13 days ago.
Active notices
Advice against bathing
The Environment Agency advises against bathing at this location.
Sea conditions
Water temperature
15.7°C
Cool — comfortable for a shorter swim
Wave height
0.4 m
Significant wave height offshore; inshore conditions vary.
Tide
Going out
- Low water around UTC
- High water around UTC
Modelled values, not measurements — coastal water often differs from the open-sea model, and tide times are approximate to within about half an hour. Use official tide tables for anything that depends on precise timing.
This spot’s record
Heacham is in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, about 18 km from King's Lynn. Heacham was rated Sufficient in 2025 by the Environment Agency (England). Its previous classifications were Poor in 2024, Poor in 2023 and Poor in 2022, so the rating here has moved rather than held. Across the 12 most recent samples published by the Environment Agency (England), E. coli counts ranged from 10 to 240 per 100 ml. The highest was taken on 20 August 2026. A classification is calculated from percentiles across four seasons, so no single reading decides how this water is rated.
Recent sample results
The last 12 bacterial samples published by the Environment Agency (England), most recent on the right. Counts are per 100 ml of water.
Dashed line: 500 E. coli per 100 ml, the Bathing Water Directive guide value for coastal / transitional waters.
| Date | E. coli | Enterococci | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Sept | 10 | 10 | — |
| 16 Sept | 55 | 100 | — |
| 16 Sept | 55 | 100 | — |
| 4 Sept | 64 | 120 | — |
| 1 Sept | 140 | 73 | — |
| 20 Aug | 240 | 310 | — |
A bathing water's official classification is calculated from percentiles across four bathing seasons, not from any single sample — so one high reading doesn't mean a spot is unsafe, and one low reading doesn't mean it's clean today.
Quality over the last 4 years
- Poor2022
- Poor2023
- Poor2024
- Sufficient2025
This water has improved, from Poor in 2022 to Sufficient in 2025.
Facilities & access
- Parking
- YesHeacham North Beach Long Term Car Park about 100 m away (OpenStreetMap)
- Toilets
- YesPublic toilets about 100 m away (OpenStreetMap)
Storm overflows nearby
None of the storm overflows within 5 km with an up-to-date reading are discharging. Heavy rain makes combined sewers overflow into rivers and the sea by design, so this changes with the weather.
- Not dischargingabout 2.7 km awayDischarges into THE WASHLast discharge ended Reported by Anglian Water Services
- Not dischargingabout 2.7 km awayDischarges into THE WASHLast discharge ended Reported by Anglian Water Services
These are the water company’s own reports of when an overflow is operating, not a measurement of the water at this spot. A discharge into a river some distance away may never reach here; a quiet list does not mean the water is clean. The swim status above comes from the bathing-water monitoring body and does not use this data.
Official water quality
Classified Sufficient in 2025.
Official bathing-water profileCommon questions
- Can you swim at Heacham right now?
- Heacham is currently marked "Do not swim". The Environment Agency advises against bathing at this location. This reflects the latest data published by the Environment Agency (England). Conditions change quickly — always assess the water yourself before entering.
- What is the water quality like at Heacham?
- the Environment Agency (England) classified Heacham as Sufficient in 2025. Classifications are a rolling assessment of bacterial samples taken over four bathing seasons, measured against E. coli and intestinal enterococci limits set by the EU Bathing Water Directive.
- Is there a swimming ban or warning at Heacham?
- Yes. The Environment Agency advises against bathing at this location. This notice was published by the Environment Agency (England).
- What facilities are there at Heacham?
- Heacham has toilets, parking. Facility information comes from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Get told when this changes
We’ll email you when the swim status at Heacham moves — a pollution alert opening, or one lifting. Not a newsletter: only this spot, only when it changes, at most once every 12 hours.
Your address is used for these alerts and nothing else, is never shared, and is deleted the moment you unsubscribe — a link is in every email.
Nearby swimming spots
See all swimming spots near King's Lynn — about 18 km away.