In the event, we were able to stay low, walking on the beach or the bottom of the long sea wall until just below the village of Hopton-on-sea where we were forced up the cliff owing to damage to the concrete sea wall. We moaned and chuntered about the diversion because there is no indication of it earlier on the route, meaning that you are either faced with retracing your steps (always a pain) or trying to find a way up the cliff which numerous signs advise you is a bad idea.
I have referred in previous postings to the alleged damage that some sea defences or other coastal developments cause for communities below the developments. As this article suggests, the development of the outer harbour at Great Yarmouth may have played a role in diminishing the beach, cliff and coastal defences at Hopton-on-Sea.