The Broads may have missed out on the National Park of the Year award, but there was still good news for Norfolk when Holkham took top honours in the Beach of the Year category.
All the winners in BBC Countryfile magazine's 2018 awards were revealed yesterday after more than 175,000 votes were cast by the public.
The competition included the very best of the British countryside, including famous landmarks, outstanding national parks, best beaches, beautiful nature reserves and the finest rural pubs from around the UK.
After weeks of voting, Norfolk secured one of the most prestigious awards when the enormous unspoilt golden sandy beach of Holkham won Beach of the Year.
Visit North Norfolk brand manager Kayla Dunn welcomed the news and said the accolade was well deserved.
'We are really delighted Holkham Nature Reserve and beach has been awarded Beach of the Year. It's well deserved!
'The uniqueness of the beach continues to delight visitors all year round with its vast sands, big skies, fantastic wildlife and dramatic landscape.
'We see people of all ages enjoying this stretch of the coast yet when you look around, there is a feeling that it's only you, the sky and the beach, and that's one of the reasons it's so special'.
In the strongest and most debated category, Northumberland National Park – home to some of the most spectacular sights in the country – was named National Park of the Year, followed by Snowdonia.
Broads Authority chief executive John Packman said: 'On behalf of the Broads Authority I would like extend our congratulations to Northumberland National Park.
'We have been told that the Broads narrowly missed out on the runners up spot. To be shortlisted in such good company is a major achievement for the Broads and to attract so many votes and achieve third place is incredible.'
Fergus Collins, BBC Countryfile Magazine editor, said: 'The shortlists, elected by readers and the BBC Countryfile Magazine judging panel, generated a completely fresh set of candidates in each category – and this created a huge amount of healthy debate during the voting period.
'I'd like to congratulate the 20 very worthy winners and runners up and thank everyone for taking part.'
All the winners
The full list of winners are: National Park of the Year: 1st Northumberland National Park, 2nd Snowdonia; Landmark of the Year: 1st The Minack Theatre, Cornwall, 2nd High Force, County Durham; Beach of the Year: 1st Holkham Beach, Norfolk, 2nd Godrevy Beach, Cornwall; Book of the Year: 1st The Wainwrights in Colour by Andy Beck, 2nd The Secret Life of Cows by Rosamund Young; Country Pub of the Year: 1st The Fox House, Longshaw, South Yorkshire, 2nd The Rugglestone Inn, Widecombe in the Moor, Devon; Garden of the Year; 1st The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall, 2nd Bodnant Garden, Conwy; Holiday Destination of the Year: 1st Pembrokeshire Coast, 2nd Isle of Wight; Nature Reserve of the Year: 1st Rodley Nature Reserve, Leeds, 2nd RSPB Arne, Dorset; Conservation Project of the Year: 1st Great British Beach Clean, 2nd The Flight of the Swans, WWT; Reader Photo of the Year: 1st Model Subject by Andrew Fletcher, 2nd Lively Light by Chris Mole.
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