Walking in Norfolk

Guidebook to 40 easy to moderate walks in the English county of Norfolk. Circular routes of 4 to 12 miles show off the area's surprisingly varied landscape: the Broads, Brecks and Fens and coastal dunes, salt marsh and tidal creeks. Also includes information on Norfolk's rich history and unique plants and wildlife.

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Overview

This guidebook describes 40 day walks across Norfolk ranging in length from 4 to 12 miles. The walks are divided into five sections: the northeast coast and the Broads; south Norfolk, the Yare and Waveney; North Norfolk and the Coast; Central Norfolk and Breckland; and West Norfolk and the Fens. Each walk is described step-by-step, illustrated with 1:40K OS map extracts and packed with historical, geological and other information about the landscape the route passes through.

All walks are circular, along footpaths, bridleways and quiet country lanes, and some use parts of long-distance paths, including the Peddars Way, Norfolk Coast Path, Boudica's Way and Weavers Way.

The Fenland region of Norfolk's far west is flat and low-lying, as are the marshes and waterways of the Broads in the east, but between these two extremes there is a great deal of topography going on. The county is far more varied than most outsiders imagine, with several distinct and unique landscapes. As well as Broads and the Fens, it has the sandy Brecks, rolling farmland, ancient woodland, meandering rivers and the gorgeous North Norfolk coast with its beaches, shingle banks, salt marshes and tidal mud flats.

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction
A brief history
Landscapes
Wildlife
National Parks and AONBs
Getting there and back
When to go
What to take
Food and drink
Waymarks and access
Safety
Maps
Using this guide
Longer walks in Norfolk
1 Northeast coast and the Broads
Walk 1 Winterton-on-Sea
Walk 2 Potter Heigham and Hickling Broad
Walk 3 North Walsham
Walk 4 Happisburgh
Walk 5 Horstead and River Bure
2 South Norfolk, the Yare and Waveney
Walk 6 River Chet and Hardley Marshes
Walk 7 Outney Common and Earsham
Walk 8 Rockland St Mary and Claxton
Walk 9 Surlingham
Walk 10 Burgh St Peter and ‘The Triangle’
Walk 11 Burgh Castle
Walk 12 Shotesham
Walk 13 Fritton Common
Walk 14 Harleston and Redenhall
Walk 15 Cringleford and River Yare
Walk 16 New and Old Buckenham
3 North Norfolk and coast
Walk 17 Sheringham and Beeston Regis
Walk 18 Bodham and Baconsthorpe
Walk 19 Itteringham
Walk 20 Aylsham and Blickling
Walk 21 Old Hunstanton, Thornham and Holme-next-the-Sea
Walk 22 Snettisham
Walk 23 Salthouse and Cley-next-the-Sea
Walk 24 Blakeney and Wiveton Downs
Walk 25 Little Walsingham, Houghton St Giles and Great Snoring
Walk 26 Brancaster Staithe and Barrow Common
4 Central Norfolk and Breckland
Walk 27 Thompson Common and Pingo Trail
Walk 28 Swannington and Upgate Common
Walk 29 Hockering
Walk 30 Shipdham
Walk 31 Santon Warren and Thetford Forest
5 West Norfolk and Fens
Walk 32 Harpley and Peddars Way
Walk 33 Tittleshall and Godwick
Walk 34 Helhoughton and West Raynham
Walk 35 Castle Acre
Walk 36 Roydon and Roydon Common
Walk 37 Narborough and Nar Valley
Walk 38 Beachamwell
Walk 39 Hilgay Fen
Walk 40 The Wiggenhalls

Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Useful contacts
Appendix C Further reading
Appendix D Long-distance walks in Norfolk

Updates

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May 2022

Walk 3

Page 35 Grammar School Road should read Yarmouth Road and Filby Road should read Thirlby Road

It has also been brought to our attention that there is a new, pleasant path alongside the canal from the old mill complex (p38) to the "small bridge" on the return route.

February 2022

Walk 17 distance and time amendment

Walk 17 should be 7 1⁄2 miles (12km) and is therefore expected to last around 3 hours

August 2021

Walk 40 - The Wiggenhalls

For the foreseeable future the upper (northerly) loop of this route is no longer available. After the church by St Mary’s Hall it is no longer possible to cross the small bridge over Mill Basin and walk along the raised bank between the channels due to the sluice work that is being undertaken.

The longer loop that follows both sides of the River Great Ouse between Wiggenhall St Germans and Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen is still viable.

Thanks to Simon Allen for the update.

Reviews

"Excellent, clearly and concisely written"

We are full of praise for this perfect pocket-sized book of circular walks and we are steadily working our way through it, exploring our glorious home county from angles that we've never seen before - and we've lived in Norfolk for forty years!

We would like to commend the author on the excellent, clearly and concisely written walk instructions - spot on in every respect, and better than we have come across in any other walking guide (and we own many). It takes the stress out of the walk - knowing that we are not going to get lost or have to retrace our steps quite so many times (which has so often been our previous experience!).

Many thanks - and when we can travel further afield again, we will be doing so with the relevant Cicerone guide in our pocket.

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Sample Route

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