This is a 14 day/15 night (16 days in total to include arrival and departure days) self guided walk along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path National Trail to Cromer This will be organised by Explore Norfolk UK, so all you have to do is turn up and enjoy the stunning and unique landscape.
Pricing and deposit are per person.
The Peddars Way is an historic Roman road. Follow in the footsteps of the Romans from the middle of Knettishall Heath which is just outside Thetford, all the way to the North Norfolk Coast. On the way you'll come across priory and castle ruins, ancient woodland , heathland and arrow straight Roman roads, as well as old burial mounds and ice age pingo ponds. This is a really peaceful wonderful walk.
The Norfolk Coast Path, by contrast, will take you over sand dunes and beaches, national nature reserves, salt marshes and cliffs, coastal villages and Victorian towns, working fishing ports, as well as presenting you with amazing wildlife. You'll come across the coastal erosion on the eastern side of Norfolk, along with a more remote feel to it. You'll also love the huge skies that only Norfolk can give you!
This trail is approximately 137 miles and is a 13 day walking trip
Day 1 - 11 miles/17.7 km
Day 2 - 14.8 miles/23.8 km (includes approx 2 miles into Swaffham)
Day 3 - 7.2 miles/11.5 km
Day 4 - 6.2 miles/9.9 km
Day 5 - 11.6 miles/18.6 km
Day 6 - 10 miles/16 km
Day 7 - 10 miles/16 km
Day 8 - 12.5 miles/20 km
Day 9 - 10 miles/16 km
Day 10 - 13 miles/20.9 km
Day 11 - 8.5 miles/13.6 km
Day 12 - 9.5 miles/15.2 km
Day 13 - 12.5 miles/20 km
Day 14 - 9 miles/14.4 km
Bed and breakfast accommodation in personally chosen B&B’s, pubs or hotels
Luggage is moved for you from one accommodation to the next
A detailed information pack with a guide book, A to Z map, itinerary with places of interest and places to eat in the day and evening, as well as directions to the accommodation and more
Taxi transfers at Thetford, Castle Acre, Sea Palling and from Hopton back to Gt Yarmouth where you'll be staying for the night
In case of emergencies
Excluded are lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks
Please make sure you have travel insurance to cover this holiday.
Transport for any rest days.
Travel to/from Thetford and to/from Gt Yarmouth
Rest days -any costs for rest days or extra activities undertaken.
We can discuss additional rest days/extra nights if required.
If browsing this on a laptop, look to your right for further details and photos of the walk. You'll arrive in historic town of Thetford as this is the nearest town to the start of the walk.
This stretch of the Peddars Way starts in a pretty wood on the outskirts of Thetford and takes you across open countryside, pine forests, deciduous woods, along farm tracks and ancient Pingo ponds and the edge of MOD training zones. It’s an extremely peaceful stretch of the walk unless you have the gun fire from the army!
Mileage includes 2 miles off the path to Swaffham
Once through the woodlands and open countryside, much of this walk is on very quiet lanes. Arrive in the Georgian town of Swaffham for your overnight stay.
Mileage includes 2 miles from Swaffham back to the path.
As you approach Castle Acre from the south, look out for the amazing ruins of Castle Acre Priory which you’ll see from the road. You might like to stop and visit if you have time, or wander around the castle ruins which are on the right hand side as you walk up the main street towards the Bailey Gate.
This day is the hilliest part of the walk (!), it does involve a little bit more road walking, but then you're on to quiet tracks all the way to Gt Massingham.
From Gt Massingham you walk along some extremely straight tracks, as well as open landscape in the form of heathland, passing ancient burial grounds to arrive in Sedgeford, the village full of flint stone and pan tiled cottages! You'll enjoy the peace and quiet.
Very much a straight walk from here to Ringstead over undulating countryside and long straight tracks again until you head down towards the sea at Holme and on to Hunstanton.
This is a beautiful walk along the Old Hunstanton golf course, the sand dunes and then over to Holme Nature Reserve, along board walks, through pine forests and onto the sea defence bank towards Thornham. The next stretch of the Norfolk Coast Path takes you away from the coast bypassing Titchwell and arriving back at Brancaster.
From here you have glorious views over the marshes as you head off on yet more sea defences, out towards the sand dunes and arriving at Gun Hill. This next stretch of the Norfolk Coast Path takes in the well-known and beautiful Holkham beach and continues on to your destination of the very popular working fishing port of Wells-next-the-Sea.
Heading through more wonderful salt marshes with incredible views towards Blakeney Point, and a few sea defences and marshes later you reach the quay in the pretty village of Blakeney and continue on to Cley.
A very different day today on the Norfolk Coast Path. Heading on past Cley windmill and Cley Nature Reserve, a large chunk of this walk is shingle. It can be hard going, but the landscape and the feeling of remoteness is very different to what you will have seen so far. The landscape changes dramatically from the beginning of the day’s walk to the end. You eventually walk on the cliff tops from Weybourne to Sheringham and arrive at Cromer on the cliff face looking down on the Pier.
This day on the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path takes you along the beach at Cromer and over some beautiful cliffs around Overstrand and Trimingham. As you approach Mundesley you will have come inland slightly and then re-emerge onto the cliff face again to see the long stretch of sand towards Mundesley beach.
From Mundesley you walk along the beach below the eroding cliffs and eventually end up on the cliff top walking towards the iconic red and white lighthouse of Happisburgh. You finish your day on the golden sands of Sea Palling beach. A taxi transfers you to your accommodation for the night.
Taxi transfer back to Sea Palling.
Today you walk behind the dunes of Horsey beach where you may even spot some seals, to arrive along the windswept SSSI dunes of Winterton. From here you follow the valley floor of Winterton, walking along the Hemsby beach (which has had some major cliff erosion) to arrive in Caister.
This last stretch takes you into the busy town of Gt Yarmouth, but you navigate your way out of here, along a stretch of quite busy road to finally reach another beautiful beach at Gorleston. Carrying on along the beach, you eventually arrive in Hopton to complete your walk. A taxi transfers you back to your accommodation.
Depart from Great Yarmouth